Fast Forward

Introducing Materiom AI chatbot for bio-based material discovery Materiom AI is a generative AI chatbot for bio-based materials discovery, now available in beta on the Materiom Commons.

Big news from Materiom: the team just launched Materiom AI! The TL;DR: this generative AI chatbot is designed to speed up the discovery of bio-based ingredients and materials.

Read more: www.materiom.org/resources/in...

The Tech Nonprofit Job Board Search job openings across the Fast Forward network.

Fast Forward is growing! And we’re hiring a VP of Programs, VP of Fundraising and Partnerships, and Director of Corporate Fundraising and Partnerships in San Francisco. Full-time, in-office roles. Apply here → jobs.ffwd.org/jobs?filter=...

Model Behavior Why Mozilla is putting their weight(s) behind open-source AI.

The browser wars shaped the internet. Now it’s AI’s turn. In this month’s AI for Humanity, we dive into how @mozilla.org is working to keep AI open, safe, and human-centered. Plus a look at Ersilia’s work in global health. Subscribe → aiforhumanity.substack.com/p/model-beha...

Taking AI Offline: Lauren Lichtman & Navya Akkinepally Build Tools for Education – Fast Forward Fast Forward empowers nonprofits building tech for humanity.

This month’s Humans of AI for Humanity, written in partnership with the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, features Lauren Lichtman and Navya Akkinepally, co-executive directors of @learningequality.bsky.social. They’re making offline AI a reality for education: www.ffwd.org/blog/lauren-...

What if the most powerful AI tools were built for classrooms that could benefit from them most? Even ones without internet.

From career coaching to farming - how two NGOs driving change with agentic AI NGOs aren’t always thought of as being at the cutting edge of technology. But CareerVillage and Digital Green are two that are using agentic AI to make a real difference to their beneficiaries.

Agentic AI sounds like the latest buzzword, but tech nonprofits like @careervillage.bsky.social & @digitalgreen.bsky.social are already putting it to work. Think career advice, on demand. Farming tips rooted in data, not guesswork. More in @diginomica.com: diginomica.com/career-coach...

Generative AI won’t fix healthcare gaps, but it can make life easier for family caregivers. @noorahealth.bsky.social is testing generative AI to deliver clear, personalized guidance after hospital discharge. More in Stanford CDH’s new report: cdh.stanford.edu/generative-a...

Congratulations to Mobile Pathways and Scrutinize
for winning Ironclad’s 2025 Legal AI Innovators Award! (And for the Nasdaq feature!) Learn more: ironcladapp.com/blog/winners...

Nonprofit AI Policy Builder – Fast Forward Fast Forward empowers nonprofits building tech for humanity.

AI is changing how nonprofits operate, but without clear policies, it could be risky business. Fast Forward’s Nonprofit AI Policy Builder makes it easy to create a responsible, mission-aligned AI policy. Try it now: www.ffwd.org/nonprofit-ai...

The Tech Nonprofit Job Board Search job openings across the Fast Forward network.

We’re hiring. Fast Forward is looking for mission-driven leaders to join us in San Francisco. These roles are in-person at our office in The Presidio. Ready to drive real impact? Apply now:. jobs.ffwd.org/jobs?filter=...

Hit follow. Tap that heart button. And join Fast Forward on Instagram: www.instagram.com/ffwd_org/

Hey, you! Yes, you. Did you know your Instagram feed is missing something? Well, it is. It’s missing… us!

We’re sharing stories, behind-the-scenes moments, and all things tech for good. If you love social impact, you’ll love what we’re posting on the grid.

Thrilled to be working with the incredible team at @ffwdorg.bsky.social and business development team and the other members of the 2025 tech nonprofit cohort!

10 nonprofits selected for Fast Forward tech accelerator in San Francisco - San Francisco Business Times San Francisco nonprofit tech accelerator Fast Forward has selected 10 organizations for its latest program which is supported by the philanthropic arms of companies like Google, Salesforce, Bloomberg, OpenAI, Okta and others.

Check out our new Accelerator cohort in the San Francisco Business Times! @sarambee.bsky.social highlights the 10 organizations using tech to drive impact. Read more: www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco...

None of this happens without our partners. We are so grateful to Google.org; Bloomberg; Salesforce; Okta; Twilio.org; Arrow Impact; The Solid Foundation; Endless; Splunk, a Cisco company; Lemnis; New Relic; OpenAI; and GitHub.

Meet the 2025 Accelerator Cohort – Fast Forward Fast Forward empowers nonprofits building tech for humanity.

