Free tools to see where your organization stands with AI
I made these for organizations that serve young people and families. Start with the checklist. It takes about five minutes.
AI readiness checklist
Print this page or copy the list, and put a check next to each statement that is true for your organization right now.
☐ 1. We know which AI tools our staff and volunteers are using.
☐ 2. We have a written AI acceptable-use policy.
☐ 3. Staff know never to enter names, case details or other sensitive information into public AI tools.
☐ 4. A named person is responsible for approving new AI tools.
☐ 5. We have reviewed the privacy terms of the AI tools we use.
☐ 6. A human reviews AI-generated content before it is shared or used in decisions.
☐ 7. Staff have had at least one training session on responsible AI use.
☐ 8. Our board or leadership has discussed AI risks and opportunities.
☐ 9. We have a plan for what to do if sensitive information is shared with an AI tool by mistake.
☐ 10. We can explain to families and funders how we use AI, in plain language.
Where you stand
0 to 3 marks. You’re getting started, and that’s the most common place to be. Have a short conversation with your staff about which tools are already in use, then write a one-page policy. My starter policy outline is a good first read.
4 to 7 marks. You’re building. You have a foundation. Close the gaps in training, tool approval and data handling, and put your policy in writing if you haven’t yet.
8 to 10 marks. You’re established, and ahead of most organizations. Schedule a yearly review and test your plan for a mistake.
AI use log
Keep one of these for your organization. Add a row each time someone uses an AI tool for work. It takes a minute, and it gives you an honest answer when a funder, a board member or a parent asks how you use AI. Copy the table into a spreadsheet or a document.
| Date | Tool | Task | What went in (categories only) | Who checked the result | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example: Oct 9 | ChatGPT | Draft a newsletter intro | Public program information only | Program manager | Edited the tone |
| Example: Oct 12 | Claude | Summarize meeting notes | My own notes, no names | Executive director | Fixed two errors |
How to fill it in. In the “what went in” column, write categories, like “public program information” or “my own meeting notes with no names.” Never write the name of a person you serve, or any detail about them, anywhere in this log. Look at the log with your leadership once a month. If you spot something that should never have gone into a tool, follow your plan for mistakes and fix the rule.
If you’d like my feedback on yours, send it to me through the contact page. See my privacy policy for what I do with anything you send.
Samples of my work
These are templates for you to adapt, not client work. Have your own counsel review anything before you adopt it.
AI vendor review checklist
Ask these questions of any vendor before your organization adopts an AI tool. I learned to ask them by being the person who had to sign us up.
- What data does the tool collect, and where is it stored?
- Is our data used to train the vendor’s models? Can we opt out?
- Who at the vendor can see our content?
- How long is data kept, and can we have it deleted?
- Does the tool make or influence decisions about people? How are those decisions checked?
- What happens if the vendor has a breach, and how will we be told?
- Does the vendor publish plain-language terms and a security overview?
- Which of our staff will use it, and for what tasks?
- Who approves it, and who owns it day to day?
- How will we know if it stops being a good fit?
Staff guide: what to put into public AI tools
Fine to use: general questions, drafting from your own non-sensitive notes, brainstorming, and rewording information that is already public.
Never enter: names, case details, or health, student or financial information about the people you serve; donor or employee records; anything covered by a confidentiality agreement.
Always: read and check the output before you use it, keep a person responsible for the final product, and tell your supervisor right away if sensitive information is shared by mistake.
Keep going
I write short pieces on Insights. If you fill one of these tools in and want my feedback, send it to me through the contact page, and please leave out names and details about any person you serve. If you’d like a hand, see how I work. You’re also welcome to send this page to a colleague or board member.
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General education, not legal advice. Jackson Allen LLC is not a law firm. These templates are starting points; have your own counsel review anything before you adopt it.
