Data flows
Where data comes from, where it goes, who can see it — mapped so there are no surprises.
Govern · 05
AI you can stand behind — and prove it.
The data flows, retention rules, approval steps and checks that let you explain your AI to a board, a donor, or a ministry — and show the people you serve that their data is handled with care. Not a slide deck. An operating guide your team actually uses.
Who it's for
When someone needs to be able to say “yes, this is safe.”
Governance is the right first step when the constraint on your AI isn't the tech — it's being able to answer for it.
- 01
A funder or grant requires documented data handling before they'll release money.
- 02
You handle sensitive data about vulnerable people and need to prove it's protected.
- 03
A board or regulator is asking how your AI decisions are made and who signs off.
- 04
You're about to build or deploy AI and want the guardrails in place first, not after.
What it covers
The parts a serious review actually needs.
Retention & deletion
What you keep, for how long, and how it's deleted — matched to the rules you answer to.
Approvals
Who signs off on what, and where a human has to stay in the loop on a decision.
Vendors
What your AI tools and providers can and can't do with your data — in writing.
Checks
Simple, repeatable ways to test that the AI is behaving — and catch it when it isn't.
The record
A short, readable set of documents your team runs by, and can hand to a board or auditor.
Investment
Scoped to your size and the rules you face.
A small organization needs less than a multi-country programme. We scope it to what you actually answer to — and price it up front.
PriceEngagement-basedSet by your size and how strict the requirements are; agreed before we start.
ShapeFixed scopeA defined review and a set of documents, not an open-ended retainer.
Good to knowUsually fundable as capacity-building. Often required by the funder anyway.
Included
- A review of your current AI and data handling
- Mapped data flows and clear approval steps
- A short, usable set of governance documents
- A walkthrough with your team
- A version you can hand to a board or funder
Not included
- Building AI tools (that's the AI Pilot Build)
- Ongoing legal advice — we set you up, we're not your lawyers
- Certification to a formal standard, unless scoped as extra
Questions
What people ask.
Is this just paperwork?
No. The output is short and meant to be used day to day — clear rules, clear approvals, simple checks. If it just sits in a drawer, we've failed.
Do we need this before building AI?
Often it's wiser to set the guardrails first, especially with sensitive data. But governance and building can run together — we'll advise on the order that fits your situation.
Will it satisfy our funder?
We write it to answer the questions funders and boards actually ask. If your funder has a specific framework, tell us and we'll map to it.
Related
Often alongside.
Need to be able to answer for your AI? Let's make it defensible.
Tell us who's asking the hard questions, and we'll scope what it takes to answer them.