Episode 44: Shaping the Future of Philanthropy Through Technology with Jean Westrick
Overview
Meet Jean Westrick, an Executive Director at the Technology Association of Grantmakers (TAG). She has 20+ years in philanthropy, specializing in technology strategy, program execution, and foundation operations. Before being the next Executive Director of the Technology Association of Grantmakers, Jean was the Director of IT Strategy and Communications at The Chicago Community Trust, where she led change management efforts for the foundation’s digital transformation initiative. Also, while at the Trust, Jean directed On the Table, an award-winning engagement model designed to inspire resident action, replicated in 30 cities nationwide.
During today’s conversation, Jean shares her journey through philanthropy and technology while shedding light on the evolving intersection of these fields. Starting with her reflections on the collaborative spirit at Impact House in Chicago—a dynamic space for change-makers—Jean explores the importance of fostering community and partnerships in advancing social missions.
As the discussion transitions to her role at TAG, Jean recounts her career path, from civic engagement projects at the Joyce Foundation and Chicago Community Trust to her unexpected but transformative shift into technology roles within philanthropy. She highlights the critical role technology plays in amplifying impact and discusses the need for the philanthropic sector to embrace tools like AI responsibly.
Jean introduces TAG’s Responsible AI Adoption Framework, delves into key findings from the State of Philanthropy Tech Survey, and emphasizes the importance of data governance, privacy, and inclusive access to AI tools. Throughout the conversation, she and Nathan explore the philosophical and practical implications of AI in the nonprofit world, the democratization of technology, and the sector’s responsibility to maintain trust and resilience in communities.
The dialogue concludes with Jean sharing her favorite AI tools, practical advice for navigating the tech landscape, and a call for collaboration to ensure technology aligns with and enhances philanthropy’s core mission.
Episode highlights
- 01:16 Impact House: A Hub for Collaboration and Change-Makers in Chicago
- 03:10 Jean's Career Journey and Transition to TAG
- 08:52 Jean's Accidental Tech Journey
- 14:39 Responsible AI Adoption Framework
- 18:06 Learnings from State of Philanthropy Tech Survey
- 23:09 Philanthropy's Role in AI Adoption
- 27:33 Trust and Resilience in Philanthropy
- 30:20 Jean's Go-To AI Tool
Tips and tools to implement today
- Create environments to encourage innovation and community-building.
- Leverage tools to streamline operations and enhance impact.
- Adopt frameworks to ensure AI aligns with your mission and maintains trust.
- Invest in policies to ensure privacy, security, and quality data for AI adoption.
- Involve all levels of your team in adopting and governing new technologies.
- Encourage asking questions and exploring tools like ChatGPT or Claude to understand their potential.
- Ensure grant makers and recipients are on the same page regarding tech and AI use.
- Incorporate diverse perspectives to address complex challenges in tech adoption.
- Use technology to address the root causes of societal issues and adapt to rapid change.
- Experiment with AI tools integrated into daily workflows, tailoring choices to fit organizational needs.
Favorite quotes
- "I think that we need to understand what our mission is and that there's no way that we should ever outsource what is core to our mission to any tool whatsoever because AI is just a tool." - Jean Westrick
- "In our sector, the currency that we trade in is trust. We are a relationship-based sector, and trust is, is core to the relationships that we make." - Jean Westrick
- "We now need to focus on building resiliency for our communities; however, that is defined." - Jean Westrick
- "As we peel back the pragmatic, practical stuff that organizations need to do today, organizations certainly need to get their governance house in order and start having these conversations as a community, and thinking about what the responsible use of AI is and how will they use it within their organization?" - Jean Westrick
- "AI requires good data, and we have under-invested in our data frameworks. So, this is the time to get your data house in order." - Jean Westrick
- "If we do want accessible AI, we need to make sure that we're being inclusive to everyone, and everyone has a seat at the table." - Jean Westrick
- "We also know from the State of Philanthropy Tech Survey that far too few foundations have a data governance policy. So get a data governance policy and address that, and that'll help unpack some of these barriers to adoption." - Jean Westrick
- "In the State of Philanthropy Tech Survey, when we asked, 'What are the main barriers to adopting AI at your organization?' data privacy and security was the number one, lack of AI skills or knowledge about how to leverage AI was the number two, and the third one was concerns around bias and fairness." - Jean Westrick
- "We're not just collecting data for the sake of data. We're collecting data to learn from that data so that we can make better decisions. We can double down on our priorities in the things that make sense and work." - Jean Westrick
- "If you wrestle with the questions around data, the kinds of questions that you want to answer, the kinds of things you want to do with AI, you're going to address the skills and knowledge gap. You're going to address the gap around data quality and data governance." - Jean Westrick
Connect with us
This episode is sponsored by AI for Anyone.
