Miriam Warren

Two friends I admire, Daria Walls Torres and Joanna Dodd Massey, PhD, MBA, M.S. in Business Law, recently shared a crucial insight for boards navigating divisive social and political issues: the real risk isn't whether to speak up or stay silent, but making either choice without a clear rationale process. Their perspective offers boards a thoughtful framework for decision-making in an increasingly polarized landscape.

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Earlier this week I presented at the Independent Sector National Summit alongside Jennifer Walen and Joe Paul. Our session "Embracing AI as an Ally: Moving Skeptics to Champions Through Adoption" highlighted The Greater Washington Community Foundation’s approach to human-centered AI adoption and the impact across the organization. Thank you to Jenn and Joe, as well as those who attended the session, for such a thoughtful conversation about innovation in the nonprofit sector. The discussion reinforced something we’ve learned over the past year at The Community Foundation. The path to AI adoption isn't about the technology itself. It's about training, trust, and demonstrating real value in people's daily work. A few reflections: - Make it accessible, not impressive. The goal isn't to showcase cutting-edge technology. Instead, it's to give people tools they can actually use in their daily work without needing a technical background. - Welcome skepticism. Team members asking hard questions about data privacy, accuracy, and equity often become your strongest champions once their concerns are addressed. - Small wins build momentum. Pilot projects and peer adoption shift mindsets more than any presentation about AI's potential. The social sector has a unique opportunity to shape how AI is deployed for social good—but only if we bring our teams along with intention and care.

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As part of Joanne Fedeyko’s #PathwaysToSiliconValley program for female founders, I had the honor of convening a discussion around how startups can leverage AI as a co-founder. I was joined by Annie Tsai, COO of Interact Software, Shoshana Berger, Head of Communications and Content at Notion and Heidi Darling, Fractional CMO & Go-to-Market Strategist at 2Quip Corp. Thanks to my amazing panelists for all their wisdom. My biggest takeaways: 👇 Start embedding AI on your team as a co-worker. Go as far as to factor it into seats in your org chart. 👇 Find prompt libraries to help you do key tasks. To check for accuracy, pop your query into a different LLM (or two) and repeat the process. 👇 Test and learn. “The more you build in public and show people what experiments you are running with AI the more you will be a thought leader, acquisition target, etc.” 👇 For companies using platforms like Notion and Coworker.ai,  AI is built into the workspace and knowledge base. In fact, 60% of Y Combinator companies use Notion. This is enabling rapid scaling. 👇 Companies founded on Web 2 infrastructure are now refactoring with AI. If you are an AI first company you are light years ahead. My take: It will be nearly impossible for big tech behemoths to re-invent their products as fast as new AI startups will find solutions. I’m curious what this means for our stock portfolios. 👇 Lastly, a tip brand marketers will appreciate:  “Keyword optimized content on Google is not happening anymore. Deep research is back, branding is back, building trust is back, longform is back-- that's what gets picked up by AI.” Find this fascinating? Me too. If you are a CMO wrestling with AI adoption or feeling a tiny bit overwhelmed by it, call me.  I may be able to help. Guide to prompt libraries: https://lnkd.in/g-2NeWAZ Tara Sharp Sarah Mehler Attica Alexis Jaques Vivienne Walsh Xanthe Wells Marissa Guerra Lindsay Lazar Kathy Keanini Peter Kingsley

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Cultural fluency and innovation are redefining Black entrepreneurship. With WABA's curated digital tools—spanning AI, automation, and inclusive branding—Black founders gain the power to scale, automate, and engage authentically. 💼 Explore how ethical automation and culturally-centered strategies are driving legacy and impact. Join changemakers and discover proven solutions for smart, resilient growth. Read now: https://lnkd.in/dwMUMPF9 #BlackEntrepreneurs #DigitalEquity #InclusiveInnovation

