We connect you with those in your community who most need assistance
Homelessness assistance programs
FORWARD is a nimble solution that can be adapted to streamline any assistance program. Homelessness assistance programs cover a wide breadth of services from case management to capacity building.
- FORWARD is helping Washington State Department of Commerce award $51M in stipends to low-income homeless service provider employees.
- FORWARD is helping Thurston County, WA administer $1M in housing and case management assistance to low-income adults.
Immigrant assistance programs
FORWARD provides a community-centric approach to program administration by creating equitable processes to serve diverse populations. By partnering with community organizations, we break down cultural and language barriers that often keep immigrant and other historically underserved communities from enrolling in assistance programs.
- FORWARD is helping the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services implement a $300M stipend program for immigrants in the state of Washington who did not receive support from previous COVID relief programs. FORWARD is partnering with community-based partners across Washington State to provide culturally-sensitive and multilingual support.
Direct cash assistance programs
FORWARD helps governments disperse funds to historically underserved communities quickly and securely. Our team will work with you to design eligibility criteria and application processes that prevent fraud while efficiently processing payments to those in need.
- FORWARD is helping the City of Takoma Park, MD run a direct cash assistance program to support people impacted by COVID-19.
Rental and utilities assistance programs
FORWARD has extensive experience administering rental assistance programs across the nation and can process applications at scale, prevent fraud, securely process payments, and provide reporting that meets Treasury requirements.
- FORWARD is currently distributing over $2.5 million weekly in rental and utility assistance in Washington, Missouri and California.
- FORWARD helped the City and County of St. Louis distribute $6.4 million in the first 3 weeks of the program.
- With support from FORWARD, the City of Spokane was the only jurisdiction in Washington state that successfully distributed 100% of its ERA1 funding, according to the October 2021 U.S. Department of the Treasury ERA1 Interim Report.
Incentive programs
The FORWARD Platform incorporates all the components of program administration into one solution, making it easy to manage complex incentive programs. These types of programs often require extensive management of the incentive lifecycle, including prepaid card generation, distribution, redemption, reimbursement, and fraud controls.
- FORWARD is helping the City of Mountain View design and implement a $100K incentive program which provides prepaid cards for low to moderate income individuals to use towards the purchase of an e-bike.
“Thanks to FORWARD, the City of Spokane was the first in Washington state to successfully distribute 100% of its ERA1 funds. The FORWARD platform was indispensable in administering the Spokane Rental Assistance Program, streamlining all aspects of the program process so households can easily apply for critical funding.”
Margaret Hinson
Former COVID-19 Program Manager, City of Spokane
“The FORWARD team is client-focused and community-minded. Those qualities blended with their solution mindset make tackling challenges together a fruitful pleasure, even under trying circumstances like disaster relief. They’re true collaborators.”
Mauri Ingram
President & CEO, Whatcom Community Foundation
"By partnering with FORWARD, we helped more struggling small craft beverage producers including wineries receive funding through the Washington State Department of Agriculture Relief and Recovery Grant program. Their easy-to-use application process and focus on community partnerships amplify program reach getting more resources to the most affected small business owners. Thanks to our combined efforts, many struggling small wineries were able to survive the pandemic shutdowns."
Josh McDonald
Executive Director, Washington Wine Institute
“At every stage, FORWARD has worked with and supported us to ensure that the application process for the program was accessible to the immigrant communities we serve.”
Andy Dugan
Executive Director, Skagit Legal Aid
"The FORWARD Platform is a conduit that supercharges community engagement. Through our partnership with FORWARD, we were able to connect the most vulnerable small businesses and microenterprises in the City of Milpitas with critical resources."
Christian D. Malesic
President, Silicon Valley Chamber of Commerce
“FORWARD as a back office superpower has been invaluable, especially when it comes to assistance programs.”
Martha Chaudhry
Special Projects, Economic Development, City of Kirkland, WA
Partners already moving FORWARD with us
See how FORWARD can help
What challenges are you facing in getting assistance to individuals or businesses in your community? Let’s work together to build an effective, equitable program.