Guides and Papers
AI Governance Glossary
The terms your board will hear, defined plainly for nonprofit leaders.
PDF
Edition 2026
The Library
AI governance documents for nonprofit boards
Board briefs, model policies, templates and assessments. Register once, free, to download any document.
Not legal advice. PolicySmith.ai is not legal counsel. Every document here is general guidance and must be reviewed by your organization's qualified legal counsel before adoption or reliance.
Guides and Papers
7 AI Risks Your Nonprofit Board Has Not Discussed Yet
The governance blind spots that separate prepared organizations from exposed ones.
PDF
Edition 2026
Guides and Papers
Building the AI Governance Suite
A guide to the documents, instruments and tools that make up a complete AI governance framework.
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Edition 2026
Guides and Papers
AI Governance Infrastructure
Why privacy and confidentiality risks change in kind, not just degree, when a nonprofit adopts AI.
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Edition 2026
Guides and Papers
Governance Suite Overview
What each instrument in the Governance Suite does and how the pieces fit together.
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Edition 2026
Guides and Papers
AI and the Development Imperative
How governed AI can help a stretched development team grow revenue responsibly.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
The Liability Gap
Who is responsible when AI gets it wrong, and how boards build a defensible chain of accountability.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
AI and the Duty of Care
What boards owe beneficiaries when AI is used in programs, eligibility and case management.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
Funder Due Diligence and AI Disclosure
What funders are asking about AI use, and why transparent disclosure is an advantage.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
The Bias Problem
How ungoverned AI can embed bias in programs, hiring and communications, and why that is a mission issue.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
Data Sovereignty
Who owns what your AI learns, and the contract protections to require.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
The Human Oversight Imperative
Why consequential decisions about people require human review, and what that standard means in practice.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
Staff Privacy in the Age of AI Monitoring
The governance obligations employers hold when AI tools collect data on staff.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
AI Procurement
The hidden AI risks in vendor contracts and what to ask before renewing.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
The Regulatory Wave
The AI legislation heading toward nonprofits, and why proactive governance is the best defense.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
Insurance and Indemnity in the AI Era
Whether your D&O and liability coverage actually extends to AI-related harms.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
AI as a Force Multiplier
The affirmative case that governance is the precondition for sustainable AI adoption.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
AI and the Fundraising Function
Donor privacy, authentic communications and the ethics of algorithmic donor targeting.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
AI in Youth-Serving Organizations
The heightened duty of care when AI interacts with or makes decisions about young people.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
AI Governance for Federated Organizations
Keeping AI standards consistent across affiliates, chapters and sites.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
Generative AI and Organizational Voice
When AI-drafted content stops representing the authentic voice of the mission.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
The Consent Gap
When beneficiaries do not know AI is involved, and what meaningful notice looks like.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
AI Incident Response
What boards must require before something goes wrong.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
Shadow AI
Turning informal, ungoverned staff use of AI into a defensible, auditable posture.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
HIPAA Compliance and AI
How HIPAA-covered nonprofits can adopt AI without putting protected health information at risk.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
AI and the Human Resources Function
Governing AI across recruiting, evaluation, compensation and the rest of the HR cycle.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
The Board's Role in AI Implementation
What boards should and should not do as AI is implemented, and how to avoid category confusion.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
The AI Readiness Assessment
Why effective governance begins with knowing where the organization actually stands.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
From Assessment to Governance Framework
Turning a readiness score into a phased, functional governance framework.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
Governing Generative AI
The distinct risks of tools that produce text, images and code, and how to govern them.
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Edition 2026
Board Briefs
Vendor Governance
Governing the AI your vendors have already built into the platforms you use.
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Edition 2026
Model Policies
AI Ethics Charter
A board-adopted statement of the principles that govern AI use.
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Edition 2026
Model Policies
AI Policy and Procedures Manual
The comprehensive policy manual at the center of the Governance Suite.
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Edition 2026
Model Policies
AI Acceptable Use Policy
Model policy for staff and volunteer use of AI tools.
Model Policies
Data Governance and Classification Policy
What data may and may not enter an AI system.
Model Policies
Public AI Use Disclosure
A model public statement of how your organization uses AI.
Model Policies
Vendor and Third-Party AI Management Policy
Standards for AI vendors, from due diligence to contract terms.
Model Policies
Supplement A: Fundraising and Development
Department-level AI governance for the development function.
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Edition 2026
Model Policies
Supplement B: Human Resources
Department-level AI governance for human resources.
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Edition 2026
Model Policies
Supplement C: Administration and Finance
Department-level AI governance for finance and administration.
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Edition 2026
Model Policies
Supplement E: Communications and External Affairs
Department-level AI governance for communications.
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Edition 2026
Templates and Tools
AI Governance Board Resolution
A ready-to-adapt resolution establishing board authority and oversight of AI.
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Edition 2026
Templates and Tools
AI Incident Response Plan
Who does what, and when, if an AI tool causes harm.
Templates and Tools
Change Management Framework
Introducing AI tools and policies without disrupting staff or service.
Templates and Tools
AI Risk Register
A structured register for identifying, rating and tracking AI risks.
Templates and Tools
Algorithmic Impact Assessment
Evaluating an AI system's effect on the people it touches before deployment.
Templates and Tools
Compliance Indicator Dashboard
A monitoring instrument for tracking AI governance compliance across domains.
PDF
Edition 2026
Templates and Tools
Standards Crosswalk
How the Governance Suite aligns with recognized regulatory and professional standards.
PDF
Edition 2026
Readiness Assessment
AI Governance Readiness Assessment
The structured instrument for establishing where your organization stands on AI governance.
Readiness Assessment
Department Workbooks
Seven department workbooks for gathering readiness responses across the organization.
Excel (zip)
Edition 2026
Readiness Assessment
Baseline Assessment Report Template
The report template for presenting readiness findings to the board.
Word
Edition 2026