Why Operational Kindness?

Operational Kindness was born from my lived experience and a belief that the tools we use should be practical, people-centered, and a little more kind. I built this platform to offer simple, visual, and accessible systems for nonprofits and changemakers — especially those who don’t have large teams or high-end software. Operational Kindness will continue to evolve as I explore the ethical impacts and applications of these new technologies.

Michael's Story

I am sort of a blend of nonprofit strategist, engaged grant professional, happy professor, and systems thinker with over 20 years of experience helping mission-driven organizations secure funding, scale impact, and do their work with less burnout and more clarity.

Throughout my career, I have worked at the intersection of grants, program design, grantmaking, and operational change, often stepping in to build new systems when existing ones weren’t serving the people doing the work. I have won hundreds of grants across sectors and trained teams on project management, program design, and evaluation. I have also supported leaders through complex organizational transitions that required unique solutions leveraging the latest strategies.

I currently live and work in Chicago, where I split my time between leading a nonprofit development department (often exploring advanced AI-enriched strategies), evolving organizational design and operations, and making art.

Operational Kindness is my way of paying forward what I have learned — and making the work feel just a little lighter for the next person doing it.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. What are the ethical and environmental impacts of using AI?

At Operational Kindness, we believe in using technology thoughtfully. While AI can support creativity, productivity, and equity, it’s important to acknowledge the ethical and environmental challenges it presents.

Ethical Considerations

Bias: AI tools can reinforce harmful societal biases if trained on incomplete or skewed datasets.
Privacy: AI requires large amounts of data, raising valid concerns about privacy and consent.
Access: Not everyone has equal access to AI tools, and this can widen existing digital divides.
Attribution & Ownership: We encourage users to avoid generating or using content based on proprietary, copyrighted, or artist-created material without proper consent. Always aim to credit original creators, seek permissions when necessary, and use ethically sourced prompts and references.

Environmental Impact

AI has been criticized for its energy use—especially during the training of AI models by tech companies. For example, early versions of large language models like GPT-3 consumed energy equivalent to the yearly use of over 100 U.S. homes. But recent findings suggest this impact is more nuanced than often reported.

According to a 2024 analysis by the IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute, the carbon emissions from AI use are:

Comparable to a few hours of video streaming, or
Roughly equal to watching a short TikTok video per prompt, depending on the system and server demand.

For perspective:

“Answering 1,000 questions with ChatGPT emits about as much CO₂ as driving 800 meters in a gasoline car, or boiling water for five cups of tea.” — IVL & Warp News, 2024

These figures highlight that AI inference (everyday use) has a far lower impact than AI training, and may be less harmful than assumed when used responsibly.

What Are AI Platforms Doing?

OpenAI is building faster, more efficient models like GPT-4o to reduce compute load.
Google and Microsoft have committed to running their data centers on 100% carbon-free energy by 2030.
Anthropic and other AI labs are exploring governance frameworks that include environmental accountability.

Our Commitment

Operational Kindness will:

Use AI tools from platforms committed to ethical and sustainable practices
Continue to monitor emerging research on AI’s impact
Encourage transparency and accessibility in how AI is used in the nonprofit sector

2. How do purchases, digital downloads, and refunds work?

How do I purchase a template or guide?

All products are digital and can be purchased directly through the Operational Kindness website. Just select the item you want, add it to your cart, and complete checkout through our secure payment system. Once payment is processed, you’ll receive an email with your download link.

How do I access my digital download?

Immediately after checkout, you’ll receive:

A confirmation email
A secure link to download your product (typically a PDF or Google Docs link)

If you don’t see the email, check your spam or promotions folder—or contact us and we’ll resend it.

What’s your refund policy?

If you’re not satisfied for any reason, we offer a no-questions-asked, full refund. Just email hello@operationalkindness.com within 14 days of your purchase, and we’ll make it right. We believe in accessibility, kindness, and making sure the tools actually help you.

3. Can I use this with my team?

Yes! Once you purchase OK/Grants, you're welcome to share it internally with your team. Whether you're working with staff, board members, or volunteers, you can use the materials collaboratively—no extra licenses or permissions needed from me.

4. How is this different from free resources online?

Most free resources are either outdated, too general, or scattered across a hundred tabs. OK/Grants and OK/Proposal are curated, structured, and rooted in 20+ years of grant experience. It's everything you need, nothing you don’t—designed to save you time, reduce stress, and help you actually get funded by making the grantseeking workflow understandable and manageable. I want you to be successful so I will share one resource which is a good introduction and free - AI for Everyone on Coursera.

5. What if I need help using the toolkits?

Custom support is available! Book a time with me from the "Meet with Me" page of this site :)

6. Will you be adding other resources in the near future?

Yes! We will be adding more AI tools and resources specifically for nonprofits, trainings, and additional free events in the near future. Please sign up for our newsletter :)

Can't afford one of our resources?

I believe cost shouldn't be a barrier to impact. If you’re unable to purchase a resource, please contact me to request access through our scholarship model. No judgment, no questions — just kindness.