As nonprofits increasingly rely on technology to drive their missions, the decisions you make about digital tools—especially AI—matter more than ever. The right solutions can help you amplify your impact, streamline operations, and build stronger relationships with donors and service recipients. However, with these opportunities come new responsibilities: ensuring every tool you use is ethical, transparent, and aligned with your organization's values.
Why Ethical AI Matters for Nonprofits
AI isn't just a buzzword—it's a powerful set of tools that can automate tasks, analyze data, and personalize supporter engagement. But like any tool, AI is only as good as the intentions and safeguards behind it. Without careful oversight, nonprofits risk:
Unintended bias in decision-making
Data privacy issues that erode trust
Tools that don't fit your mission or stakeholder needs
That's why at Coat Rack Web Services, we believe in putting ethics and transparency at the core of every technology decision.
Our Commitment: The AI Ethics Checklist & Policy
To help nonprofits confidently navigate the fast-changing world of AI and technology, we've developed two practical resources:
1. AI Ethics Checklist: A step-by-step guide your team can use to evaluate any new (or existing) AI tool. The checklist covers:
Mission fit
Transparency
Data privacy & handling
Fairness & bias
Human oversight
Vendor ethics & reputation
Security & compliance
User feedback & continuous improvement
This ensures every decision is intentional, accountable, and aligned with your values.
2. AI Ethics Policy: A concise, actionable policy template you can adopt or adapt for your organization. It outlines your commitment to:
Responsible, mission-driven technology use
Transparent communication with stakeholders
Ongoing review and improvement as tech evolves
How We Use These Tools (and How You Can Too)
We don't just talk about ethics—we use these resources in every client engagement. For example, in a recent project integrating Veriff for secure identity verification, our checklist guided us through evaluating privacy, transparency, bias mitigation, and more. The result? A solution that's not only effective, but also trustworthy and mission-aligned.
We encourage you to use these tools for your own technology decisions. Whether you're considering a new AI-powered platform or reviewing your existing tech stack, our checklist and policy will help you ask the right questions and make choices you (and your stakeholders) can stand behind.
Ready to Build Trust with Technology?
You can view our AI Ethics Checklist and AI Ethics Policy here or reach out for a free discovery call to discuss how we can help your nonprofit make smart, ethical tech decisions.
Let's work together to ensure that every tool you use supports your mission—and the people you serve.
Need help getting started?
Book a free discovery call or call us at (435) 264-9323.