Both Hands
Both Hands is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a no-fee crowdfunding platform that funds Christian adoptive families by combining widow-service projects with sponsorship fundraising. Since 2007 it has completed 1,600+ projects across 46 states, raising $26M+ for adoptions and orphan care.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersBrentwood, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Both Hands does
Both Hands Foundation is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a service-driven crowdfunding platform that combines community service to widows with fundraising for adoption and orphan care. Founded in 2007 and headquartered in Brentwood, Tennessee, the organization serves Christian adoptive families, orphan-care ministries, post-adoption families, and church or community groups across the United States. Its core model requires participating families or groups to assemble a team of 10+ volunteers who serve a local widow through home repair projects over a structured 6-8 week process while raising sponsorship funds that go directly to adoption expenses. The organization reports 1,600+ completed projects across 46 states with $26M+ raised for adoptions and orphan care since inception.
The platform is delivered through a web-based toolkit hosted at bothhands.org that provides 24/7 project planning resources, personalized staff coaching, online fundraising pages with integrated donation processing (Apple Pay, Venmo, Google Pay), and a searchable project database. Both Hands charges no fees to families and covers transaction costs when donors do not, ensuring 100% of project donations flow to adoption causes. Operational costs are funded separately through private donor contributions, corporate matching gift programs, stock and cryptocurrency donations, and legacy giving partnerships. Product offerings span four project types (Adoption, Orphan Care, Post-Adoption, and Group Service Projects), supplemented by the annual Ty² Vision Project in Nashville, free educational webinars, and a comprehensive adoption fundraising guide.
The organization is led by Founder and President JT Olson with Executive Director Jared DeLong and a team of approximately 15 staff, governed by a board including Chairman Derek Bell and other industry and ministry leaders. Both Hands holds ECFA accreditation, Candid Guidestar Platinum transparency status, Charity Navigator rating, CAFO Gold membership, and NCFA Financial Resource Partner designation. Distribution occurs through direct website application, adoption agency referrals, church network partnerships, and speaking engagements at faith-based conferences.
Both Hands firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Both Hands
- Legal name
- Both Hands Foundation
- Website
- https://bothhands.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Both Hands is a faith-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a no-fee crowdfunding platform that funds Christian adoptive families by combining widow-service projects with sponsorship fundraising. Since 2007 it has completed 1,600+ projects across 46 states, raising $26M+ for adoptions and orphan care.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Both Hands industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Adoption Fundraising Services
- NAICS
- Child and Youth Services (62411), Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services (BPAGAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Family & Parenting Support Services (BPAGAEAC)
Keywords
Where Both Hands is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Brentwood
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Both Hands business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Donor Contributions: Individual donors contribute to support Both Hands' operations. The organization raises funds separately from project donations to cover operating costs, ensuring 100% of project donations go directly to adoption and orphan care causes. Donors can make one-time or recurring donations, and can contribute to cover transaction fees for other donors.
- Corporate Matching Gifts: Both Hands facilitates corporate matching gift programs where employers match employee donations. The organization provides a search tool for donors to look up their employer's matching gift program.
- Stock and Securities Donations: Both Hands accepts stock and securities donations through the National Christian Foundation, allowing donors to make non-cash contributions.
- Cryptocurrency Donations: The organization accepts cryptocurrency donations for supporters who prefer this method of giving.
- Non-Cash Gifts: Accepts non-cash gifts including real estate, grain, vehicles, and other property donations.
- Estate/Legacy Giving: Partnership with PhilanthroCorp to facilitate planned giving and estate donations for supporters wishing to include Both Hands in their estate planning.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | One time | No cost for adoption fundraising services |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Both Hands product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Both Hands is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that enables Christian adoptive families, orphan care ministries, and community groups to raise funds for adoption and orphan-care causes through a service-based crowdfunding model in which teams of volunteers complete a day of service for a widow in their community while collecting sponsorship donations. The organisation operates a web platform with project toolkits, donation processing, and personalised coaching, charging no fees to families and ensuring 100% of project donations go directly to adoption or orphan-care expenses.
Product overview
Both Hands is a faith-based nonprofit organization offering a service-driven crowdfunding platform centered on adoption and orphan care fundraising. The core offering consists of four project types: Adoption Fundraising Projects (helping adoptive families raise an average of $23,000 by serving widows), Orphan Care Projects (enabling ministries to raise funds for orphan causes), Post-Adoption Projects (for medical/therapeutic costs), and Group Service Projects (for businesses and organizations). The platform is complemented by the Ty² Vision Project (annual Nashville-based service event) and educational resources including the Both Hands 101 Webinar and Adoption Fundraising Guide. The organization guarantees 100% of donations go to causes by covering all transaction fees themselves.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- Families raise average of $23,000 per project compared to $1,126 on GoFundMe or $7,000 on AdoptTogether
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Both Hands
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Both Hands technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Both Hands partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Show HopecoreFounded in 2003 by Mary Beth and Steven Curtis Chapman, Show Hope is on a mission to care for orphans by engaging the Church and reducing barriers between waiting children and loving families, including offering financial aid grants to adoptive families. Both Hands partners by referring families to Show Hope's resources and co-promoting adoption funding opportunities.
- Lifesong for OrphanscoreLifesong seeks to mobilize the Church to care for the orphan through global orphan care ministries, Christian adoptive families, and foster care initiatives, offering financial assistance through adoption grants. Partners with Both Hands to provide comprehensive funding resources for adoptive families.
