Fast Forward

It’s been a busy month! That’s why we’ve extended the deadline to apply for the 2025 Startup Accelerator. 🎉 Tech nonprofits, you now have until September 16 to get your applications in. Running from February to June 2025, our hybrid program helps social builders scale through top-tier curriculum, community, mentorship, and more. Two weeks left to apply! ➡ ffwd.org/accelerator/

Our friends at MIT Solve are gearing up for the annual Solve Challenge Finals on September 23 in NYC! Meet the latest cohort of global innovators pitching solutions to some of the world’s biggest challenges. Be there as they compete for a share of $1M in funding to scale their impact. Don’t miss out. Request your invite today!

After 6 months of working closely with 20 #nonprofits from all over the world, the Google.org #Accelerator: Generative AI program is coming to an end. The orgs are showcasing their impactful #genAI projects at the first ever Google.org Impact summit today. Watch the Summit live  👉 goo.gle/impact-summit-live. Also, BREAKING NEWS 🔊 : Google.org's VP Maggie Johnson just announced their commitment to another Google.org Accelerator in addition to $30M in funding. Can't wait to do this all over again in 2025! Shout out to the best partners: Erin Hattersley, Aaron Ogle, Omar Medina, Philip K Yeo, Karla Palmer, Fiona Soderberg, Gabriel Doss, Danie Theron, Janelle Kuhlman, Brigitte Hoyer Gosselink and Jen Carter and the organizations who are trusting us: Full Fact, Quill.org, Beyond 12, CareerVillage.org, Climate Policy Radar, CodePath, EIDU, IDinsight, Jacaranda Health, Justicia Lab, Materiom, mRelief, Opportunity@Work, Partnership to End Addiction, Tabiya, Tarjimly, U.S. Digital Response, International Rescue Committee, The World Bank. Read more about the amazing work #GoogleOrg is doing to help nonprofits harness the potential benefits of #AI → https://lnkd.in/dnuMvj8k #GoogleOrg #AcceleratedWithGoogle Google

We’re nearing the deadline to apply for the 2025 Startup Accelerator! If you’re a tech nonprofit looking for mentorship, expert training, funding, and a community that sticks with you beyond the program, this is your moment. The Fast Forward team offers ongoing support. Michelle B. from CommonLit, whom we’ve supported for nearly a decade, shares: “Thank you for bringing me under the Fast Forward wing early in my entrepreneurship journey, surrounding me with support, frameworks, networks, and a community of founders that I still lean on today. For being a friend to me during the toughest moments of my 10-year entrepreneurial journey, and for lots of laughs. The community you built is everything.” Don’t miss out. Submit your application at ➡ ffwd.org/accelerator ➡ by Monday, September 16.

Heads up, nonprofits! Don't forget to refer standout tech nonprofits to our Startup Accelerator! If they're accepted, you win $500 (party on us!), and they gain access to a wealth of resources, including funding, top-notch mentorship, community, and so much more.

Fact: Nonprofits can use AI to reclaim time and reach impact faster. But here’s the catch…while 80% of nonprofits see the potential of GenAI, nearly half aren’t using it. Why? Lack of tools, training, and funding. Google.org is bridging the gap, empowering nonprofits with AI tools to make an even bigger impact. Check out Google.org’s Get Time Back to learn more.

Who else is at the Google.org Impact Summit? 👋 I know the Fast Forward crew is rolling deep! Shannon Farley Kevin Barenblat.

AI isn't just for tech nonprofits. We believe every nonprofit can use AI to reshape their internal operations. Sound intimidating? Start simple with our latest blog post: Simple, Responsible Ways to Start Using AI in Your Nonprofit. Discover how AI has become more accessible and can transform your operations — even if you have little to no technical expertise. Dive in and discover practical, low-effort ways to integrate AI responsibly. Because big impacts start with simple steps.

In ForbesWomen, Fast Forward’s Shannon Farley covers how to use AI to save hours on fundraising operations –– all without losing the irreplaceable human touch. In the piece: “As a nonprofit leader, I see it as my ethical duty to leverage every donor dollar for maximum impact. Using AI tools responsibly is a no-brainer. AI holds immense potential to get time back for nonprofits by streamlining operations, cutting costs, and freeing up valuable resources.”

👩💻 I have had the privilege of leading two organizations that benefitted from Fast Forward's accelerator. Medic was in the very first cohort and Center for New Data went through a few years ago! 👥 I've truly learned so much from their team and my peers who have gone through the program. 🚀 If you are growing a tech non profit and need the infrastructure, guidance, and motivation to take it to the next level, this accelerator is for you! Deadline: Sept 9 #techforgood #dataforgood