This week Carolyn Woodard covers how to get AI literate, moving from the big-picture policy questions she's been focused on lately back to a practical roundup: how do you and your staff build AI literacy, and do you need a certificate to prove it?

She starts with free and low-cost nonprofit-specific options: PoliSync's four-module Certificate in Applied AI for Social Good, and Tim Lockie's hands-on AI for Anyone course through The Human Stack ($99). She also points to more general platforms like LinkedIn Learning, plus certifications straight from the source: Anthropic's free AI Fluency for Nonprofits course and paid Claude Certified Associate exam, Microsoft's AI Business Professional Certificate for Copilot users, and Google's Gemini certifications (for general knowledge, no previous experience necessary.) For a deeper resource, she recommends Cheryl Contee's book AI for Nonprofits and its companion AI4NP.org knowledge hub.

Carolyn's take: if you like structured learning and taking a class, or need a credential for a job or your own development plan, get one; if you're a self-directed learner already experimenting hands-on, you can decide if you need that credential too. 

Either way, AI literacy is what lets you and your organization make informed, values-driven decisions about how, or whether, to use these tools. She closes on a bright note: data center moratoriums are gaining momentum in cities and counties nationwide, proof that community advocacy is having a real effect.

This episode covers:

• Free and low-cost AI literacy courses for nonprofit staff.
• Certification options straight from Anthropic, Microsoft, and Google for teams already using Claude, Copilot, or Gemini.
• How to decide whether you actually need a certificate, based on your learning style and goals.
• A recommended book and knowledge hub for going deeper on AI at nonprofits.

Resources Mentioned:

• Certificate in Applied AI for Social Good – PoliSync – https://www.polisync.org/ai-certificate
• AI for Anyone – The Human Stack – https://thehumanstack.com/academy/aiforanyone
• AI for Nonprofits Cohort (currently closed, see AI4NP.org below) – NTEN – https://www.nten.org/learn/nonprofit-tech-readiness/ai-for-nonprofits
• Career Essentials in Generative AI – LinkedIn Learning / LinkedIn for Nonprofit https://www.linkedin.com/learning/showcase/artificial-intelligence-22747885
• Udemy Nonprofit Plan FAQ – Udemy Business – https://business-support.udemy.com/hc/en-us/articles/115016125628-Nonprofit-Plan-FAQ
• AI Fluency for Nonprofits – Anthropic Academy – https://anthropic.skilljar.com/ai-fluency-for-nonprofits
• Claude Certification Program – Anthropic / Pearson VUE – https://www.pearsonvue.com/us/en/anthropic.html
• AI Business Professional Certificate – Microsoft Learn – https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/credentials/certifications/ai-business-professional/
• Google AI Professional Certification - Google - https://grow.google/enroll-certificates/ai-professional-certificate-mid/
• Gemini Certifications – Google for Education – https://edu.google.com/intl/ALL_us/learning-center/certifications/
• AI for Nonprofits (book and knowledge hub) – AI4NP.org – https://www.ai4np.org/about
• Data Center Reporting Tracker – Erin Brockovich – https://www.brockovichdatacenter.com

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Thanks for listening.