Tech To The Rescue, AWS and Google.org launch AI for Changemakers Accelerator to help nonprofits and social businesses worldwide boost their impact with AI
Registration for nonprofits and tech companies interested in providing pro bono support opens today
Registration for nonprofits and tech companies interested in providing pro bono support opens today
Cambridge, Massachusetts, 19 April, 2024 - The Tech To The Rescue Foundation, a global movement of more than 1,500 technology companies committed to supporting nonprofit organizations (or “changemakers”), today announced the launch of the AI for Changemakers Accelerator. The program will select more than 100 nonprofit organizations and social businesses worldwide, with a proven track record of addressing critical local and global challenges, to participate in this program and amplify their impact through AI
The invitation to the program is also open for tech companies worldwide to join and collaborate, offering pro-bono services to the selected organizations. To ensure that AI solutions are innovative, responsible, and applicable, participants will benefit from the support of a community of practice, consisting of impact leaders, AI innovators, and expert mentors.
Applications for the accelerator will open in stages, with each stage concentrating on different impact areas. Starting today, Tech To The Rescue is accepting applications from nonprofits and social businesses in two cohorts: Disaster Management and Climate. The application deadline for the disaster management cohort is April 30th, with the deadline for climate-focused organizations set for the end of June. Future cohorts will center on health, education, and economic opportunity. Tech companies interested in providing pro bono services to support the accelerator can connect with TTTR here.
The accelerator, which is launching with initial support from AWS and Google.org, will provide participating nonprofits with access to key resources to innovate with AI:
- Six-week AI strategy bootcamps covering essential AI concepts and strategy development. Guided by industry experts, participants will expand their knowledge and skills in AI, discovering the most promising applications within their organization, culminating in the ability to craft their own AI strategy and submit powerful AI implementation requests to companies.
- Matching platform, a flagship service of the Tech To The Rescue Foundation that will match AI implementation projects submitted by organizations with tech companies interested in developing them on a pro-bono basis.
- Demonstration day where nonprofits can pitch their ideas to potential donors, paving the way for follow-up funding.
- Access to expert mentors invited to the program and those from Tech To The Rescue’s network who will help guide participants on common pitfalls and how to develop secure and trustworthy AI product implementation.
- Access to cutting-edge AI-based products and services, including cloud computing credits, AI-powered Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRM) and team collaboration software for working on AI prototypes
- Biannual hackathons, offering rapid prototyping of innovative concepts and multinational collaboration.
Join the movement
Over the past three years, Tech To The Rescue has welcomed more than 1,500 companies into its community, who have pledged support to address society's most pressing challenges. Additionally, over 2,000 nonprofits have joined, contributing impactful projects aimed at tackling these challenges, further enhancing the network's impact. Now, the AI for Changemakers accelerator aims to empower nonprofit organizations seeking to scale their impact with AI. For more information and to apply, visit here.
Over the past three years, Tech To The Rescue has welcomed more than 1,500 companies into its community, who have pledged support to address society's most pressing challenges. Additionally, over 2,000 nonprofits have joined, contributing impactful projects aimed at tackling these challenges, further enhancing the network's impact. Now, the AI for Changemakers accelerator aims to empower nonprofit organizations seeking to scale their impact with AI. For more information and to apply, visit here.
Among the companies that have already joined the initiative as program partners are IDEO, Monday.com, Clutch, SoftwareOne, Globant, FTI Consulting, Netguru, AIConsole, Speednet, and Intranove. On the nonprofit side, partners include UN Women, Thomson Reuters Foundation, Trustlaw, CyberPeace Institute, Ashoka, and Fast Forward.
Jacek Siadkowski, CEO and co-founder of Tech To The Rescue says:
“The power of AI is huge, but with high demand for AI talent, nonprofit changemakers are too often forgotten about. Whilst social changemakers are the crucial actors in solving modern challenges, to create lasting change they need access to funds, skills, knowledge and cross-sector support. It is now our job to mobilize tech companies and digital agencies to join the accelerator and offer pro bono tech support to nonprofits, in the spirit of Tech for Good.”
“The power of AI is huge, but with high demand for AI talent, nonprofit changemakers are too often forgotten about. Whilst social changemakers are the crucial actors in solving modern challenges, to create lasting change they need access to funds, skills, knowledge and cross-sector support. It is now our job to mobilize tech companies and digital agencies to join the accelerator and offer pro bono tech support to nonprofits, in the spirit of Tech for Good.”
Accelerating impact
Changemakers are crucial in supporting social impact both locally and globally, a role that becomes increasingly significant in today’s complex world. Although Changemakers have the unique knowledge and experience to solve some of our most pressing challenges, they lack the resources to be able to scale up their work and impact. According to a Nonprofit Trends Report 93% of changemakers indicate that the lack of IT or technical staff is a significant challenge for their organizations to drive impact.
Changemakers are crucial in supporting social impact both locally and globally, a role that becomes increasingly significant in today’s complex world. Although Changemakers have the unique knowledge and experience to solve some of our most pressing challenges, they lack the resources to be able to scale up their work and impact. According to a Nonprofit Trends Report 93% of changemakers indicate that the lack of IT or technical staff is a significant challenge for their organizations to drive impact.
Changemakers are crucial in supporting social impact both locally and globally, a role that becomes increasingly significant in today’s complex world. Although Changemakers have the unique knowledge and experience to solve some of our most pressing challenges, they lack the resources to be able to scale up their work and impact. According to a Nonprofit Trends Report 93% of changemakers indicate that the lack of IT or technical staff is a significant challenge for their organizations to drive impact.
Maggie Carter, Social Responsibility and Impact Director at AWS said:
"AI has the power to rapidly increase our ability and capacity to address some of the world’s most pressing issues – from closing gaps in health equity, to increasing access to education and mitigating the impacts of climate change. AWS looks forward to supporting Tech To The Rescue’s mission to help nonprofits and socially-minded organizations globally scale their social impact with AI.”
"AI has the power to rapidly increase our ability and capacity to address some of the world’s most pressing issues – from closing gaps in health equity, to increasing access to education and mitigating the impacts of climate change. AWS looks forward to supporting Tech To The Rescue’s mission to help nonprofits and socially-minded organizations globally scale their social impact with AI.”
Rowan Barnett, Director Google.org, Europe, Middle East & Africa said: "Our data shows that AI can help nonprofit organizations achieve their goals three times faster and with half the usual resources. However, many lack the tech expertise and skills to unlock this potential. By bridging this divide, Tech to the Rescue can accelerate transformative impact on some of society's most pressing challenges."