How Family Foundations Manage Grants with AI

Family foundations can use AI to reduce admin while trustees maintain control and values.

• Summaries and triage shorten meeting prep.
• Draft feedback ensures transparency for all applicants.
• Dashboards keep multi‑year giving aligned to priorities.

Practical AI uses

Focus on repetitive text tasks and assurance.

• Eligibility checks and due‑diligence summaries.
• Reviewer support with evidence highlights.
• Impact report drafts and board packs.

Key takeaway: Plinth keeps decisions human and evidence‑based.

Governance considerations

Document how AI is used and who approves outcomes.

• Human‑in‑the‑loop policy and conflict management.
• Logs of prompts, outputs and edits for audit.
• Privacy statements for applicants.

Key takeaway: clear policies build confidence across generations.

Supporting grantees

Prioritise proportionate monitoring and support.

• Short updates and quick clarifications.
• Case‑study sharing to highlight success.
• Renewal processes based on learning.

Key takeaway: respectful processes strengthen relationships.

FAQs

Will AI change our culture?

It should free time for strategy and relationships, not replace them.

How do we start?

Run a pilot fund and measure time saved and quality of feedback.

Can trustees review remotely?

Yes—secure reviewer workspaces and e‑signatures support hybrid boards.