
Cybersecurity Playbook for Nonprofits Updated for AI pt 1
In the first part of this two-part conversation, Carolyn Woodard and Matthew Eshleman, CTO of Community IT, take on a question many nonprofits are asking: does AI change what it takes to stay secure? This episode comes from the Community IT webinar celebrating the re-release of our Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, updated for AI. It looks at how the threat landscape has shifted and why the fundamentals still matter most. Whether or not your organization uses AI, the scammers are, and your staff need to be ready. Matt walks through three ways AI is changing cybersecurity: More convincing phishing emails Cheaper and more realistic voice and video fakes A sharp rise in malicious code, as attackers use AI to find and exploit vulnerabilities faster He also points to a risk inside the building: staff turning to free AI tools without clear guidance. Carolyn introduces the new Nonprofit Cybersecurity Basics download for organizations just getting started. She explains why most nonprofits can reach a strong foundation without buying the most expensive tools. This episode covers: Why every nonprofit is a target. Most attacks are financially motivated and opportunistic, and cyber liability insurers are once again pushing for stricter controls. How AI has erased the familiar warning signs of phishing, like misspellings and awkward wording, and is making voice and video cloning a routine part of the attacker playbook. Why your own staff’s AI use creates risk, from oversharing internally to putting organizational data into free tools without enterprise terms of service. The same tools can also help you decode jargon and draft policies. The four layers of the Community IT approach: policy, security awareness training, technology tools, and compliance. Tools alone will not protect you. Why the foundational level is the right goal for most nonprofits, and why if you don’t know whether you need an expensive tool, you probably don’t. Resources Mentioned: Cybersecurity Readiness for Nonprofits Playbook, Community IT Start Here: Nonprofit Cybersecurity Basics, Community IT 2026 Nonprofit Cybersecurity Incident Report, Community IT Cybersecurity Library, Community IT Nonprofit Cybersecurity Playbook, Updated for AI Webinar, Community IT Listen for part two in your podcast feed. _______________________________ Start a conversation :) Register to attend a webinar in real time, and find all past transcripts at https://communityit.com/webinars/ email Carolyn at cwoodard@communityit.com on LinkedIn on reddit/r/nonprofitITmanagement on the Community IT website Thanks for listening.













