As artificial intelligence reshapes the professional landscape, Santa Cruz County nonprofits are taking proactive steps to ensure they are equipped to serve their communities effectively.
Last week, BizzNEST, Digital NEST’s youth-powered creative agency, partnered with Community Foundation Santa Cruz County (CFSCC) to host AI Jam: Practical Tools for Nonprofit Communications & Marketing, moving social impact leaders from theory to hands-on practice.
Technical Literacy Rooted in Community Needs
Demand was immediate; registration capped at 40 participants from 40 organizations three weeks early, with a waitlist.
Survey data revealed a gap between adoption and technical confidence:
- 75.6% of participants were familiar with tools like ChatGPT
- 80% reported low confidence in evaluating privacy concerns when using AI tools.
- Attendees identified Grant Writing, Email Newsletters, and Donor Communications as their top priorities.
The identified gap in confidence defined the primary goal of the session. Post-workshop survey results showed a 59.4% average increase in attendee confidence around AI literacy skills.
A “Smash Success” in Collaborative Learning
The BizzNEST team facilitated this shift through a specialized curriculum:
- Jared, Jackeline, and Jack developed bespoke games to make technical training engaging. Attendees called these tools a breakthrough, making “prompt engineering” feel intuitive rather than intimidating.
- Joel designed a custom game to simplify complex concepts, while Brenda created cohesive branding and “take-home cards” to ensure lessons lasted beyond the workshop.
- Ian led the instruction, focusing on making AI literacy feel “practical, and even fun.”
“With the increased presence of AI in the workforce, it’s more important than ever to stay educated on AI literacy,” said Joel, Senior Development Associate at BizzNEST. “We wanted to give back to the Santa Cruz community by teaching people how to use AI in an approachable, practical, and safe way.”
Jenny Kurzweil, Senior Communications Officer, organizes nonprofit marketing and communications workshops at the Foundation. She said: “From ideation of the workshop to delivery, I was impressed by the BizzNEST team’s professionalism, communication, skill, expertise, and follow-through. Best practices for AI in the nonprofit sector are important to learn about. The workshop participants, including nonprofit CEOs, were absolutely grateful for the learning experience.“
A “Sandbox” for Hands-on Learning
Beyond the technical code, this project serves as a cornerstone for professional growth. Developing these resources and leading public workshops has accelerated the career readiness of the associates involved.
“I’ve seen more professional growth in the team through these workshops than almost anything else,” said Alex Rodriguez, director of software development and design, overseeing the BizzNEST team. “They are learning to present, to lead, and to advocate for their community.”
This initiative is part of our org-wide AI strategy, ensuring that underrepresented communities aren’t left out of the global AI conversation. By putting local youth in leadership roles, we’re ensuring that the people building and teaching this technology reflect our communities.
The Human Perspective at the Center
For attendees, the takeaway was clear: AI is a tool for enhancement, not replacement.
Celeste Sandoval-Chavez, Communications & Social Media Coordinator at Community Action Board of Santa Cruz County, noted the focus on using AI “intentionally and responsibly… to enhance and accelerate” mission-driven work.
Catherine Stihler, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Monterey Bay, observed a “shared commitment across our sector to approach AI with both curiosity and care,” to strengthen equity and impact.
This chart shows survey results from before and after the event. Survey respondents were asked a series of questions about their familiarity with AI concepts, like data privacy and types of AI.
Book a Live Workshop
BizzNEST associates are hosting workshops to bring AI literacy directly to any organization. They offer hands-on training sessions tailored to help staff and community members build practical AI skills that make a real difference.
Interested in a workshop? Connect with the team at bizznest.org.
Explore the AI Literacy Hub at ai.bizznest.org.