- ABBA FundcoreA community of adoptive Christian families providing financial assistance through interest-free loans to help families complete their adoption fundraising journey. Both Hands refers families seeking loans to ABBA Fund as part of comprehensive adoption funding support.
- Gift of AdoptioncoreAwards grants of up to $15,000 to qualified applicants to remove financial barriers for adoptions of children in vulnerable circumstances in the U.S. and around the world. Works with Both Hands to provide layered funding options for families.
- Pathways for Little FeetminorHelps bridge the financial gap for families through interest-free loans up to $10,000, paid back through monthly repayments which support other families in their adoption journey. Provides alternative funding option alongside Both Hands' no-fee model.
- Omnah FoundationminorEases financial burdens of adoption through donor-based grants, providing resources, encouragement, and prayer support for families throughout their adoption journey.
- Pure Gift of GodminorProvides adoption grants to families across the United States, easing financial burden of the adoption process with resources and support for families to help children from hard places thrive.
- National Council for Adoption (NCFA)coreA leading authority on adoption issues providing resources and advocacy. Both Hands is listed as an NCFA Financial Resource Partner, positioning the organization as a trusted adoption funding resource.
- Christian Alliance for Orphans (CAFO)coreGlobal organization committed to caring for vulnerable children. Both Hands is a Gold member of CAFO, which provides research, resources, and annual summits for Christian families caring for children from vulnerable backgrounds.
- PhilanthroCorpminorPartners with Both Hands on legacy/estate giving webinars and educational content to help supporters include Both Hands in their estate planning.
- Solomon BuilderscoreFounded by Ty Osman Sr., a founding board member of Both Hands. Solomon Builders donated office space until Both Hands outgrew it. The company has played a crucial role on the Ty² Vision Project every year since its inception, providing skilled labor and supplies for serving widows.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Both Hands competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- GoFundMe: Largest general-purpose crowdfunding platform. Broad incumbent competitor against which Both Hands benchmarks itself — Both Hands cites a $1,126 GoFundMe average vs. its own $23,000 per adoption project as evidence of differentiation.
- Bethany Christian Services: Large, established Christian adoption and family services agency. Broad incumbent where JT Olson previously served on the board — represents a much larger, multi-service organization in the same faith-based adoption ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Show Hope: Christian adoption grant organization founded by the Chapman family, providing financial aid grants to adoptive families. Direct peer and active ministry partner with Both Hands — both serve the same Christian adoptive family segment with complementary funding mechanisms.
- National Christian Foundation: Donor-advised fund sponsor facilitating charitable giving, including processing Both Hands' stock/securities donations. Direct peer in the faith-based philanthropy infrastructure that channels major gifts to nonprofits like Both Hands.
- Lifesong for Orphans: Faith-based nonprofit offering adoption grants and orphan care support. Direct peer and core strategic partner of Both Hands, serving the same Christian adoptive family demographic with grant-based financial assistance.
- Gift of Adoption: Nonprofit awarding grants of up to $15,000 to remove financial barriers for adoptions of vulnerable children. Direct peer and active partner, providing layered funding alongside Both Hands projects for Christian and broader adoptive families.
- ABBA Fund: Christian nonprofit providing interest-free adoption loans to qualifying families. Direct peer and active referral partner with Both Hands — families frequently combine a Both Hands fundraising project with an ABBA Fund loan to close the adoption funding gap.
- AdoptTogether: Adoption-focused crowdfunding platform operating on GoFundMe's charity network. Direct competitor in online adoption fundraising, where Both Hands cites AdoptTogether's $7,000 average project size as a benchmark it materially outperforms.
Emerging players
- Pathways for Little Feet: Christian nonprofit providing interest-free adoption loans up to $10,000, with repayments funding additional families. Emerging peer and active referral partner alongside Both Hands — offers a complementary funding option for adoptive families.
- Pure Gift of God: Adoption grant organization providing financial support for US adoptive families. Emerging peer and active referral partner with Both Hands — both address the same adoption funding gap with distinct mechanisms (grants vs. service-based fundraising).
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Both Hands social profiles
Digital presenceBoth Hands compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
Both Hands financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Both Hands leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Both Hands funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Both Hands 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 Both Hands
What does Both Hands do?
Both Hands is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that enables Christian adoptive families, orphan care ministries, and community groups to raise funds for adoption and orphan-care causes through a service-based crowdfunding model in which teams of volunteers complete a day of service for a widow in their community while collecting sponsorship donations. The organisation operates a web platform with project toolkits, donation processing, and personalised coaching, charging no fees to families and ensuring 100% of project donations go directly to adoption or orphan-care expenses.
Is Both Hands a public or private company?
Both Hands is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Both Hands founded?
Both Hands was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Both Hands based?
Both Hands is headquartered in Brentwood, United States, in the North America region.
How does Both Hands make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Donor Contributions are the primary driver. The others are corporate Matching Gifts, stock and Securities Donations, cryptocurrency Donations, non-Cash Gifts and estate/Legacy Giving.
Who are Both Hands's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are GoFundMe and Bethany Christian Services. Direct peers are Show Hope, National Christian Foundation, Lifesong for Orphans, Gift of Adoption, ABBA Fund and AdoptTogether. Emerging players are Pathways for Little Feet and Pure Gift of God.
Does Both Hands have an API?
No public API is recorded for Both Hands.
What industry is Both Hands in?
Both Hands's product category is Nonprofit Adoption Fundraising Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAEAE, Child Welfare, Foster Care & Adoption Services, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAC, Family & Parenting Support Services. Its NAICS code is 62411 and its SIC code is 8300.