On my quest to explore the intersection of AI and philanthropy, I have interviewed over a dozen Program Officers at family foundations since August.
One theme that rang true across the majority of my interviews is that Program Officers often do not have a set of metrics to achieve.
(Caveat: Some have performance reviews, but no set KPIs.)
During an unrelated conversation with one of my clients Y. Elaine Rasmussen, she had a brilliant idea that Program Officers should be measured against “community connection metrics”.
Community connection metrics.
A simple, yet revolutionary idea, that urges relationship-building and altruistic philanthropy. So, if we use AI as a tool to replace grants entirely, Program Officers will have more time to be in the community with grantee partners.
They will be able to learn first-hand about the work, rather than through the inauthentic rendering of it contained in a grant proposal.
By using AI, foundations can truly understand community needs, foster deep connections with their partners, and ultimately achieve a greater collective impact.
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