TimeBanks USA
TimeBanks USA (TimeBanks.Org) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports a global network of local TimeBanks — community-run reciprocal exchange systems where one hour of service earns one time credit. It provides tiered onboarding training, a worldwide directory, and peer programming for coordinators and members.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1995
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What TimeBanks USA does
TimeBanks USA (operating as TimeBanks.Org) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered in Washington, D.C., founded in 1995 by Dr. Edgar Cahn to coordinate and support the global TimeBanking movement. The organization functions as the central hub for a decentralized network of locally governed TimeBanks, maintaining a worldwide interactive directory and map, delivering tiered onboarding programming, running ongoing peer-learning events (Conversations Among Coordinators, Chat on the Bench), and producing the TimeBanks Podcast. Its end customers are individual community members — particularly older adults and isolated populations — who participate in reciprocal exchanges of skills and services across more than seven countries including the United States, Argentina, Canada, New Zealand, India, Uganda, and Cameroon.
The core mechanism is the Time Credit System, in which one hour of service provided by any member yields one time credit redeemable for one hour of service from any other member, eliminating monetary exchange from the loop and valuing all contributions equally regardless of task type. Underlying technology is a web-based platform (built on standard hosting) that supports the global directory, member onboarding flows, and software selection guidance for local chapters; TimeBanks.Org does not mandate a single software stack for the local TimeBanks it certifies. No proprietary AI/ML capability is disclosed across the product surface.
Revenue mechanics blend philanthropy and tuition-style fees. Every.org serves as fiscal sponsor, processing tax-deductible donations; paid onboarding is structured as a tiered ladder — TimeBanks 101 (free), TimeBank in Practice ($125), 30 Day-Plan: Fast Track ($500), 30 Day-Plan: Onboarding ($1,500), and TimeBanks Academy ($2,500, multi-year) — with the same price points functioning as sponsorship tiers. Distribution is community-led and event-driven, with direct sales to organizational buyers (community leaders, coordinators, healthcare and environmental NGOs) processed via structured application forms rather than self-serve checkout.
TimeBanks USA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- TimeBanks USA
- Legal name
- TimeBanks.Org
- Website
- https://timebanks.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1995
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- TimeBanks USA (TimeBanks.Org) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports a global network of local TimeBanks — community-run reciprocal exchange systems where one hour of service earns one time credit. It provides tiered onboarding training, a worldwide directory, and peer programming for coordinators and members.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where TimeBanks USA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
TimeBanks USA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Onboarding Program Fees: Tiered onboarding programs from free (TimeBanks 101) to premium ($2,500 TimeBank Academy). Programs include training, mentorship, strategic planning, and resource access. The fee structure ranges from complimentary 30-minute meetings to comprehensive 6-month training programs with workshops and ongoing support.
- Donations and Sponsorship: Tax-deductible donations through Every.org (501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor) support the organization's mission. Donations are 100% tax-deductible to the extent allowed by US law. Sponsors can also support specific TimeBank tiers, with sponsorship tiers at $125, $500, $1,500, and $2,500 corresponding to different onboarding programs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | One time | Free introductory program with basic onboarding |
| Subscription | One time | Entry-level paid program with mentorship support |
| Subscription | One time | Accelerated onboarding with intensive training |
| Subscription | One time | Comprehensive onboarding with extended support |
| Subscription | Multi-year contract | Premium certification program with extended training |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
TimeBanks USA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
TimeBanks USA operates the TimeBanks.Org platform, which supports the global TimeBanking movement by providing onboarding programs, training, mentorship, an international TimeBank directory and map, and community-building resources. Its core mechanism is a reciprocal time-credit exchange: members earn one time credit for every hour of service given, redeemable for one hour of any other member's service, enabling community resilience without monetary transactions.
Product overview
TimeBanks.Org is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., serving as the central coordinating body for the global TimeBanking movement. The organization operates a platform-plus-programs model: the core TimeBanks.Org Platform provides global networking infrastructure, an interactive worldwide directory/map, and onboarding pathways, while a suite of paid onboarding programs (TimeBanks 101 through TimeBanks Academy, ranging from free to $2,500) guides new TimeBanks through setup, strategy, and long-term sustainability. Community programs include Conversations Among Coordinators, Chat on the Bench, and the TimeBanks Podcast. Resources include an articles archive, event calendar, and YouTube channel. The organization traces its roots to 1980 when Dr. Edgar Cahn introduced the Time Dollars concept, evolved through the Time Dollar Institute and TimeBanks USA, and rebranded as TimeBanks.Org in 2020 under new board leadership.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- TimeBanks 101 Free introductory onboarding program for new TimeBank leaders and members, covering TimeBanking basics, values, and setup. Includes a complimentary 30-minute meeting, invitation to monthly peer events, guidebook, and listing in the global TimeBank directory.
