A lot of hot air or a groundbreaking innovation? With our initiative “AI in Everyday Philanthropy” we want to facilitate a fact-based debate and open an informed discussion around Artificial Intelligence (AI) and philanthropy. At the heart of the initiative is a learning journey in 5 workshops as application-oriented further training. The registration deadline for the delayed online track is still possible.
Together with the University of Geneva and the SwissFoundations association, we are thus carefully paving the way for meaningful AI use in philanthropy. The central questions are: How can algorithms efficiently connect funders and applicants and simplify the often complex coordination process? And how can a good, sensible balance of technology and ethical values be ensured in the process?
Because reliable data for effective AI use has been lacking up to now, we are establishing a secure experimentation platform on stiftungschweiz.ch and creating the opportunity to use, test and continuously improve AI within the framework of strict security guidelines and data protection regulations. As part of the Learning Journey, we explore the potential of AI in philanthropy together with technically interested representatives of nonprofits, funders and experts.
A practical continuing education
Just as every journey broadens horizons and opens up new perspectives, the Learning Journey with its application-oriented approach promises that participants will not simply accumulate knowledge, but will also be able to apply it in a concrete way. “Bring your own data” – that’s the motto!
In a total of five thematic workshops between December 2023 and July 2024, participants will get the opportunity to experience AI in practice and work with concrete prototypes that have been carefully prepared by our IT specialists for specific philanthropic issues. The Learning Journey thus enables a personalized experience with a view to specific questions. Each participant brings specific needs to the learning process. We focus on experience, experimentation and creative application, but also on literacy, self-confidence and decision-making skills of all participants.
Due to popular demand, we are running the Learning Journey in two tracks:
The live track takes place live, a presence in person is desired (and even mandatory for the first and fifth workshop). The live track advises on the further development of the prototype.
At the same time, we are introducing an asynchronous online track. Here, participants receive pre-recorded content and then take part in separate online discussion rounds. This track therefore offers more flexibility and allows participants to participate according to their own schedule (members of the live track can switch to the online track if they are unable to attend a workshop). What both tracks have in common is the opportunity to contribute your own data to the experiments, true to the motto Bring your own Data.
Important: While registration for the live track is already closed, applications for the online track are still open.
Workshop 1 – The Basics: Kick-off with Artificial Intelligence
The first workshop on December 6, 2023 will introduce the basics of artificial intelligence using concrete applications and data sets provided by the participants in advance. After a brief overview of AI subtypes and open source models, we experiment with structured and unstructured data. Through concrete experience, you will explore the possibilities and develop your own questions that we will address as part of the Learning Journey. We set up the AI sandbox on stiftungschweiz.ch and feed it with data.
The first workshop will be facilitated by Lucia Gomez from the Behavioral Philanthropy Lab at the University of Geneva. She is also an AI expert at the Center for Philanthropy and is supporting the initiative from a scientific perspective.
Workshop 2 – The perfect request: How AI changes the rules of the game
Nonprofit organizations hope that artificial intelligence will primarily improve the chances of success of an application. Therefore, we start with the following first real-time application: improving the cover letter of an application. In the second workshop on 28.2.24, participants will work with a command line application and with real examples provided by funding foundations.
We use sandbox-enriched data from the stiftungschweiz.ch platform and experiment with data that we automatically read from foundation websites (so-called crawling). We use good and bad applications to examine how outcomes change. Based on these experiments, we are developing further use cases for artificial intelligence, for example for the creation and transmission of reports or for the integration of stakeholders.
The second workshop will be facilitated by Harry Witzthum, who works as Head of Digital Transformation at Caritas. Harry brings a lot of real-world experience from the nonprofit world, but as a philosophy major, he also brings a few crisp key questions.
Workshop 3 – AI as a Matchmaker: Finding the Ideal Partner
In this third workshop on 17.4.24, we will be working with brand new functions that we have introduced exclusively for the Learning Journey in application and funding management on stiftungschweiz.ch: A preview and pre-assessment tool for applicants to help them review their application before submitting it. In addition, we are experimenting with other reference frameworks on such pre-assessment, such as the 2030 Agenda.
