Discovering What's Next in Tech for Social Impact

Groundforce Digital was founded in 2013 to help clients adopt campaign tech and tactics from the political arena. From municipal arts coalition building in Calgary, to front line food rescue response during COVID-19, and student voter turnout campaigns on campuses across Canada, I’ve been inspired by the tireless efforts of mission-driven movement builders and the network of digital entrepreneurs that have made mobilization software widely accessible.

Over recent months, I've immersed myself in discovering what's possible through thoughtful integration and automation of AI tools on the market. I'm astounded by what I've found and how fundamentally my work has been changed. I've also had the chance to engage in dozens of conversations about AI adoption among non-profit sector staff and entrepreneurs, forming the Exploring AI circle of practice at the Impact Hub Ottawa and through networks like the Responsible AI Adoption for Social Impact (RAISE) initiative.

Individual Exploration

‍‍At the individual level, I'm hearing more optimism than I expected. I'm hearing curiosity and readiness to experiment. And that's backed up by studies that have found employees are generally more advanced than their employers think when it comes to AI applications.

"I want to learn how to fine-tune an AI model myself, for my own use. I know I can learn to do it, but I need help getting started." – CEO of a non-profit sector consultancy

"People understand so much more about AI now. I used to feel pretty isolated… but now we're speaking the same language, and the conversations have really opened my mind." – Data scientist working in the social sector

"We are ready to go. Some staff have the foundational skills and comfort with AI and others don't. Let’s create space for learning while allowing those that are ready to move forward." – Senior manager at a national charity

Grappling with the Pace of Change

AI is eroding barriers to building technology solutions. Increasingly, staff and volunteers that have creative ideas for solving problems with tech can run with them:

• A program officer has an idea for a new way to gather and visualize participant feedback. She opens up a no-code platform and builds it herself.
• An intern sees a way to streamline research. They build an agent to help with the task.
• A board member wants to surface new insights by analyzing board meeting materials for the past two years. He uses an AI chatbot to do so and circulates his findings.

Scenarios like these are playing out in most organizations I've spoken to and the change is demanding attention, and driving discussions about governance, privacy and AI strategy. But despite the increase in use of AI, organizations across industries are still grappling with a growing digital skills gap. The rate of change is simply outpacing attempts at upskilling. Tight budgets, limited bandwidth, and the extra due diligence required for organizations committed to responsible AI adoption only increase the scope and complexity of the challenge.

Building Digital Capacity, Together

Moving forward, Groundforce Digital is focused on building digital capacity and a network to navigate this change.

Our vision is to facilitate a network of trusted practitioners who are exploring AI and emerging tech for social impact – sharing insights, piloting solutions, and building for a better future.

Groundforce is doing this in two ways:

• Studio: Provides programs and tools to help individuals and teams discover what's possible, and events will provide opportunity to connect with others tackling similar challenges, with learnings shared through The Pilot newsletter.

• Sprints: If your team or startup is ready to take on a new challenge involving emerging technologies, a facilitated sprint is a great way to accelerate your project while building new capacity in-house to design, prototype, and pilot solutions.

Your Engagement and Input

Today is a first step, introducing a vision and a plan for where this work is heading. December and January are a pilot phase. Studio content, demos, and member programming will be shaped in collaboration with those that get involved. If you see value in the mission, then your participation at this stage will make a significant difference.

There are several ways to get involved:

1. ‍Sign up and create an account – there is an extended free trial throughout the pilot phase.
2. Join a Studio event – I'm hosting weekly virtual sessions starting December 19th.‍
3. Explore a team sprint – we can schedule a needs analysis call or an introductory lunch 'n learn, if you have a project in mind or want to learn more about the process.
4. Survey – A short survey will be circulated in mid-January 2026 to gather feedback and to better understand how you're approaching AI and emerging tech adoption, at work or in the community.
5. Spread the word – invite colleagues in your network to subscribe.