84% of AI-Powered Nonprofits Agree on One Thing
The 2025 AI for Humanity Report reveals the state of the sector.
I recently said something that stopped my colleagues in their tracks: “We don’t really care about AI.”
They looked at me strangely. And fair enough. At Fast Forward, we’ve staked a lot of our strategy on AI. We write talks, playbooks, case studies — this newsletter — all with the purpose of showcasing how nonprofits are using AI to progress their mission.
But AI isn’t the point. It’s not the endgame. The endgame is kids learning, families thriving, communities stronger than they were yesterday. AI just happens to be one way to get there.
That’s why we set out to create the 2025 AI for Humanity Report. We wanted to understand if and how AI was helping nonprofits improve their key metrics. What we found was a diverse landscape of organizations already putting it to work: some building AI into the heart of their solutions (AI-powered nonprofits), others using it behind the scenes to run faster and leaner (AI-assisted nonprofits).
Chronicle of Philanthropy’s Eden Stiffman highlighted the rapid transformation of the sector: “Fast Forward has supported tech nonprofits for a decade, and data from its accelerator program shows just how quickly AI is transforming the field. In 2024, only 13 of 247 applicants identified as AI-powered. By 2025 that number jumped to nearly half, and in 2026 it more than doubled again, to 379 of 782. Today, more than half of Fast Forward’s alumni describe themselves as AI-powered nonprofits.” It’s true. AI has infiltrated the tech nonprofit sector.
We heard stories of exponential reach and hours of time won back for mission-critical work. But we also heard about the steep costs, the missing technical talent, and the urgent need for responsible guardrails. If AI is going to deliver real, lasting impact, nonprofits and funders alike will have to make sure the momentum continues in the right direction.
We hope the 2025 AI for Humanity Report helps funders see where and how to lean in on AI for humanity, and helps nonprofits see what’s possible. Below, the top takeaways for both at a glance.
“Typically philanthropists have wanted to fund a program where we hire someone and we screen a thousand patients. Now without the need for additional capital, we can screen a million patients. AI has really unlocked potential for scale and has allowed us to think about our impact in orders of magnitude larger.” - Jordan Shuff, Co-Founder, Visilant, in the Chronicle of Philanthropy
Funders: Support the Messy Middle
One thing came through loud and clear: 84% of surveyed AI-powered nonprofits said funding would most help them develop and scale their AI work. But funding alone isn’t enough. AI-powered nonprofits need flexible, early-stage support that covers the costly, invisible work, like preparing data, testing, and validation, that makes breakthroughs possible.
We boiled down the key lessons for funders in the Funder Takeaways section of the report. Philanthropy has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to shape how AI is deployed for social good. By backing nonprofits early, funding technical talent, and supporting responsible practices, funders can accelerate the sector’s momentum while ensuring AI is developed with equity and ethics at the core.
To build on this data, we released a companion whitepaper, The Philanthropic Reset: How Philanthropy Can Lead in the Age of AI, co-written with our partners at Google, Maggie Johnson, Brigitte Hoyer Gosselink, and Stuart McLaughlin. It’s a roadmap for funders who don’t just want to watch this moment — they want to lead it.
“We’ve seen how nonprofits are already using AI to transform lives. Imagine what’s possible if more funders joined forces to give these solutions the scale they deserve.” - Maggie Johnson, Global Head, Google.org
Nonprofits: Starting Small, Reaching Big
AI isn’t just for Silicon Valley — it’s for you too, nonprofits. Across the sector, we’re seeing two tracks emerge. AI-assisted nonprofits are weaving AI into operations to reclaim time and stretch resources. Meanwhile, AI-powered nonprofits are putting AI at the heart of their programs, unlocking entirely new ways to serve communities. And some organizations are putting AI to use in both ways.
What’s striking is how fast this movement is growing. Nearly 40% of surveyed AI-powered nonprofits have been using AI for a year or less, yet they’re already reaching people at scale. One of my favorite findings: the majority are actively incorporating community feedback into system updates, making sure their tools reflect the needs and values of the people they serve. Check out the Nonprofit Takeaways section of the report for more learning.
To help nonprofits take the next step in their AI journey, we refreshed the Playbook on AI for Humanity. It’s full of practical guidance from nonprofit leaders who’ve been there, plus tips on building responsibly and ideas you can put into practice right away.
“This is the way the sector will have to go. In these dynamic times, we all have to do more with less, and AI can unlock efficiencies and impact … There’s a huge opportunity for philanthropists to set the stage for AI that we deserve.” - Shannon Farley, Co-Founder, Fast Forward, in the Chronicle of Philanthropy
Quick Bytes
Other Sector Stories
My friend Jim Fruchterman, CEO and Founder of Tech Matters, wrote a book: “Technology for Good: How Nonprofit Leaders Are Using Software and Data to Solve Our Most Pressing Social Problems.” At this moment in time, nonprofits are looking for ways to do more with less. Jim is finally telling tech-forward entrepreneurs what it takes to start a nonprofit tech company on purpose — not just by accident.
Everyone’s favorite environmental duo launched a new AI-powered tool to track pollution worldwide. I’m looking at you, Climate TRACE and Al Gore. WattTime, one of Climate TRACE’s founding organizations, went through Fast Forward’s 2015 Accelerator program. Ten years later, they are reinventing new ways to solve climate change and improve human health outcomes. This is the sort of game-changing thinking behind AI for humanity.
At Fast Forward, we don’t gatekeep. We held AI & Data Bootcamps for tech nonprofits interested in supercharging their use of AI. If you missed the bootcamps, we captured our biggest takeaways just for you. Let this be your sign: it’s time to level up your AI knowledge and skills.
For the first time in history, 193 nations agreed: AI is too powerful to leave ungoverned. Writing in TIME, Vilas Dhar, president of the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, shares why the UN’s new global institutions for AI governance could be a turning point. By anchoring decisions in science and evidence, the world has a chance to write a new story for AI.
APN Opportunities and Funding News
OpenAI’s People-First AI Fund provides unrestricted grants to organizations advancing AI literacy, community innovation, and economic opportunity. Apply by October 8.
Let’s Talk
I am living and breathing AI for humanity these days. If you are too, let’s talk!