AI for Social Impact Certification PROGRAM
Free, Expert-Led AI Courses for Social Impact Professionals
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Learn practical, responsible AI skills
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Earn continuing education credits, including CFRE
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Gain certifications and digital badges
The AI for Social Impact Certification Program
Across the social impact sector, teams are eager to reap the benefits of AI, but many are still building the knowledge and guardrails to use it responsibly.
Brought to you by the AI Coalition for Social Impact, this Certification Program closes that gap. Through a series of free, on-demand courses, you’ll build practical AI skills, strengthen your understanding of responsible AI use, and learn how to apply AI confidently in your role and organization.
Certification Benefits
Earn Continuing Education Credits
Record your professional development by earning continuing education credits recognized by CFRE International.
Advance Your AI Career
Build your AI knowledge and skillset by working toward industry-specific certifications.
Showcase Your Expertise
Earn a digital badge for completing these courses that you can share on platforms like LinkedIn.
Certification: Fundamentals of Responsible AI
From fundamentals to responsible use, this certification brings together key AI concepts, tools, and trends with the principles and safeguards needed to apply AI responsibly and with confidence.
Course 1: AI Fundamentals for Social Impact
Course 1: AI Fundamentals for Social Impact
Develop a grounded, real-world understanding of AI for the social impact sector. This course covers foundational concepts, the evolving AI landscape, and the human factors that shape adoption—equipping you to assess opportunities, manage risks, and apply AI in ways that align with your mission and values.
Topics:
- AI fundamentals, history, and key milestones
- Core AI types and practical use cases
- Emerging tools, trends, and AI agents
- Responsible AI, governance, and trust
- Generational perspectives on AI adoption
COMING SOON Course 2: Responsible AI Principles and Regulations
Course 2: Responsible AI Principles and Regulations (Coming Soon)
Learn what it takes to use AI responsibly in a complex and evolving regulatory landscape. This course explores core principles like fairness, transparency, and privacy—and how they’re being translated into policies and real-world practices. You’ll learn how to navigate legal risks and apply responsible AI in ways that protect your organization and the communities you serve.
Topics:
- Core principles of responsible and ethical AI
- Global AI regulations and policy trends
- Legal risks and real‑world case examples
- Governance, oversight, and accountability practices
- Compliance strategies for nonprofit organizations
Ari Kaplan
Head of Evangelism at Databricks
Daniel Wallance
Cybersecurity, Technology Risk, and Responsible AI at McKinsey & Company
Dr. Laurene Currie
Responsible AI Research Scientist at Blackbaud
Dante Gabrielli
Associate Partner, Director of Product Management at QuantumBlack, AI by McKinsey
Ann Hollingsworth
Vice President, Government Affairs at the Nonprofit Alliance
Bex Evans
Director of Product Marketing at OneTrust
Brett Tarr
Head of Privacy and AI Governance at OneTrust
Cameron Stoll
Chief Privacy Officer at Blackbaud
Jose Paiva
Senior Privacy Council at OneTrust
Developed by Leading Tech
and Social Impact Experts
This Certification Program was developed by the AI Coalition for Social Impact—a cross-sector collaboration of leaders in philanthropy, technology, governance, education, and corporate responsibility committed to advancing responsible AI adoption in our community.
The AI for Social Impact Certification is open to all social impact professionals.
The certification is taught by experts from across the social impact, technology, and responsible AI ecosystem. Instructors include members of the AI Coalition for Social Impact representing organizations such as Databricks, McKinsey, Blackbaud, OneTrust, and other cross-sector partners.
Yes. After completing the courses, you will receive a certificate of completion that can be used to earn CFRE credits. Credits are awarded based on the estimated course hours.
The first certification includes two courses and a final exam. You must complete both courses and pass the exam to earn your certification.
Course 1, AI Fundamentals for Social Impact, will be available in July 2026. Course 2 will be available soon.
Upon completion of the required courses and final exam, you will receive a certification from the AI Coalition for Social Impact.
This digital certification can be shared on your LinkedIn account, resume, and any other digital resource to validate your expertise.
Yes. Once registered, you will receive notifications as new courses are released.
Each course will take from one to three hours to complete, including knowledge checks and assessments. Courses are self-paced and on demand, so you can pause at any time and return later to continue where you left off.
Once all courses are available, you will have the option to complete them all at once. Courses will be released throughout 2026 and 2027. Once registered, you will be notified when new courses become available.
The AI Coalition for Social Impact is a cross‑sector collaboration of leading organizations and experts from philanthropy, technology, education, and corporate responsibility. The Coalition works to remove barriers to responsible AI adoption and provide resources to support the social impact sector.
Blackbaud convened the AI Coalition for Social Impact as part of its commitment to responsible AI. The company plays both an administrative role in advancing Coalition initiatives and a participatory role by contributing expertise and resources.