These founders are using tech to drive real change: Bayes Impact, Clinic+O, Collective Intelligence Project, Materiom, Project Own, Scrutinize, trubel&co, VectorCam, Violetta, and Visilant. Learn more: bit.ly/ffwd2025

Meet Fast Forward’s 2025 Accelerator cohort! They're doing amazing work across healthcare, education, climate, and more. Plus, 70% of the cohort is an AI-powered nonprofit.

Funding the Future: Grantmaker Strategies in AI Investment - Project Evident Project Evident’s new report, Funding the Future: Grantmakers Strategies in AI Investment, looks at how philanthropic funders are approaching requests to fund the use of AI. Made possible by Schmidt S...

How are funders approaching AI for social impact? Fast Forward contributed to @projectevident.bsky.social's new report on AI grantmaking.

The big question: How do we balance innovation w/ responsibility? Find out here: projectevident.org/resource/fun...
@schmidtsciences.bsky.social @schusterman.org

Applications: Spotting Good Uses of AI Tools By Joshua Essex, Chief Technology Officer of Recidiviz

In Emerson Collective’s Technically Optimistic, Raffi Krikorian and Recidiviz’s Joshua Essex break down what good AI looks like: technicallyoptimistic.substack.com/p/applicatio...

Impact Icons Parkes Philanthropy Licensed Master Social Worker, Founder Beyond the Block NYC www.beyondtheblocknyc.org

Tech should reflect the world we live in, but too often, it doesn’t. Jehron Petty is changing that. As CEO of ColorStack, he’s creating space for Black & Latinx CS students to thrive. Parkes Philanthropy just named him a 2025 Impact Icon. Congratulations, Jehron! parkesphilanthropy.com/impact-icons/

AI Think We're Onto Something Founders and experts weigh in on big AI questions.

AI for Humanity breaks it down. Read more: aiforhumanity.substack.com/p/ai-think-w...

15 nonprofit leaders and AI experts came together at Fast Forward’s Alumni Retreat for real conversations about AI’s role in social impact.

While the world debates AI’s future, we focused on what matters now: ethics, responsible use, and real-world impact.

Change-Maker: Rodrigo Camarena is building tools to help immigrants become citizens and combat wage theft Rodrigo Camarena has been advocating for immigrants since he was a child. By the time he was 8, this son of an electrical engineer father and an attorney mother was the family's translator, navigating the bureaucracy when they immigrated to northern Virginia from Mexico City via a work visa.

Rodrigo Camarena is empowering immigrants to protect their rights. Through Justicia Lab, he’s helped 500K+ immigrants. His latest project, the ¡Reclamo! app, has already recovered $1.5M in stolen wages. Learn more via the ABA Journal: www.abajournal.com/legalrebels/...

Learn more about their work:
www.finequity.org
www.thinkofus.org
www.kinfolktech.org

Tech can be a tool for justice. Briane Cornish (finEQUITY), Sixto Cancel (Think of Us), and Idris Brewster (Kinfolk) are proving it — breaking down barriers in finance, public history, and foster care. This #BlackHistoryMonth, we’re celebrating Black founders driving change.

Michal Nachmany: Unlocking Better Climate Legislation With AI – Fast Forward Fast Forward empowers nonprofits building tech for humanity.

In the latest Humans of AI for Humanity by PJMF & Fast Forward, Dr. Michal Nachmany is using AI to clean up the messy world of climate legislation. As founder of @climatepolicyradar.bsky.social, she’s making data more accessible, transparent & inclusive. www.ffwd.org/blog/michal-...

Impact Report 2024 – Fast Forward Fast Forward empowers nonprofits building tech for humanity.

Fast Forward’s portfolio made major strides in 2024: Quill reached 5% of K-12 students, Lenny Learning grew 10x, and Koko hit 160M impressions. We've secured $1B+ in follow-on funding and transformed 262M lives.

Check out our 2024 Impact Report: www.ffwd.org/impact-report

Thank you to Fast Forward alum Rachel Miller (Closegap), Dr. Amie Carter (Sonoma County Office of Education), & Cindy Berríos (On the Margins) for their insights, and to Arlen Fernandez (@telemundoareadelabahia.com) for leading the conversation.

In partnership w/ Los Cien Sonoma County & Comcast Business, Fast Forward joined the "Bridging the Resource Divide with Technology" event to discuss solutions for Sonoma County’s youth mental health crisis.

Learn more about their organizations:
-https://www.beyond12.org/
-https://joyeducation.org/
-https://www.uprootedacademy.org/