HandUp PBC
HandUp PBC operates a free crowdfunding platform connecting individual donors directly with homeless and low-income individuals through 119 verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit partners across 306 U.S. cities. Acquired by Lighthouse nonprofit in 2017, the platform is sustained by optional donor tips and has facilitated $7.49M in cumulative donations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What HandUp PBC does
HandUp PBC operates a charitable giving crowdfunding platform that connects individual donors directly with homeless and low-income individuals through a vetted network of 501(c)(3) nonprofit partner agencies. Founded in San Francisco in August 2013 by Rose Broome, Sammie Rayner, and Zac Witte, the platform enables partner nonprofits to create campaigns for specific needs (housing, medical care, food, employment support) on behalf of their clients. The product suite includes individual campaigns, a National Fund for general allocation to highest-urgency needs, The HandUp Fund for operational sustainability, and a Gift Cards program for retail redemption. The platform is web-based (handup.org) and features campaign management, detailed metrics, and accounting tools; nonprofit partners serve as the channel, onboarding members and helping redeem funds.
The business model relies exclusively on optional tips added by donors on top of their donations; the platform is free for verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit social service agencies, with no setup, transaction, or subscription fees. Growth has historically been driven by expanding the nonprofit partner network rather than direct donor acquisition. The company is structured as a Public Benefit Corporation and was early-funded by Silicon Valley investors (SV Angel, Ron Conway, Marc Benioff, Alexis Ohanian) and impact investors (Tumml, Impact America Fund). On November 1, 2017, HandUp was acquired by Lighthouse, a Metro Detroit-based nonprofit focused on homelessness, housing, and food insecurity, after three years of partnership.
As of latest reporting, the platform has facilitated approximately $7.49 million in cumulative donations, supported 10,554 goals reached, and operates through 119 nonprofit partners serving members in 306 cities across the U.S. — including the San Francisco Bay Area, Detroit Metro, Oregon, Los Angeles, New York, Atlanta, Seattle, Denver, and other metros. Marketing has leaned heavily on earned media (WSJ, CNN, Forbes, BBC, TechCrunch) and nonprofit partner referrals rather than paid acquisition. Headcount is reported at 1-10 employees, reflecting the lean operational structure under Lighthouse's nonprofit ownership.
HandUp PBC firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- HandUp PBC
- Legal name
- HandUp PBC
- Website
- https://handup.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- HandUp PBC operates a free crowdfunding platform connecting individual donors directly with homeless and low-income individuals through 119 verified 501(c)(3) nonprofit partners across 306 U.S. cities. Acquired by Lighthouse nonprofit in 2017, the platform is sustained by optional donor tips and has facilitated $7.49M in cumulative donations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
HandUp PBC industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Charitable Giving Platform
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Other Grantmaking and Giving Services (813219), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Individual and Family Services (6241)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)
Keywords
Where HandUp PBC is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- San Francisco
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
HandUp PBC business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Donor tips: HandUp is sustainable only through optional tips that donors can add to their donations. This allows 100% of donations to go to intended causes through nonprofit partners.
- Platform access for nonprofits: Completely free for 501(c)3 nonprofits whose mission is to serve those experiencing poverty. No fees charged to nonprofits to create campaigns or receive donations.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free platform for verified nonprofits |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels3 records
HandUp PBC product offering
Product offeringCore offering
HandUp PBC operates an online charitable giving and crowdfunding platform that connects individual donors directly with 501(c)(3) nonprofit social service agencies serving homeless and low-income individuals. Partner nonprofits create campaigns for specific needs such as housing, food, and medical care; donors contribute to campaigns, the National Fund, or The HandUp Fund; and donations are delivered with full transparency through the nonprofit partners. The platform is free for nonprofits and is sustained through optional donor tips.
Product overview
HandUp PBC operates a unified charitable giving platform centered on direct crowdfunding for homeless and at-risk populations. The core product is the HandUp Platform which enables nonprofit partners to create individual Campaigns for specific needs. Donors can give directly through campaigns, the National Fund (general allocation), or The HandUp Fund (operational support). The platform also includes a Gift Cards program for retail redemption and operates regional initiatives like HandUp Detroit. The platform is free for 501(c)(3) nonprofits whose mission is to serve those experiencing poverty.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The HandUp Fund: A fund to support HandUp operations and keep the organization's work going.
- The National Fund
- HandUp Detroit
Products and services
- HandUp Campaigns Individual crowdfunding campaigns created by nonprofit partners on HandUp to raise funds for specific needs such as housing, medical care, food, and other basic necessities for at-risk individuals served by the partner agency.
- National Fund A general donation fund that distributes contributions to individuals with the most urgent needs across the HandUp network when donors do not specify a particular campaign.
- The HandUp Fund An operational fund that supports HandUp's own operations and keeps the platform running, allowing donors to contribute to the organization's sustainability rather than to specific campaigns.