From a technical point of view, we will deal intensively with structured data in this workshop. How does the game change and how reliable are the AI’s suggestions with different data sets available? We use different language models to find out which model works best and provides the best support.
The third workshop will be facilitated by Siddhartha Jha, AI and Digital Innovation Lead at Fondation Botnar. Siddhartha brings not only many years of experience from technological research at ETH, but also a funder’s perspective to the project.
Workshop 4 – Better decisions: The balance between innovation and safety
What could drive us to share even confidential data with AI when it could massively improve the quality of support? We will address this question in the fourth workshop on 22.5.24. This is the moment for ethically critical people to enter the conversation and ask the Gretchen question(s).
In this workshop, we will work with different privacy shields and explore the level of protection offered by the various approaches, including SwissGPT, a GPT clone developed by a Swiss company that puts security first. And we discuss what the right balance between privacy and innovation might be.
The fourth workshop will feature Niniane Paeffgen, who recently co-founded her own philanthropy startup, Office for Daring. Previously, Niniane led the Swiss Digital Initiative as CEO for three years.
Workshop 5: A better philanthropy? Exploring the potential of technology
The fifth workshop on 27.6.24 is all-in: All-In. We ask ourselves what other specific data could be used to improve our knowledge of the impact and value of philanthropic activities in Switzerland? What would it mean, for example, if all annual reports to the foundation supervisory authority could be evaluated anonymously by machine? What questions would we ask the algorithm?
Once again, participants will have exclusive use of freshly programmed beta technology on stiftungschweiz.ch as well as additional data pools, such as all previously published issues of the industry magazine “The Philanthropist”. With the final workshop we also want to define the further direction of development and set the course for future improvements of AI in daily philanthropy.
The fifth and final workshop will be facilitated by Claudia Dutli, Head of Publishing and Communications at StiftungSchweiz and host of the new podcast “The Philanthropist for the Ear”.
Turning data into action
As effective continuing education, the Learning Journey takes a hands-on, personalized approach. So it’s not just about imparting theoretical knowledge, but rather actively engaging participants in applying AI with their own data. These individually tailored learning experiences are guided by industry experts and enable participants to put their knowledge directly into practice and gradually develop their own approaches to their specific requirements.
In other words, it’s not just about understanding the fundamental principles of AI, but also reflecting on concrete application in a philanthropic context and supporting informed decision-making in your own organization. To this end, participants will have the opportunity to study various AI models in depth and greatly expand their own literacy in the AI field. In this way, they learn to fully grasp the potentials and challenges of this technology in philanthropy.
Through exclusive technology experiences that give attendees access to beta tools and newly developed AI applications, they also grapple with ethical issues and data privacy. Last but not least, our Learning Journey also offers the opportunity to build valuable networks of your own and to shape the future of AI in philanthropy together.
The registration for the time-shifted online track is still possible. A contingent of places is reserved for members of SwissFoundations.
Details:
Language: The Learning Journey will be held partly in English. The rule is: Chacun parle sa langue.
Live track: The live track usually takes place in presence or live. The places are already taken.
Online track: The online track takes place with a time delay. Participants receive notes and can complete the preparation according to their own schedule. The discussion round will take place in an online meeting.
Costs: Live track: CHF 4500.- for funders/experts, CHF 2500.- for nonprofits; online track CHF 2500.- for funders/experts, CHF 1500.- for nonprofits. We are also awarding some scholarship places (application upon registration); participation in selected individual sessions of the online track is possible (CHF 550/350.-).
Registration via the following link:
Info webinar on the Learning Journey
You are interested in the workshop series but would like more information or have questions? Then we recommend our info webinar on the Learning Journey, which we offer in advance.
It will take place on the following dates:∙ 1.11. from 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
∙ 10.11. from 16:30 – 17:30∙ 8.12. from 3:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Factsheet on the Learning Journey
All information about the Learning Journey is summarized in our factsheet: Download factsheet
