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Fast Forward Report Reveals AI Helping AI-Powered Nonprofits Improve Service Delivery

September 15, 2026

Fast Forward’s new data suggest that as the AI-powered nonprofit sector matures, organizations need funding for long-term infrastructure

SAN FRANCISCO, September 15, 2026 — Today, Fast Forward released the 2026 AI for Humanity Report. It’s the largest study to date of AI-powered nonprofits, a subset of organizations using AI to deliver their programs and services. Nearly all AI-powered nonprofits surveyed agree that AI led to gains in how they deliver their services, but that comes at a higher cost of infrastructure and maintenance. The result is that only 24% of responding AI-powered nonprofits say that they have the resources to execute their plans to scale.

The 2026 AI for Humanity Report arrives at a significant moment when Americans are skeptical of AI, but trust nonprofits more than any other major institution to improve their communities. The findings offer the most comprehensive look yet at how those two fields intersect, and what happens when nonprofits apply AI to deliver faster, more personalized, and higher-quality services.

“Nonprofits are accountable to the people they serve, not shareholders. That’s why they are uniquely positioned to put the best tech to work on society’s hardest problems. Our report shows that they’re already doing exactly that,” said Kevin Barenblat, co-founder and president of Fast Forward.

“AI-powered nonprofits are past proving whether AI can serve a mission. It can. What they need is funding to sustain the work,” said Shannon Farley, co-founder and executive director of Fast Forward. “The solution isn’t to change what gets funded, but how to invest in the full lifecycle — from pilot to long-term infrastructure.”

Key findings from the 2026 AI for Humanity Report include:

  • 92% of AI-powered nonprofits surveyed claim more efficient service delivery, and 55% say AI made personalized services at scale possible.
  • Though 90% of responding AI-powered nonprofits say they have a plan to scale, only 24% indicate they have the resources to do so, signaling a funding gap between the pilot phase and scale.
  • AI-powered nonprofits face ongoing technical costs for maintenance, monitoring, and operations. 45% of AI-powered nonprofits surveyed cite rising costs of AI tools and infrastructure as the sector’s single greatest external threat.
  • When asked to consider the risks posed by AI, not one of the AI-powered nonprofits surveyed said the risks of using AI outweigh the benefits.

Findings were drawn from a survey of 119 AI-powered nonprofits across 20 countries, plus 20 interviews with nonprofit leaders and funders. The report was produced with support from Google.org and research led by Third Plateau.

“Our research shows that nonprofit leaders see real value in adopting AI for their programs, but are careful about how it affects those they serve,” said Mike Berkowitz, co-founder and principal of Third Plateau. “For nonprofits, building trust with their communities is often what allows them to create lasting change, and that trust is usually hard-won by people. It may be tempting for donors to think of their AI funding as being purely about the technology, but the humans behind AI-powered programs remain equally important.”

“Not only is the 2026 AI for Humanity Report an important benchmark for the social sector, but it is a must-read for funders. Nonprofits are using AI to solve old problems in new ways, and as funders, we have a responsibility to understand – and support – this type of technological innovation,” said Maggie Johnson, global head of Google.org. “Google.org is proud to partner with Fast Forward to help grow the AI-powered nonprofit sector.”

In tandem with the 2026 AI for Humanity Report, Fast Forward and Google.org published a new whitepaper for the philanthropic community, Realizing the Reset: Turning AI Adoption Into Impact. The whitepaper is co-written by Google.org’s Maggie Johnson and Fast Forward Co-Founders Shannon Farley and Kevin Barenblat.

To read the full 2026 AI for Humanity Report, visit https://www.ffwd.org/ai-for-humanity-report.

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Fast Forward

Fast Forward launched in 2014 with a simple belief: tech can help nonprofits solve the world’s biggest challenges. Since then, Fast Forward built the infrastructure for the tech and AI-powered nonprofit sector, growing it from a few tech nonprofits to over 1,000 today. Now, the work is expanding. Fast Forward backs high-potential tech nonprofits through the Accelerator and portfolio support, strengthens the broader sector through education and community, and helps shape the field of AI for humanity through research, thought leadership, and grantmaker engagement. This work is fueled by an ecosystem of partners who believe in the power of tech for good. For more information visit www.ffwd.org.

Media Contact: Shayna Farmelant, press@ffwd.org