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If you’re building a tech or scalable company, understanding how funding works is non-negotiable. 📈💸 Not all capital is created equal and the wrong funding choice can slow growth, limit control, or cost more long-term than founders expect. At Black Women Talk Tech, we believe access to capital starts with access to clear, practical information. 👉🏾 That’s why we break down the funding landscape in ways that help Black women founders make informed, strategic decisions aligned with building billion-dollar, scalable companies. This is about more than money! It’s about ownership, sustainability, and long-term impact. 💾 Save this for reference and share it with a founder who’s navigating funding decisions right now. #funding #techfounders #womenintech #startup #businesstips

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Our client James Norman Black Operator Ventures byline published in Fast Company on what Black tech founders need to know before raising their first VC round 💰 🔗 👇🏾 #investor #funding #seed #founder #tech #VC #venturecapital

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100% agree with Steve Froehlich that we must "inspire millions more people to give, more often, and more joyfully." It's hard to imagine anything more urgent or important for the nonprofit organizations that need all of our support now more than ever.

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This week, @Nonprofit Quarterly announced a new cohort of columnists who will be exploring what's broken, what's possible, and how we collectively build better infrastructure. My regular column, The Impact Algorithm, will discuss tech and data challenges for social enterprises. The first piece is on the intersection of technology strategy and change management. What other topics should I cover? Do you have a best practice or program you think should be highlighted? Let me know in the comments. Link to description of the new columns: https://hubs.ly/Q03z4fzj0 #PublicInterestTech #TechStrategy #Strategy

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It’s been a rough few months for the sector. About one-third of U.S. nonprofit service providers lost government funding in early 2025. And in a new report Center for Effective Philanthropy said there is mounting pressure on foundations to step in and fill some of the funding gaps left by federal funding losses. Here are a couple of key takeaways from CEP's report: - 87 percent of foundations surveyed said they have seen increased demand for funding since January, with 30 percent increasing their payout in response. - Foundations are providing more emergency and unrestricted grants; however, most nonprofits surveyed said the response was not enough. “I think what the data shows us is that, sure, there have been other moments that have been really difficult for the sector, ” CEP's Elisha Smith Arrillaga said. “But we have not seen the overall sector attacked consistently in such a way where over half of nonprofits say they’re concerned about their ability to continue to operate.” Full story at The Chronicle of Philanthropy: https://lnkd.in/efJZqJAV

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From the amazing Fawn Weaver (Owner, Uncle Nearest, Inc.)— her words land deeply and align with conversations visionaries, leaders, and founders need to hear when doubt begins to creep in. Especially in seasons where the work is heavy, the results feel delayed, and belief is being tested quietly. Her reminder not to give up in the “in-between” is critical. The space people don’t see. The season that feels chaotic, unclear, uncomfortable. The part of the journey where character is being developed, not rewarded. Oftentimes, people count you out in this season — when things don’t look polished, when momentum feels slow, when you’re rebuilding quietly instead of winning loudly. And it’s easy to lose focus here if you’re not intentional. But this is the moment where leadership is required — where you stay locked in on where you’re going, not what it looks like right now. We hear about failure all the time, but most people subconsciously brush past it unless they’re living it. Unless they’re in the thick of it. And that’s why messages like this matter more than we admit. Of course your work matters. Consistency matters. Integrity matters. Discipline matters. But none of it sustains without resilience — without the decision to stand firm when pressure, doubt, and uncertainty show up at the same time. The in-between isn’t a pause, the chaos isn’t a curse, and failure isn’t final — all of it is a proving and refinement process that only works if you don’t abandon yourself in the middle of it. The only difference between who you are right now and who you’re becoming is whether you keep going. Success isn’t about noise, validation, or timing — it’s about staying aligned with who you know you’re called to be, even when everything around you is demanding distraction. Hold steady. Stay resilient. These are the moments that define trajectory. #InTheEndYouWin

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Donorcentric #fundraising is permission-based fundraising. Having served at causes with the most sensitive of issues (e.g. infant mortality) the idea of selling names is unfathomable... this is why I am so proud of the Blue State team for once again raising the bar. Our co-op that is not only values-based but is engineered for better outcomes. Let's talk data!

