Free kit · Policies and risk
Nonprofit AI Use Policy Template: free one-page AI policy in Word and PDF
Set the rules for AI on one page your board can approve: what staff may use it for, what data never goes in, who checks the output and who owns the policy. Sized for 3 to 15 staff with no technology lead, the kit starts by asking staff what they already use.
Word and PDF · 12 pages · For executive directors and board chairs
Your kit is ready
We also emailed these links to .
Your library is open on this browser.
What is inside
- Staff AI use survey. Ask staff and volunteers which tools they use, what they have entered and what worries them, before you write any rules.
- AI use policy. The policy on one page in eight sections, from purpose and scope to ownership and review, with a line for the board minutes.
- Approved tools list. The tools staff may use, for what and on which account, and whether each trains on your data.
- One-page staff guide. What can go into an AI tool, what never does and what to do when something goes wrong, on one page to print.
- Staff sign-off. A sheet for everyone the policy covers to sign after the training session.
- Mistake and review logs. One line for each mistake reported under the policy, and a record of each review.
How to use it
- Week 1: ask staff and volunteers what they already use (Form A), then read the answers.
- Week 2: write the data rule first, then the rest of the policy (Form B) and the tools list (Form C).
- Weeks 3 and 4: share the draft with staff, and the board approves the principles at a regular meeting.
- Week 4: a 30-minute session with the staff guide (Form D), and everyone signs (Form E).
- Every six months: review the policy and the tools list, and note what changed (Form F).
Not legal advice. This kit is general guidance. If you hold regulated data, such as health information covered by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act or student records, have counsel review the data rules before you adopt the policy, and do not use an AI tool with that data until it has passed a security review and the vendor has signed the agreement the law requires.
Questions
Is the kit free?
Yes. Enter your name, email and organization once, and every kit in the library opens on this browser.
Can I edit it?
Yes. The Word file is fully editable: fill in the brackets, cut what does not apply and add your own tools, data rules, contact names and review dates.
Does it work in Google Docs?
Yes. Upload the Word file to Google Drive and open it with Google Docs; the tables and ruled lines carry over.
Can I share it inside my organization?
Yes. Copy it, adapt it and share it with your board and staff.
Read the guide
More kits for executive directors
Crisis Communication Plan TemplateWho speaks and approves, the call order, holding statements, a 48-hour checklist and logs
Whistleblower and Document Retention Policy TemplatesBoth policies with each choice marked, a report log, a retention schedule with the federal minimums and a hold notice
Board Resolution TemplatesA blank resolution, samples for bank signers, the budget, pay and policies, and a resolution register
With an AI policy, the template is rarely where it goes wrong. The decisions are. A coach helps the executive director decide how much risk to accept with other people's data, and set rules staff follow instead of hiding what they already use.
Six sessions of executive coaching: $300, $400 or $600, set by your organization's yearly operating expenses.
