The Challenge
Many community organizations recognize direct financial assistance could greatly benefit the people they serve, whether it’s funds to cover basics like food and rent, or flexible cash to pursue goals like launching a business or going back to school.
However, taking on the administrative work of distributing and tracking funds, qualifying recipients, and more often exceeds staff bandwidth. Distributing regular financial assistance to even a small number of people requires extensive effort on top of an organization’s core programs and services.
This leaves an unfortunate gap between the desire to provide financial support and the capacity to do so effectively.
Our Partnership Solution
Held's Partnership model allows your organization to maintain full control over funding and participant criteria while we bring the infrastructure, expertise, and operational support to enable you to financially support the people you serve. You focus on serving your community while we handle the complexities of cash distribution.
What Held Brings to Your Program
Administrative Infrastructure
Complete payment distribution system through secure GiveCard platform
Participant management and tracking systems
Compliance documentation and reporting
Troubleshooting and technical support for all payment issues
Subject Matter Expertise
We work collaboratively with your team to design program specifics that align with your organizational goals. This includes assisting in developing appropriate eligibility criteria, determining optimal payment amounts and duration, creating participant selection processes, and establishing integration points with your existing services.
Ongoing Operational Support
Payment distribution to all participants or appropriate vendors
Direct participant support for payment-related questions
Regular progress reporting and data sharing
The Partnership Process
Program Design Phase: We begin with collaborative sessions to understand your goals, target population, and desired outcomes, then co-create the program structure that best serves your mission.
Implementation Setup: Held handles all technical setup including payment platform configuration, participant onboarding systems, data collection protocols, and staff training on program operations.
Launch and Management: Your staff identifies and screens participants while Held manages all payment logistics, provides ongoing recipient support, and maintains comprehensive program tracking.
Evaluation and Learning: Throughout the program, we conduct impact evaluation through surveys, interviews, and spending analysis, sharing insights that inform both immediate improvements and future program development.
Why Organizations Choose Partnerships With Held
Maintain Control: You retain full authority over funding decisions, participant criteria, and program goals while gaining access to specialized implementation expertise.
Administrative Relief: Our comprehensive support allows your staff to focus on direct service provision rather than payment logistics and program administration.
Enhanced Outcomes: The combination of your wraparound services with reliable financial support creates more comprehensive impact than either approach could achieve alone.
Since founding in January 2023, Held has distributed over $280,000 across 7 different partnerships each with different programmatic support, goals, and eligibility requirements.
Read more about our ongoing and previous partnerships here.
Next Steps
Contact John Thornton, Executive Director, at john@heldgso.org to discuss how an Implementation Partnership could enhance your organization's financial assistance program. During an initial conversation, we'll explore your specific goals, funding parameters, and timeline to determine how Held can best support your mission.