Nonprofit Adviser

Getty Images

The Patrick J. McGovern Foundation recently released Grant Guardian, an AI tool that helps foundations assess the finances of potential grantees. As of last week, 134 grant makers use the technology, which the McGovern Foundation gives away for free.

I spoke with Vilas Dhar, president of the McGovern Foundation, to better understand how this tool is being used and its implications for both grant makers and grantees.

“Foundations often have limited time and resources to thoroughly assess financial stability,” Dhar told me, adding that the reports Grant Guardian generates could take program officers weeks to compile by hand. “We’re trying to take [on] the menial tasks of doing financial diligence and allow program officers to have that strategic, high-level viewpoint so they can streamline the entire process.”

To learn how it works and what program officers like about Grant Guardian, check out the rest of my article: How Foundations Are Using AI to Vet Grantees. Want to know more about artificial intelligence in the nonprofit sector? Read Nonprofits Are Turning to AI to Save Time and Money, and watch last week’s online forum A Glimpse into Our Near Future: AI Is Transforming Nonprofits, now available on demand.

Enjoy the long weekend ahead,

M.J. Prest
Senior Editor, Advice

P.S.: Nonprofit Adviser is taking a short summer vacation, but we will return to your inbox on July 14.

Good CEOs and good parents have this perspective in common. Sean Goode, an executive coach, says his wife taught him an important lesson when he felt burned out the first time he was a nonprofit executive director: “You’re not an owner, you’re a steward.” That viewpoint helped him see that his role was to establish systems and a leadership pipeline that would help keep the organization thriving long after he departed — much the same way parents teach their children to become independent thinkers. For more leadership insights, don’t miss the season finale of our Nonprofits Now podcast: “How to Stave Off Burnout.”

Your Chronicle subscription includes free access to GrantStation’s database of grant opportunities.

Health Equity: The purpose of the Exploring Equitable Futures call for proposals, offered by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, is to support projects that seed new and unconventional ideas that could radically advance health equity for generations to come. RWJF aims to fund projects that 1) explore the future by researching and experimenting with ideas that are ahead of the curve or at the edge of our collective imagination; 2) shine a light on the emerging trends and forces that are shaping our future for better or worse—and suggest ways to navigate them to mitigate harm and advance health equity; and 3) dream big and challenge conventional wisdom to surface possibilities and uncover new paths to dismantle structural racism and build a more equitable future. Application deadline October 15.

Literacy: The Lois Lenski Covey Foundation seeks to advance literacy and foster a love of reading among underserved and at-risk children and youth in the United States, including U.S. territories. The Foundation’s Bookmobile Grants support bookmobile programs that serve economically or socially at-risk children. The grants are for purchasing books published for young people preschool through grade 8. Grants range from $500 to $3,000; application deadline August 15.