SkillSpout is proud to announce that the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation has successfully completed the Momentum AI program. This milestone represents a significant transformation in how the foundation leverages technology to fulfill its mission of supporting deep learning and excellent teaching across Ohio.
By moving from initial skepticism to becoming intentional believers in AI capability, the foundation is setting a new standard for how philanthropic organizations can operate with enhanced strategic focus.
About SkillSpout
SkillSpout enables organizations to adopt AI in a safe, structured, and accessible way across their teams. We specialize in problem-based learning and practical implementation, guiding small to mid-sized businesses from “Shadow AI” to strategic capability.
About Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation is a storied Ohio philanthropic organization dedicated to fostering the development of young people by improving the quality of teaching in secular elementary and secondary schools. Their work focuses on fueling a deep seated love of learning and providing educators with the resources needed to inspire students across the state.
Program Highlights & Impact
The most transformative result of the Momentum AI program was not just the time saved, but what that time allowed the foundation to do. By automating administrative tasks, the foundation fundamentally evolved its grantmaking philosophy. Key outcomes include:
- Human Centered Grantmaking: Because of the significant time reclaimed through AI, Dr. Renée T. Willis is now able to hold 30 minute Zoom meetings with most grant applicants. This allows her to understand the unique context of their work in a way that was previously impossible when decisions were based solely on written applications.
- Significant Time Reclamation: The foundation is saving a total of 35 hours per week, which is an average of 8.75 hours per person.
- Enhanced Grantmaking Efficiency: Staff utilized AI to create grant application questions and review financial statements, reducing hours of work to just minutes.
- Improved Output Quality: 75% of staff reported that AI has very significantly improved the quality of their work, producing more polished professional communications and board reports.
- Established Ethical Guardrails: The team successfully transitioned to a model where AI supports professional judgment, ensuring that technology handles the organization while humans handle the mission.
A Word from Leadership
Allowing AI to take care of the rote administrative tasks involved in grantmaking, I am now able to meet with potential grantees to learn first hand about their work and discuss its alignment with our mission at the foundation.
— Dr. Renee T. Willis, Executive Director, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
The Future of Work
The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation has successfully turned AI into a permanent and sustainable capability within their executive, finance, and grantmaking functions. By establishing a strong foundation of governance through custom policy checking assistants, the organization is now equipped to navigate the evolving philanthropic landscape with speed and precision.
This newfound efficiency ensures the foundation can dedicate more energy to its core mission of supporting educators and students throughout Ohio.