Karsten Wenzlaff, Advisor
August 26th, 2025
Karsten Wenzlaff is a Crowdfunding and Fintech Expert from Germany. He is Secretary-General of Digit[...]
RAISE Program Helps Nonprofits Use AI Responsibly
AI National Program | June 16, 2025
Image: Freepik/jcomp
New National Program, RAISE, to Support Responsible AI Adoption in the Social Sector
Funded by DIGITAL and matched by delivery partners Human Feedback Foundation (project lead), The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Creative Destruction Lab, have launched a new national initiative called 'Responsible AI Adoption for Social Impact' (RAISE), to help nonprofit organizations adopt artificial intelligence in a responsible and practical way. The program brings together investment, training, and governance tools to help nonprofits use AI to serve their communities more effectively, and to bridge the growing AI skills gap in the nonprofit sector.
Addressing the Growing Digital Divide
Canadian non-profits are an important part of Canada's economy, with more than 170,000 organizations contributing over $192 billion. Yet only 4.8% currently use AI, and fewer than 1% of nonprofit staff work in technology roles. This is a growing skills gap and it limits how organizations can expand their services, analyze data, or respond to the rising needs of their communities.
See: New AI Minister Prioritizes Growth Over Rules
RAISE was created to help close this gap, and aims to build a responsible model of AI adoption that others can follow. The program supports nonprofits as they explore how AI can help them increase efficiency, improve services, and stay focused on ethical and inclusive practices.
RAISE Project Funding
The total budget for the RAISE pilot is $1.3 million of which $650,000 is being co-invested from DIGITAL, with an equal amount matched by the delivery partners as follows:
- Creative Destruction Lab: $270,000
- The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University: $250,000
- Human Feedback Foundation: $130,000
See: Canada’s Lagging AI Adoption Needs to Accelerate to Compete
This co-investment model demonstrates how nonprofit, academic, and innovation leaders are aligning to build digital capacity in the social sector.
Model for Building Nonprofit AI Capacity
The RAISE initiative is built on three connected parts:
1. 12-month accelerator program led by Creative Destruction Lab is helping five major nonprofit organizations integrate AI into their work. These include CAMH Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society, Furniture Bank, CanadaHelps, and Achēv. Each organization will receive support to design and implement AI systems in line with their missions.
2. The Dais will train 500 nonprofit professionals focusing on AI literacy, governance, and practical use in areas like fundraising, data stewardship, policy, and service delivery.
3. The Human Feedback Foundation will lead the development of a governance framework and resource guide that offers guidance on how nonprofits can adopt AI with transparency, fairness, and measurable outcomes, which will be co-developed with partners to meet the needs of diverse organizations and communities.
The RAISE pilot has received strong support from across the nonprofit and technology sectors including organizations like Imagine Canada and the Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience who are working together to ensure the pilot is focused on practical challenges and goals of nonprofit work.
Elena Yunusov, founder and executive director of the Human Feedback Foundation, leading the project said the program is about giving nonprofits the capacity to lead in ethical AI use. She emphasized the importance of building trust, protecting values, and ensuring AI tools are aligned with the missions of participating organizations.
See: Canada’s Productivity Depends on Intangible Tech Adoption
RAISE shows how AI adoption can be set up in a way to boost public interest and not just private gain. It also highlights how nonprofits, academic institutions and accelerators are collaborating across nonprofits, which could serve as a template for other sectors, especially those that are under-resourced. It creates opportunities for experts to contribute and partner with mission-driven organizations in ways that help nonprofits beyond traditional activities.
Other Select Super Cluster (DIGITAL) Projects
In addition to supporting nonprofits through RAISE, Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster (DIGITAL) is also backing several other initiatives with strong connections to fintech, digital skills development, and ethical AI use, such as:
AI Career Advisor
This project uses artificial intelligence to build personalized digital advisors for career planning. The tools are being tested with job seekers across the country to improve employment outcomes. Fintech firms could adopt similar AI systems for financial coaching, digital onboarding, or customer journey optimization.
Learn more: AI Career Advisor
AI Skills Lab Canada
Focused on supporting women and non-binary entrepreneurs, this project offers AI adoption training and business tools. It helps build technical confidence and digital fluency. Canadian fintech incubators and accelerators can model similar programs to grow diverse leadership in digital finance.
Learn more: AI Skills Lab Canada
Judy Intelligence - Workforce Tools for Underserved Regions
Judy Intelligence develops AI tools that help rural and underserved communities gain access to job-matching and upskilling opportunities. This is highly relevant to fintech organizations working to expand financial access outside of major urban centers. It offers a model for AI-driven community outreach. Learn more: Judy Intelligence
TalentBridge
TalentBridge builds online learning and employment platforms with an AI layer to improve hiring and digital inclusion in Indigenous and remote communities. Fintech organizations can benefit by using similar platforms to recruit skilled workers and better serve underserved markets. Learn more: TalentBridge
Outlook
By investing in practical tools, governance, and talent, the RAISE program is a great blueprint for how sectors with limited resources can come together to still lead in ethical innovation. It also opens doors for cross-sector collaboration, inviting Canada’s fintech and digital leaders to join in building a more inclusive AI future that strengthens communities and drives productivity and longer term impact.
The National Crowdfunding & Fintech Association (NCFA Canada) is a financial innovation ecosystem that provides education, market intelligence, industry stewardship, networking and funding opportunities and services to thousands of community members and works closely with industry, government, partners and affiliates to create a vibrant and innovative fintech and funding industry in Canada. Decentralized and distributed, NCFA is engaged with global stakeholders and helps incubate projects and investment in fintech, alternative finance, crowdfunding, peer-to-peer finance, payments, digital assets and tokens, artificial intelligence, blockchain, cryptocurrency, regtech, and insurtech sectors. Join Canada's Fintech & Funding Community today FREE! Or become a contributing member and get perks. For more information, please visit: www.ncfacanada.org
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