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    Nonprofit Second Brain Checklist

    Finish with one bounded workflow, a named owner, an approved source set, a review standard, and evidence for whether the pilot should continue.

    Do this first: complete the pilot card

    User and job:
    When [role] needs to [make a recurring decision]...
    
    Approved sources:
    [List the smallest source set needed]
    
    Excluded data:
    [Sensitive fields and systems this pilot cannot use]
    
    Visible proof:
    [The brief, checklist, status, or comparison another person can review]
    
    Human approval:
    [Named role that checks consequential output]
    
    Stop rule:
    [Missing source, uncertainty, restricted data, or hard case that returns the work to a person]

    1. Name one handover risk

    • Choose one repeated decision or request.
    • Name one accountable owner.
    • Record the current time, sources opened, and review effort.

    2. Approve the source set

    • Label each source authoritative, contextual, or restricted.
    • Link to the system of record instead of copying everything.
    • Add a version or review date to every active source.

    3. Set the AI boundary

    • Define what AI may read, draft, compare, or flag.
    • Exclude beneficiary, safeguarding, employment, and confidential donor data unless an authorized owner approves the use.
    • Write the uncertainty or missing-access condition that stops the workflow.

    4. Build a reviewable artifact

    • Show purpose, sources, owner, decisions, access level, and next review date.
    • Require a source link for factual claims.
    • Send unresolved questions to a named person.

    5. Test and decide

    • Run one normal case and one hard case.
    • Ask a newer colleague to retrieve five known answers.
    • Expand only if the workflow saves time without reducing care.

    30-day review standard

    MeasureEvidence
    Retrieval timeA newer owner finds five verified answers faster than the baseline.
    Source coverageEvery active record has a source, owner, access label, and review date.
    Reviewer trustUnsupported claims are caught before external use.
    SafetyRestricted data stays outside the workflow; target: zero incidents.