This one-person nonprofit multiplies impact by ‘hiring’ AI for admin tasks

Maximizing efficiency isn’t just a useful business aspiration — for small nonprofits, it’s often necessary for survival. 

When funding is precarious or limited, these organizations have to get creative. For David Buck, executive director and founder of youth mentorship nonprofit Bridges of Opportunities — and the org’s only human employee — that’s meant turning to AI for help, even if it comes with a sharp learning curve.

“AI seemed so far-fetched,” Buck told reporter Sarah Huffman on Technical.ly Speaking, a monthly segment on WURD Radio’s “Reality Check” hosted by Tonya Pendleton. “It took a process to develop this growth mindset.”

Luckily, he had some help. Buck and other nonprofit leaders were part of a recent cohort with software developers behind AI tool Skillbuilder.io, where the engineers helped the orgs get set up new AI “employees” that assist with administrative tasks.

It took some effort, per Buck — as might be true with other new employees, the AI helper needed to be meticulously trained to handle personalized nonprofit needs.

“I really had to … treat this AI personal assistant very personally,” Buck said.

Once set up, however, the virtual assistant helped him better understand what niches his nonprofit can fill that others may not have yet tapped into, organize his funder database and more. 

Dubbed “Bridgy,” the tool has become something like his “wing person,” a resource he can trust to answer common questions about the organization, he said.

“I can’t be everywhere all the time,” Buck said. “So, when tasks are needed or questions to be answered, this is where my personal assistant comes in.”