The Challenge

In the wake of the LA wildfires, thousands of people were suddenly without homes, jobs, or basic necessities. GiveDirectly needed to send emergency funds fast—but they didn’t have time to spin up a custom technical integration.

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The Approach

Using satellite data to identify affected zip codes, and with outreach support via the Propel app, GiveDirectly was able to find eligible recipients. But the next hurdle was critical: how to disburse millions of dollars quickly, securely, and with auditability.

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The Solution

‍ GiveCard offered two key tools:

1. In-App Disbursement via GiveCard APIs
   A direct integration of our payments APIs into the Propel app was done in record time. Through the Propel app, eligible recipients were shown a $3,500 emergency grant offer and asked to choose how they wanted to receive the funds:
   
   • Virtual Card (delivered instantly to their mobile wallet)
     
   • Physical Card (mailed to a designated address)
     
   • Bank Transfer (via GiveCard Intake, a product that enables secure bank info collection)
     
     
2. Bulk Uploads with Internal Auditing Support
   GiveDirectly used our CSV upload tool to deliver payments in bulk to thousands of recipients across LA within seconds
   
   
   • A project manager generated a recipient CSV file, adding internal tags like Salesforce Transaction IDs for trackability.
     
   • Once those files were created, finance admins (per their role-based permissions) could upload it to the GiveCard platform to initiate payments.
     
   • Every payment was automatically tagged for audit and reconciliation.
     
     

“Many survivors are still recovering from the fires. Getting money to them was urgent; we didn’t have the luxury to wait for full software integration. With a minimal setup, GiveCard’s technology and easy to use platform allowed us to get cash out quickly and at scale.”

“The process was efficient and secure, with multiple layers of protection, including Plaid verification and one-time passwords. Most importantly, recipients were given the choice of deciding how they wanted to receive their disaster relief—and in many cases, we were able to send them same-day payments. We plan on replicating this in areas affected by Hurricane Helene in North Carolina.”
— Laura Keen, Interim US Country Director, GiveDirectly

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The Results

‍Within just weeks, GiveDirectly delivered millions in aid to thousands of people in need—without having to build a custom payment system. The combination of flexible recipient onboarding and fast bulk disbursements made it possible to respond at the speed the crisis demanded.