Our Work
The Senser Foundation’s approach to philanthropy emphasizes the development of organizational capacity through digital transformation. This strategy effectively leverages our impact; it enables nonprofits to understand how to use technology to achieve their strategic goals, broaden their support for clients, and boost efficiency dramatically. In partnership with Philtech, the Senser Foundation promotes digital
innovation within the social sector.
What is Digital Transformation?
Digital Transformation constitutes as any use of technology that creates an organizational advantage.
The world is experiencing a technological transformation that is reshaping how people interact in every aspect of their lives. Work is moving out of the office. Goods, services, and information are increasingly being provided through a distributed digital interface. However, so far, this revolution has been embraced by only a small percentage of nonprofit organizations. To help propel the social sector toward this change, the Senser Foundation has strategically partnered with Philtech to develop and implement various Digital Transformation models and programs for nonprofit organizations. Since 2021, the foundation has created sustainable impact through comprehensive long-term transformation models, specialized digital skills courses, and innovative hackathons that equip nonprofits with both the tools and mindset needed for lasting digital evolution.
A vital element of the Senser Foundation’s digital transformation ecosystem is the Senser community, a dynamic network of the nonprofit organizations that have participated in any of these digital transformation processes, courses, or hackathons. This community creates powerful connections between organizations spanning across all of the Senser’s key pillars. By bringing together diverse social sector organizations, the Senser Community amplifies the impact of individual transformation journeys.
Lean Digital Transformation Model
LDTM: Lean Digital Transformation Model
The LDTM offers nonprofits a uniquely tailored pathway to integrate digital solutions into their operations, enhancing both technological capacity and infrastructure.
Highlights:
- The LDTM is adjusted to the specific constraints faced by nonprofit organizations, including limited budget and difficulties finding internal technology expertise. By taking a lean approach, costs are minimized, and ease of use is enhanced.
- The LDTM does not just provide a plan, it is implemented within the organization. By the end of the program, members of the organization actively use the new tools and methods introduced.
- The LDTM is designed to take no more than ten months. This includes the initial assessment, planning, and implementation.
LDTM Main Areas of Organizational Impact:
- Establishing or enhancing CRM usage
- Building a resource development plan – online and offline (database)
- Creating an annual marketing plan
- Conducting an online fundraising campaign (crowdfunding)
- Digital literacy training
- Social media training
- Integrating the organization’s systems (e.g. organizational website, personal user profiles and CRM)
- Establishing a task management system
- Recording organizational knowledge and processes
- Creating a clear digital strategy vision for the organization
If your organization is interested in embarking on this transition, please refer to the RFP to check your suitability for the program.
THE LEAN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROCESS INCLUDES FOUR STAGES
EDTM: The Extended Model for Digital Transformation
Building on the successful implementation of LDTM processes for over 25 organizations since 2021, the Senser Foundation and Philtech launched the Extended Digital Transformation Model (EDTM), recognizing that specific organizations need more extensive intervention to achieve their goals.
The EDTM is a specialized two-year grant program tailored for organizations requiring a more profound and comprehensive digital transformation process. This initiative offers a $100,000 grant from the Senser Foundation, with the expectation that participating organizations will secure matching funds of up to $100,000. The EDTM aims to address large-scale organizational needs through the strategic use of technology. If your organization is interested in embarking on this transition, please refer to the RFP to check your suitability for the program.
THE LEAN DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION PROCESS INCLUDES FOUR STAGES
Philtech Academy: Courses
To scale the impact of digital transformation across the nonprofit sector, the Senser Foundation has supported Philtech in developing Philtech Academy, a selection of tailored courses designed to empower organizations that align with the Senser Foundation’s missions. The courses combine theoretical frameworks with hands-on implementation strategies, featuring:
- Expert-led sessions: Guest speakers from the forefront of digital innovation
- Networking: Connecting nonprofits in both Israel and the US to share practices and shared challenges
- Practical skill-building: Providing tools directly applicable to organizational workflows
These courses amplify the Senser-Philtech partnership’s reach while advancing the shared mission: equipping nonprofits to harness technology for greater efficiency and societal impact.
The Digital Resource Development course is a 6-session program designed to provide 10 selected American and Israeli participants with essential knowledge, strategic insights, and practical tools for transforming their organization’s resource development approach. The course covers essential nonprofit fundraising strategies, from understanding modern donors and digital marketing techniques to implementing crowdfunding campaigns, leveraging CRM systems, and exploring AI applications in fundraising.
Target Audience:
- Nonprofit professionals from
- External Communications Departments
- Resource Development Departments
- Marketing Departments
- Or any nonprofit professional looking to expand their organization’s resource development
The Digital Leaders Course is an 8-session program designed to equip nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and Israel with essential digital skills and knowledge to enhance their impact. The curriculum covers critical areas, including principles of digital transformation, effective storytelling and marketing, data-driven decision-making, social innovation, AI applications for nonprofits, crowdfunding strategies, and CRM implementation.
Target Audience:
- Nonprofit professionals looking to lead digital changes in their organizations to enhance efficiency and impact
In this exclusive partnership between the Senser Foundation, Philtech, and NYU Bronfman’s Institute for Impact and Entrepreneurship, 15 selected members of the Senser Foundation community gain transformative insights into innovation and entrepreneurship. The program is led by Dr. Nir Tsuk, founder and director of the NYU Bronfman Institute, and features distinguished guest speakers from the academic and entrepreneurial spheres.
Target Audience:
- Nonprofit professionals in executive roles
Hackathon
Hackathon 2024: AI for Mental Health
In response to the tragic events in Israel on October 7th, the Senser Foundation and Philtech collaborated to address the urgent need for mental health and trauma intervention across Israeli society and the Jewish world. Our solution: a groundbreaking hackathon focused on the intersection of AI and mental health.
This innovative event encouraged 7 participating nonprofit organizations to harness technological advancements to develop creative solutions for mental health challenges. Participants benefited from informative webinars, inspiring keynote speakers, and valuable networking opportunities, with each organization receiving guidance from expert mentors to refine their concepts.
After three days of intense competition and development, the Haifa Rape Crisis Center (HRCC) emerged victorious, earning funding from the Senser Foundation to bring their vision to life.
The Winning Innovation: LIZ hAIfa
The HRCC provides crucial emotional support to sexual assault survivors through their volunteer-operated WhatsApp chatline. Their winning project leverages advanced AI technology to enhance volunteer support by implementing a sophisticated feedback system.
Using a leading Large Language Model (LLM) with expertly crafted prompts, the system analyzes anonymous chat transcripts to provide constructive feedback to volunteers.
This innovative approach:
- Increases the quantity and quality of feedback available to volunteers
- Reduces volunteer exposure to potentially traumatic content
- Enhances the overall volunteer experience
- Significantly frees up organizational time and resources
Hackathon 2025
Following the success of the first 2024 Hackathon for AI and Mental Health, Philtech and the Senser Foundation have decided to host a second annual hackathon, this time focusing on the transformative potential of AI in education. This event will bring together 7 innovative social organizations to design AI-driven solutions that address critical challenges in the education sector. Each organization will be represented by 3-4 team members working together to develop impactful AI solutions tailored to educational needs.
The winning team will receive funding from the Senser Foundation to implement their proposed AI solution, transforming their concept into reality. This follows our commitment to meaningful implementation, as demonstrated by last year’s winner, Liz HAIfa, which has been successfully integrated into the Haifa Rape Crisis Center’s operations.
