About
Rich Woods
Founder, Rook International. Based in Warsaw, working mostly with UK charities, foundations and founders.
I started Rook to do one thing well: make good governance and effective giving cheap enough that small organisations can actually have them.
For years that stuff needed a professional-services budget most charities will never see. Board papers, compliance, a proper fundraising strategy, the systems underneath — all of it priced for organisations far bigger than the ones doing the real work. AI changes the maths. That’s the opening Rook was built for.
I’ve spent my career around charity boards and foundations, and the messy reality of how money actually reaches good causes. The pattern barely changes. Brilliant people with nowhere near enough hours, running systems held together with goodwill. Rook builds the systems so the people can get on with the work.
I keep a person in the loop on everything we build. It’s not a hedge — it’s the point. The judgement is where the value is; the AI just clears the path to it.
And I’ll tell you the uncomfortable thing early. It’s more useful than agreeing with you, and it’s usually why people call back.
How I work
Build once, use many times
The good version of a thing should be affordable for the next organisation that needs it, not rebuilt from scratch every time.
The human stays in charge
AI does the heavy lifting. People make the calls that carry risk or reputation. That line doesn’t move.
Say the awkward thing early
Straight advice, while it can still change the outcome. Comfortable agreement helps nobody.