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I wanted to share an incredible podcast episode we, at WOMEN x AI (WxAI) recoded on one of my favorite topics: AI and Product Development! Jenny Kay Pollock and I had the pleasure of getting a few of my favorite women in product leaders who have shaped teams across HP, Twitch, Amazon, Lenovo, Meta, EV charging, and beyond to ask one big question: 👉 How is AI reshaping product development from idea → launch? And wow… this panel delivered. Strategy. PRDs. Research. Prototyping. Analytics. Guardrails. The evolving PM role. Every part of the product lifecycle is being rewritten and these women are at the forefront of that change. One of my favorite lines from the episode: 💬 “AI gives you what you give it. It can enhance your voice, but it cannot replace your thinking or your voice.” — Namisha Balagopal 🎙️ Our Guests: ✨ Namisha Balagopal: Product leader across HP, Twitch, Amazon & digital health ✨ Mayan Shay May-Raz: Principal Product Manager, Amazon Search; former AR/VR PM at Lenovo + Meta startup ✨ Dr. Nancy Li Founder, PM Accelerator,YouTube & LinkedIn Top Voice ✨ Jasmeen Bal: Product leader in EV charging; former automotive engineering. 🚀 What We Cover: • How AI accelerates strategy, PRDs & stakeholder buy-in • Research at scale — interview synthesis & insight mapping • Prototyping UI flows with AI-powered design tools • Data quality, cleansing & why inputs determine outputs • Hallucinations, bias & real-world guardrails • The evolving PM role and the rise of product specialization • Parallelized development - strategy, research, prototyping & QA running together • Human judgment, empathy & product taste in an AI-driven world 💡 Our Main Key Takeaways ✔️ AI is a force multiplier - but only for PMs who stay in the loop and think critically ✔️ Inputs matter: personas, constraints, context ✔️ Use AI to compress time so you can spend more time on big questions ✔️ Guardrails need humans - validate facts & monitor outputs ✔️ Clean data > big data ✔️ Storytelling & empathy still win rooms ✔️ Product orgs will specialize as AI accelerates workflows ✔️ Parallelization is the new superpower 🛠️ Tools We Discuss 1️⃣ Dovetail: interview synthesis & insights 2️⃣ Lovable: prompt → prototype 3️⃣ Claude: structured reasoning & persona-aware writing 4️⃣ Amplitude: analytics & auto-captured event insights 5️⃣ Fathom: meeting notes, records & action items If you’re a product leader, PM, founder, or someone shaping digital experiences this episode is a must-listen. 🔗 Link to the episode: in the comment below. Here’s to building the future of product, together. 

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More than $2.5 million in total funding from Rare Impact Fund Nonprofit organizations working on youth mental health: Apply to the Rare Impact Fund Youth Mental Health Workforce Grant by 10 April 2026. 🌍 About the opportunity The Rare Impact Fund , founded by Selena Gomez , is launching its first public Request for Proposals (RFP) to strengthen the nonclinical youth mental health workforce. The fund aims to expand access to mental health services for young people globally by supporting organizations that train and support professionals working outside traditional clinical settings. More than $2.5 million in total funding will be awarded through this grant cycle. 💰 Funding • Grant size: $250,000 – $500,000 • Total funding available: $2.5M+ • Includes a $500,000 contribution from the Enlight Foundation 🎯 What they are funding Projects that strengthen the nonclinical youth mental health workforce, including initiatives focused on: • Recruitment of youth mental health support providers • Training and professional development • Workforce retention and sustainability • Programs supporting youth outside traditional clinical settings Examples of supported roles may include: • Community mental health workers • Peer supporters • School-based support staff • Youth mentors and counselors 🌎 Eligible regions Global (nonprofit organizations) 📅 Key date • Letters of Intent deadline: 10 April 2026 Selected organizations will be invited to submit full proposals after the LOI stage. Preparing a Strong Application At TechField Africa, we work closely with impact-driven organisations and high-growth ventures across Africa and emerging markets to strengthen their funding readiness, strategic positioning, and growth potential. Over the years, we have supported teams preparing for grant opportunities, funding programs, and strategic partnerships, helping them present their work in a clear, structured, and compelling way. Our support includes: • Structuring Expressions of Interest (EOIs) • Full proposal development • Grant writing and technical documentation • Financial modelling and co-financing structuring Our work is focused on serious, impact-driven organisations that already demonstrate traction, revenue potential, and measurable results. If your organisation is preparing to apply for a funding opportunity and would like to submit a strong and competitive application, we would be happy to explore how we can support. You can schedule a conversation with our team here: https://lnkd.in/d2tqeBCR Kindly note that professional terms, fees, and engagement conditions apply.