- HandUp Gift Cards A donation card program that allows donors to give to homeless individuals through redeemable gift cards at participating retail locations in San Francisco, giving beneficiaries flexible access to goods and services.
- HandUp Detroit A regional collaborative initiative led by Lighthouse that brings together Detroit homeless and housing service agencies to serve the Metro Detroit area through the HandUp platform, including 8 agencies and 725 members with $4.87M raised locally.
Quantifiable outcome
- $7.49 million donated through the platform
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use HandUp PBC
Customer profileNamed customers5 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles2 records
HandUp PBC technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
HandUp PBC partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.
- Lighthouse of MichiganflagshipHandUp was acquired by Lighthouse on November 1, 2017. Lighthouse is a Metro Detroit-based nonprofit focusing on homelessness, housing, and food insecurity. The HandUp platform is now operated by Lighthouse as part of their mission to build communities that end homelessness.
- Netroots FoundationcoreHandUp's fiscal sponsor, enabling tax-deductible donations for special projects and grants. Netroots Foundation brings together online citizens across America and advances the values of justice, equality and community.
- Project Homeless ConnectcoreSan Francisco-based nonprofit partner that helps set up fundraising profiles for homeless individuals.
- North Beach CitizenscoreSF nonprofit partner helping homeless neighbors access HandUp.
- GLIDEcoreSF nonprofit partner providing meals and services to homeless and low-income individuals.
- Alliance for HousingcoreHandUp Detroit participating Continuum of Care organization.
- Homeless Action Network of DetroitcoreHandUp Detroit participating Continuum of Care organization.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
HandUp PBC competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Every.org: Tech-forward nonprofit giving platform providing free donation infrastructure to charities—directly competes with HandUp's freemium value proposition for nonprofit partners.
- DonorsChoose: Crowdfunding platform enabling direct giving to classroom-level needs; comparable direct-giving-to-individual-need model with stronger brand recognition in education rather than homelessness.
Direct peers
- GiveDirectly: Direct-giving nonprofit that channels cash to low-income individuals; competes with HandUp on the core thesis of giving directly to people in need, with stronger evidence generation and global scale.
- GlobalGiving: Crowdfunding marketplace for nonprofits serving poverty and humanitarian causes; competes with HandUp for nonprofit partners and donors focused on human services and homelessness.
- Kiva: Peer-to-peer marketplace lending platform that enables individuals to fund individuals, applying a marketplace model similar to HandUp's nonprofit-mediated giving flow.
- GiveSendGo: Christian-affiliated crowdfunding platform with free-for-nonprofits positioning; comparable freemium fundraising model targeting faith-based and community nonprofits.
Broad incumbents
- Network for Good: Donation platform and fundraising software for small to mid-sized nonprofits—competes with HandUp's free-for-nonprofits positioning across the same 501(c)(3) customer segment.
- Classy (by Bonterra): Established fundraising SaaS for nonprofits; competes for the same 501(c)(3) partner base as HandUp with a more comprehensive CRM and campaign management suite.
- GoFundMe: Largest consumer crowdfunding platform; competes with HandUp for donor attention and provides fundraising tools to many of the same individual and nonprofit use cases, though without HandUp's curated nonprofit-mediated oversight model.
Others
- Patreon: Recurring-donation platform powering direct creator-to-supporter relationships; comparable direct-to-individual giving mechanics though typically applied to creative content rather than basic-need support.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
HandUp PBC social profiles
Digital presenceHandUp PBC financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
HandUp PBC leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
HandUp PBC funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds5 records
Investors7 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
HandUp PBC M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about HandUp PBC
What does HandUp PBC do?
HandUp PBC operates an online charitable giving and crowdfunding platform that connects individual donors directly with 501(c)(3) nonprofit social service agencies serving homeless and low-income individuals. Partner nonprofits create campaigns for specific needs such as housing, food, and medical care; donors contribute to campaigns, the National Fund, or The HandUp Fund; and donations are delivered with full transparency through the nonprofit partners. The platform is free for nonprofits and is sustained through optional donor tips.
Is HandUp PBC a public or private company?
HandUp PBC is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was HandUp PBC founded?
HandUp PBC was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is HandUp PBC based?
HandUp PBC is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.
How does HandUp PBC make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donor tips are the primary driver. The others are platform access for nonprofits.
Who are HandUp PBC's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Every.org and DonorsChoose. Direct peers are GiveDirectly, GlobalGiving, Kiva and GiveSendGo. Broad incumbents are Network for Good, Classy (by Bonterra) and GoFundMe. Patreon is listed as an others.
Does HandUp PBC have an API?
No public API is recorded for HandUp PBC.
What industry is HandUp PBC in?
HandUp PBC's product category is Charitable Giving Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAO, Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAE, Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries. Its NAICS code is 81321 and its SIC code is 8300.