AI is changing the way we work, connect, and support our communities. The real question for us as nonprofit leaders is: how can we use these new tools to strengthen our missions and make an even greater difference for those we serve?
On August 13, 2026, we welcomed more than 100 nonprofit leaders to our latest IE Vibrant Health Forum, focused on AI for Impact: Practical Strategies to Expand Your Mission, Reach and Results.
Leaders from nonprofits, business, and government joined us to share practical insights and real-world examples, helping us all feel more confident about taking the next step with AI.
Throughout the forum, our speakers and panelists showed how AI is already helping organizations like ours strengthen fundraising, communications, program delivery, decision-making, volunteer engagement, and overall efficiency.
We also explored how to identify and use AI solutions in ways that align with our missions and create lasting impact for our communities.
Brian Romo Director of Public Policy & Technology at the Inland Empire Community Collaborative (IECC), grounded participants in the fundamentals of generative AI and its application to real nonprofit challenges. As Brian noted, AI’s power is not about replacing people but “reducing friction” in the work nonprofits do every day.
Brian demonstrated how tools like Microsoft Copilot, ChatGPT and Claude streamline communications, grant writing, data storytelling, and social media planning. “AI can automate responses to grant questions by learning from your previous documents,” he explained, adding that the result is “faster, more accurate applications that still maintain your authentic voice.”
He also highlighted growing concerns around bias and responsible adoption. “Many AI models are trained on Eurocentric, English‑language data,” Brian cautioned. “If we don’t understand the bias, we risk recreating inequities in our outputs.”
A powerful joint presentation by Tim Nye of Catholic Charities Riverside and San Bernardino and Matthew Kill of HyperBolt Inc. showcased AI innovation already transforming client service delivery and solving a long-standing issue. Nye shared that his organization has struggled to manage call volume and rising service inquiries.
The Compassion Voice AI system, a 24/7 multilingual receptionist, now handles thousands of calls at Catholic Charities, answering in 34 languages and even escalating crises to 988 when needed. “We designed the system to collect minimal client data at first,” Ney shared. “Human follow‑up preserves dignity and ensures compliance.”
Kill expanded on how CompassionCore 360 integrates intake, case management, donor relations, and reporting: “The win isn’t more technology—it’s fewer handoffs, less duplication, and better visibility into impact.”
The forum closed with an engaging panel moderated by IEHP Foundation CEO Greg Bradbard, featuring leaders from across sectors, including Andrea Mitchel, Vice President, AM Development Group, Chris McMasters, Chief Information Officer, City of Corona and Nathan England, President, Kiva Container Corporation. Each panelist shared examples and real-life challenges and opportunities of using AI in grantwriting, government and business.
Andrea shared how AI accelerates grant scoring, calendaring, and funding comparisons: “It helps us keep pace with executive orders and opportunities we’d otherwise miss.”
McMasters highlighted city‑level innovations, from leak detection to police transcription: “AI helps us improve citizen services without losing the human touch.”
England described AI’s role in manufacturing workflows, emphasizing authenticity: “You have to train AI to match your organizational voice, and verify every output.”
Before the forum, a small number of attendees felt comfortable with AI, and most used it rarely in their work. Through a post event survey, nearly 90% respondents shared that they plan to use AI in their organizations, putting new tools and ideas into practice.
“The biggest takeaway for me was understanding it’s a tool and how to use it properly for better workflow and improve services for our clients,” shared one attendee.
For many, the forum helped ease concerns about trying out this new technology.
“AI is not our enemy, but could be our friend. I am going to embrace using it for scheduling as well as use it as a thought partner to allow me to be more efficient in the work that I do.”
Throughout the forum all speakers highlighted that AI is not a magic fix, but a tool we can learn to use. At the heart of it, it’s still people doing the important work of serving others, now with new technology to help us reach and support even more members of our community.
If you couldn’t join us in person, you can watch the recording here and review the presentation materials.