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Black women are driving meaningful innovation across industries! Black History Month is a moment to recognize that impact, and to consider how we translate recognition into sustained support. For over 15 years, I’ve been building ecosystems across tech, consumer, and innovation communities, and meaningful change comes from intentional investment, expanded access, and long-term infrastructure👩🏽‍💻. Support doesn’t have to be symbolic to be powerful. It can be strategic and consistent. How is your organization thinking about sustainable support this year? #BlackHistoryMonth #BlackWomenInTech #InclusiveInnovation #FounderSupport #TechLeadership

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Lauren McKown's thought-provoking piece in Inside Philanthropy calls for reimagining how we fund and partner in global health. Funders face an inflection point: the intersecting challenges of climate, pandemics, fragility, and inequity demand that we go beyond incremental fixes. Isn't this our chance to: 1. Invest in systems that strengthen primary care, supply chains, and community resilience. 2. Shift more power locally by backing leaders closest to the issues with flexible, trust-based capital. 3. Embrace risk and learning by recognizing that innovation requires room to experiment and adapt. What inspires me most is that the opportunity isn’t just about “resetting” philanthropy, but about reshaping partnerships so that global health is more equitable, more sustainable, and more prepared for what lies ahead. "In Malawi...the ministry of health has launched a clear, compelling call to action with its Health Sector Strategic Plan – asking donors and nonprofits alike to align their efforts and resources behind “One Plan, One Budget, One M&E,” an integrated and more efficient use of resources to improve primary health care nationally. Malawi’s plan is steeped in data-driven recommendations and conclusions developed by Malawian health professionals, government leaders, and financial experts, drawing closely on those experts’ firsthand experience with their own public health system. And yet, for too long, we have asked governments like Malawi’s to adapt their plans to our (largely Global North-derived) strategies – and not the other way around." https://lnkd.in/ghgG_XkT #GlobalHealth #Philanthropy #SystemsChange #Partnerships Wadhwani AI Global

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I'm at the UN Commission on the Status of Women this week for the Social Web Foundation, as an Association for Progressive Communications delegate. First up: "Automating Justice: Can Artificial Intelligence Increase Women’s and Girls’ Access to Justice?" Then: “Preventing and Combating All Forms of Cyber Violence Against Girls” hosted by Cyprus, Mexico and UN Women. Links to follow!

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I love this graphic from Beth Kanter for so many reasons: It's a concise overview that helps frame how individuals and organizations can approach #AI. It's a clear and reproducible guide to using AI in the ideation, development and revision of an #infographic. But most of all, what I love is the example of using #AI to combine your talents in new ways. Beth has been a brilliant tech strategist and communicator for as long as I've known her (twenty years!) And she has also always inspired me with her love of hands-on creativity: this is a woman who can wax rhapsodic about pens and markers. AI has opened the door to combining those strategic, communication, and visual talents in a new way. So ask yourself: What are the threads of your own work and creativity, that AI could help you combine in a new way?

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Here's today's update from Pro-Bono.org... 📰 A small San Francisco-based nonprofit has launched a new tech initiative to streamline their volunteer onboarding and training processes, significantly reducing administrative overhead. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gSsJBi-v 📰 Oregon recently passed landmark legislation aimed at updating and simplifying charitable solicitation regulations, promising clearer guidelines and reduced compliance costs for nonprofits operating statewide. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/gbbsR8cB 📰 The Northeast Climate Resilience Fund announced Dr. Anika Sharma as its new Executive Director, signaling a strategic focus on data-driven adaptation strategies and community-led initiatives. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/g85tzNPS Visit https://Pro-Bono.org for more #NonprofitNews #SocialImpact #ProBono

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