(image from microsoft.com)
Bellevue, Washington — More than 1,500 nonprofit executives involved in leadership positions and technology are gathered here for the three-day annual Microsoft Global Nonprofit Leaders Summit.
The firm unveiled Microsoft Elevate for Changemakers, a new initiative that is part of a $5 billion enterprise that provides nonprofit leaders with AI credentials, access to a peer community, and role-based capacity-building resources.
The event was kicked off by Brad Smith, Microsoft’s vice chair and president, Justin Spelhaug, president of Microsoft Elevate and Naria Santa Lucia, general manager for Capacity Building Solutions. There are more than two dozen sessions, all including representatives of nonprofits. The event was supported by 18 sponsors involved in the charitable sector including Blackbaud, DonorPerfect and Moore.
“This new program is part of our broader Microsoft Elevate commitment to ensure people can thrive in the AI economy and reflects Microsoft’s 50-year legacy of supporting nonprofits,” said Spelhaug. “As an organization, we are proud to partner with nearly one million nonprofits and education systems globally, and in the next year we will deliver more than $5 billion in discounts, donations, and grants.”
The Microsoft Elevate for Changemakers program includes:
- AI for Nonprofits credential: It is a professional certificate, developed with LinkedIn and the nonprofit NetHope, intended to give participants a clear, structured learning path built around the work happening across the nonprofit sector. Earners receive a LinkedIn professional certificate, providing formal recognition of their growing expertise and their commitment to responsible AI use in their organizations.
- Live and on-demand AI training to build capacity: Practical skills training built around real nonprofit work, not generic AI content repackaged for the sector. Every module is designed to simplify workflows and help you do more.
- A Changemaker Fellowship: This is a global program for nonprofit professionals at organizations with actionable AI projects ready to advance their missions. The fellowship provides resources, investment, and expert guidance. Fellows will join a worldwide cohort, create and implement responsible AI adoption plans, develop critical technical and change management skills, and connect with a trusted network of nonprofit AI leaders, all with support from Microsoft and launch partners, including EY and Caribou.
The Changemaker Fellowship is open to nonprofits of all backgrounds. Nonprofits can be registered at register their interest athttps://aka.ms/MicrosoftElevateforChangemakers
“Major technological transitions rarely unfold evenly. As AI diffuses across economies and sectors, it creates new opportunities, but it also introduces significant disruption for workers, families, and communities,” said Spelhaug. “Nonprofits are uniquely positioned to drive meaningful change in today’s world. They are the organizations people turn to first to support people as they develop new skills, find new pathways to employment, and stay connected to the systems that sustain them.”
According to Spelhaug, research from firm IDC finds that nearly half of nonprofits still use manual data entry and spreadsheets for compliance documentation, meeting summaries, case notes, and other operations. He cited ARCare, a healthcare provider in underserved communities across Arkansas, Kentucky, and Mississippi, is using AI technology. With AI handling administrative tasks, staff spend less time on data collection and more time on patient care, and they estimate they have eliminated between six and eight hours daily of manual tasks.
It’s not all about technology, according to Spelhaug. The stories of “AI empowering mission-driven organizations are made possible by dedicated individuals within nonprofits who are stepping forward to lead transformative change, often without formal recognition or an official mandate. It is their willingness to embrace new technology, learn new skills, and champion responsible AI adoption that is propelling the sector forward,” he said.