- TimeBank in Practice $125 entry-level paid onboarding program for community leaders. Includes a 20-page guidebook, 30-day navigator facilitation, 1-hour mentor discussion, customized strategic plan, and directory listing.
- 30 Day-Plan: Fast Track $500 intensive onboarding program offering accelerated TimeBank setup, including a 4-hour training, strategic planning, marketing materials, overview of online platforms, member journey frameworks, membership roles discussion, and directory listing.
- 30 Day-Plan: Onboarding $1,500 comprehensive onboarding program for new TimeBanks, including 7-hour training on core values, vision definition, member journey frameworks, platform guidance, 6-month evaluation, marketing templates, coordinator network access, and directory listing.
- TimeBanks Academy $2,500 premium six-month TimeBank certification training program with four half-day intro workshops for up to 20 people, weekly 1-hour guided discussions, monthly reviews, benchmarking, custom strategic plan, and TimeBanks.Org certified training hub logo upon completion.
- TimeBank Map and Directory Global interactive map and searchable directory showcasing TimeBanks from many regions worldwide, allowing users to filter by location and membership type to find Verified or Member TimeBanks and access profile pages with contact information, focus areas, and operational details.
- Conversations Among Coordinators Monthly peer-learning and support space for TimeBank coordinators and emerging leaders to share challenges, exchange ideas, and strengthen the TimeBanking movement.
- Chat on the Bench Virtual community gathering program modeled on a bench as a natural gathering spot, where TimeBankers share stories, build connections, and strengthen community bonds.
- TimeBanks Podcast Podcast hosted by Mike Cosh offering insights into the TimeBanking community through stories from practitioners, coordinators, and community members worldwide.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 3 million hours of services exchanged globally through TimeBanking
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use TimeBanks USA
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
TimeBanks USA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
TimeBanks USA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators4 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
TimeBanks USA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- hOurworld: An alternative time-banking network operating on the same hour-for-hour reciprocity model as TimeBanks USA. Both serve as hubs for local TimeBanks and offer member directories, training resources, and community-building programs — making hOurworld the closest direct functional peer.
- Simbi: A US-based reciprocal services exchange platform where members trade skills and services without money. Operates a near-identical model to TimeBanks but as a venture-backed tech platform with mobile app emphasis, making it a direct functional competitor for community-exchange mindshare.
- Visiting Nurse Service of New York Community TimeBank: A healthcare-affiliated TimeBank cited directly in TimeBanks.Org's own outcome data (90% friendship-formation survey). Runs the same time-credit model but is hosted within a large home-care organization, making it a healthcare-vertical direct peer and a partner-cum-competitor for senior-focused programs.
- Kola Nut Collaborative: Chicago's only TimeBank, founded by Mike Strode — who also serves on the TimeBanks.Org team. Operates as a member of TimeBanks.Org's global network using the same hour-for-hour exchange principle, functioning as an affiliated but operationally independent peer chapter.
Broad incumbents
- LETS (Local Exchange Trading Systems): An older, broader umbrella of local community exchange networks originating in the UK and Canada. Uses a similar non-monetary reciprocal-services concept but predates TimeBanking and operates under a separate movement, making it a broad incumbent in the broader community-exchange space.
Regional players
- TimeBanks UK: The UK national time-banking organization, operating the same reciprocal exchange model under a different geographic umbrella. Comparable in mission and program design to TimeBanks.Org but focused on UK chapters rather than competing directly in North America.
- Hour Exchange Portland: A long-standing regional TimeBank serving the Portland, Maine area using the hour-for-hour model. Functionally identical to a TimeBanks.Org chapter but operates as an independent regional organization, making it a peer for community-exchange mindshare in the US Northeast.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
TimeBanks USA social profiles
Digital presenceTimeBanks USA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
TimeBanks USA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
TimeBanks USA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
TimeBanks USA 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 TimeBanks USA
What does TimeBanks USA do?
TimeBanks USA operates the TimeBanks.Org platform, which supports the global TimeBanking movement by providing onboarding programs, training, mentorship, an international TimeBank directory and map, and community-building resources. Its core mechanism is a reciprocal time-credit exchange: members earn one time credit for every hour of service given, redeemable for one hour of any other member's service, enabling community resilience without monetary transactions.
Is TimeBanks USA a public or private company?
TimeBanks USA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was TimeBanks USA founded?
TimeBanks USA was founded in 1995. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is TimeBanks USA based?
TimeBanks USA is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does TimeBanks USA make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Onboarding Program Fees are the primary driver. The others are donations and Sponsorship.
Who are TimeBanks USA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are hOurworld, Simbi, Visiting Nurse Service of New York Community TimeBank and Kola Nut Collaborative. LETS (Local Exchange Trading Systems) is listed as a broad incumbent. Regional players are TimeBanks UK and Hour Exchange Portland.
Does TimeBanks USA have an API?
No public API is recorded for TimeBanks USA.