AI Governance: Tips for Building a Board of Trustees 

It’s no surprise that the general public is skeptical about the safety of AI solutions. Only 15% of Americans say they’re more excited than concerned about AI's impact on daily life. AI tools come with a variety of risks, from disinformation and bias to data security. 

Fine-tuning and optimizing the algorithms that power AI tools is crucial for enhancing the trustworthiness of AI solutions. But the core of AI safety extends beyond the technology itself. To use AI safely, we must guardrail ourselves—the nonprofit professionals who work with these solutions daily.

One strategy for handling AI solutions more responsibly is establishing a Board of Trustees to govern AI processes and strategy. A Board of Trustees is a group appointed by nonprofit leaders that plays an advisory role and offers expertise based on their experience. 

Why should you build a Board of Trustees for AI governance?

We recommend building a Board of Trustees to govern your AI processes for two key reasons: 

1. AI governance should be a top priority for your nonprofit.

If your nonprofit is diving into the world of AI, including generative AI and predictive tools, responsible use of these solutions should be a top priority. Maintaining good AI governance allows your nonprofit to: 

• Uphold donor trust. Secure, ethical AI practices allow you to keep donor data safe and secure. As a result, you can continue stewarding positive donor relationships. 
• Protect your organization from legal liability. Your nonprofit’s AI use must comply with local and federal laws, including regulations specific to your sector. For example, BWF’s AI fundraising guide states that education and healthcare nonprofits may have to comply with regulations such as FERPA and HIPAA that protect constituent data.  

Creating a Board of Trustees specifically designed to monitor your AI use will help ensure security and ethics are top-of-mind as you carry out AI fundraising efforts. 

2. Your Board of Directors isn’t the right group to govern AI safety for most nonprofits. 

You may think, “Our board members are among our nonprofit's most qualified and passionate supporters. Why aren’t they the right group to govern our AI strategy?” 

There are two primary reasons why your Board of Directors shouldn’t helm your AI governance: 

1. They aren’t AI experts. That’s okay—most of us aren’t! Bringing in a specialized group of individuals with AI familiarity and AI legal experience will be your best bet for maintaining AI security. 
2. They’re busy with other mission-critical tasks, from major donor stewardship to budget approval. Your board members may not have the necessary time to devote to careful AI oversight. 

For these reasons, we recommend creating a separate, autonomous Board of Trustees specifically to advise on AI topics. 

Board of Trustees vs. Board of Directors

How can you distinguish the roles and responsibilities of your Board of Directors from your Board of Trustees? This chart outlines a few key differences between both groups: 

For our purposes, the primary difference is simple: the Board of Directors oversees operations and finances, while the Board of Trustees oversees AI.

Who should be on your AI Board of Trustees?

The Board of Trustees must be made up of actual experts in AI and AI safety to succeed. But where can you find the right people for the task? Here are a few strategies to help connect with potential trustees: 

• Partner with educational institutions. Advertise your open board roles at local universities and ask whether the institutions recommend any professors who are AI experts. 
• Network at industry events. Attend conferences to network with other nonprofit professionals and connect with AI experts in the space. 
• Connect with AI business professionals. Use social platforms like LinkedIn to research AI-focused businesses and contact their employees to see if any are interested in taking on a philanthropic volunteer position.  
• Consider working with a consulting firm. Many consulting firms offer the option to supplement your nonprofit’s internal team as temporary or permanent advisors. They can provide services such as an AI readiness assessment and a custom AI roadmap to implement your strategies ethically and sustainably. Look for consulting firms with many years of experience working with nonprofits similar to yours. 

After identifying potential candidates, clearly explain the role's purpose, responsibilities, necessary skills, and time commitment. Interview potential new trustees to understand their backgrounds and whether they’d be a good fit for the position. 

How to structure your AI Board of Trustees

Your AI Board of Trustees will be tasked with the enormous responsibility of maintaining AI governance and ethical use. How can you equip them with the power and decision-making capabilities needed to carry out their duties successfully? 

Without diving into the technical legalese, we recommend adopting the following policies to form the basic structure of your AI Board of Trustees: 

• Your bylaws should require the Board of Directors to defer to the Board of Trustees for decisions on issues relating to AI safety.
• The Board of Trustees should have a legally binding mandate to support long-term ethics, good governance, and accountability on issues related to AI safety. They are required to vote on AI issues following these values.
• Critically, the Board of Trustees should not consider the organization's financial health when making decisions and voting. This means they must make recommendations that align with AI safety best practices regardless of whether your nonprofit is doing well or poorly financially. 
• Whatever decision the Board of Trustees makes on issues of AI safety must be adopted by the Board of Directors and cannot be amended or overruled.

With these policies, you can design a Board of Trustees empowered to make difficult decisions. Ensure your Board understands these guidelines and respects decisions made by the AI Board of Trustees. 

Getting your Board of Trustees up and running

Once you’ve selected trustees, have them participate in an orientation session to familiarize them with your organization and their new roles. Double the Donation’s guide to nonprofit board orientations recommends:

• Introducing new trustees to your nonprofit’s goals
• Reviewing bylaws and key policies
• Defining the roles and responsibilities of the AI Board of Trustees

Structure Board of Trustees meetings with time scheduled for summarizing previous meetings, sharing updates, working through current challenges, and making AI-related recommendations. This format will keep board members on track and ensure they discuss the most pressing AI priorities. 

These steps will prepare your Board of Trustees for success, with clear expectations and guidance aligned with your nonprofit’s larger mission and goals. 

AI governance requires human oversight

As we sprint into the next chapter of technological evolution, prioritize human decision-making informed by AI data and analysis. Human oversight and governance of all AI efforts areis crucial to allow your nonprofit to embrace this new era with confidence and care. 

Looking for more resources to help you embrace AI fundraising responsibly and effectively? Explore this recent blog post, 10 Questions to Ask Before Your Organization Adopts AI, to finalize details about implementation, integration, data privacy, and other considerations. 

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