Canada Launches Landmark National Program to Equip Nonprofits with AI for Social Impact

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Funded by DIGITAL, the Human Feedback Foundation, The Dais, and Creative Destruction Lab will deliver a transformative program to close the AI adoption and skills gap in Canada's nonprofit sector - positioning Canada as a global leader in responsible AI for social impact

TORONTO, June 05, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Human Feedback Foundation (HFF), The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, and Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) are proud to jointly announce the launch of the Responsible AI Adoption for Social Impact (RAISE) pilot program, a first-of-its-kind national initiative to help nonprofit organizations across Canada adopt artificial intelligence (AI) responsibly and effectively.

With co-investment from DIGITAL, Canada's Global Innovation Cluster for digital technologies, the program aims to establish Canada as a global leader in responsible AI adoption for social good and create a replicable model for AI for Good, positioning Canada as a global leader in human-centered, responsible AI adoption.

Canada's nonprofit sector, with over 170,000 organizations contributing $192 billion to the economy (8.3% of GDP), faces a significant digital skills and technology gap. Only 4.8% of nonprofits report using AI, and less than 1% of the workforce is engaged in tech roles, according to a 2024 CCNDR report. This gap limits the sector's ability to leverage AI to meet growing community needs.

"We believe nonprofits have the potential to lead in ethical, trustworthy AI adoption,” said Elena Yunusov, Founder and Executive Director, Human Feedback Foundation. "The RAISE pilot is designed to build practical skills, AI governance expertise, and technical capacity so nonprofits can use AI as a force for good - amplify their impact and deliver on their missions, - while prioritizing inclusion, diversity, ethical standards, and trust.”

Three Core Components of RAISE

The RAISE pilot will accelerate responsible AI adoption through three integrated components:

Organizational AI Adoption Accelerator

A 12-month program for 5 large nonprofit organizations to adopt AI in alignment with their missions, creating scalable, positive outcomes across multiple sectors. Led by Creative Destruction Lab, this initiative builds on the acclaimed Putting AI to Work program, helping nonprofits move from strategy to responsible implementation.

• CAMH Foundation - Mental Health & Addiction

  CAMH Foundation is responsible for raising funds for CAMH, Canada's largest mental health teaching hospital and a world-leading research centre in addiction and mental health.

• Canadian Cancer Society - Oncology & Patient Advocacy

  The Canadian Cancer Society funds groundbreaking cancer research, provides support services, and advocates for public policies to improve the lives of those affected by cancer.

• Furniture Bank - Housing & Community Support

  Furniture Bank is a Toronto-based charity that collects and distributes gently used furniture to help individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness or displacement.

• CanadaHelps - Charity Infrastructure & PhilanthropyCanadaHelps sparks generosity that powers the positive change that Canadians want to see. As the country's largest online donation and fundraising platform, CanadaHelps has raised more than $3.5 billion in support of thousands of Canadian charities and develops technology to help these organizations raise critical funds for their cause.
• Achēv - Employment & Newcomer Integration Achēv is one of the largest providers of employment, settlement, language, women, youth and technology solutions services in the GTA, that is committed to creating faster paths to prosperity for clients.

AI Upskilling for Key Roles

Targeted training for 500 nonprofit professionals to build AI literacy and integrate AI into roles like fundraising, data stewardship, policy, and service delivery. Led by The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University, this initiative leverages their Secure and Responsible Technology Policy (SRTP) program to equip participants with AI literacy, practical skills, and governance fundamentals for responsible AI adoption.

Responsible AI Adoption for Social Impact Governance Framework

Led by the Human Feedback Foundation, this governance framework and AI adoption playbook will be co-developed with participating nonprofits to guide responsible AI adoption across the sector - prioritizing ethics, equity, diversity, inclusion (EDI), and measurable outcomes.

Consortium Partners

In addition to CDL and the Dais, the RAISE pilot proposal has been supported by Imagine Canada / Canadian Centre for Nonprofit Digital Resilience (CCNDR), Community Foundations of Canada, Canadian Cancer Society, UHN - Cancer Digital Intelligence, Achēv, Camp Tech, MindPort, and Gambit Technologies, among many others who have all provided strong letters of support and will play a role in co-developing the sector-wide framework, sharing expertise, and ensuring the pilot addresses the needs of the sector and delivers meaningful impact.

Partner Quotes

André Côté, Interim Executive Director at The Dais, stated:

"We at the Dais believe that equipping non-profit workers with the knowledge and skills to responsibly use AI is essential for ensuring these powerful technologies amplify the sector's collective impact for Canada, while staying true to the principles of equity, transparency, and social good that guide our work.”

Sonia Sennik, CEO of Creative Destruction Lab, shared:

"Through CDL's Putting AI to Work program, we are supporting organizations to translate artificial intelligence adoption into measurable productivity impact. Now, we're bringing that proven approach to Canada's nonprofit sector. By equipping nonprofit leaders with the tools and skills to adopt AI responsibly, we aim to amplify their missions nationwide.”

About the Partners

About Human Feedback Foundation

The Human Feedback Foundation is a leading Canadian AI nonprofit and a member of the Linux Foundation AI & Data. It is dedicated to advancing human-centered AI development, adoption, governance, and education, ensuring AI benefits all Canadians by amplifying human agency, input, and values in AI systems. For more: humanfeedback.io

About The Dais at Toronto Metropolitan University

The Dais is a public policy and leadership think tank at Toronto Metropolitan University, working at the intersection of technology, education and democracy to build shared prosperity and citizenship for Canada. Visit us at dais.ca.

About Creative Destruction Lab

Creative Destruction Lab (CDL) is a nonprofit organization that delivers an objectives-based program for massively scalable, seed-stage, science- and technology-based companies. Its nine-month program allows founders to learn from experienced entrepreneurs, increasing their likelihood of success. Founded by Professor Ajay Agrawal in 2012 at the University of Toronto's Rotman School of Management, the program has expanded and now has 12 sites across six countries: Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Halifax, Paris, Madison, Seattle, Estonia, Berlin, Melbourne, and College Station. Companies that have participated in the CDL program have created over $51 billion (CAD) in equity value. Learn more at creativedestructionlab.com.

About DIGITAL

DIGITAL is a national non-profit that accelerates the development, adoption and commercialization of made-in-Canada digital technologies and the skilling of Canadian talent with an innovation model led by industry. Through a unique combination of co-investment, cross-industry collaboration, IP creation and digital talent development, it has built one of the strongest digital innovation ecosystems in Canada. DIGITAL is one of Canada's five Global Innovation Clusters: https://digitalsupercluster.ca/

For media inquiries or to learn more about the RAISE pilot, please contact:

Elena Yunusov

Executive Director

Human Feedback Foundation

[email protected]