Expensify.org, a charity founded by the preaccounting platform Expensify, has announced the results of its 2021 efforts. Those results include financially supporting over 50 community-driven volunteer campaigns, where thousands of Expensify.org volunteers tackling social injustice in marginalized communities are funded directly for their crucial expenses and participation.
“2021 represented a big step for Expensify.org in terms of impact,” said Stefanie Stavri, Treasurer of Expensify.org. “In 2020, we found our footing supporting SNAP families with food assistance. We took those learnings and applied them in 2021 and really put our foot on the gas.”
From the Community Justice Grant Challenge held earlier this year, over 50 grassroots campaigns will be reimbursed up to $5,000 each to help fight injustice in their communities. Ten of these campaigns were then selected by community vote to be reimbursed up to $25,000 each for their volunteers’ efforts. The funds directly address social justice issues across food security, housing equity, reentry services for the formerly incarcerated, youth advocacy, and climate justice. Campaign initiatives range from a mutual aid group in Milan to a NYC-based program supporting formerly incarcerated communities.
Additionally, Expensify.org launched and continues to run a campaign that encourages individuals in marginalized communities to get their COVID vaccine through monetary incentives. The charity also donated over 2,500 items of clothing to St. Anthony’s in San Francisco, which runs the city’s largest free clothing program, providing new and gently-used clothing to individuals and families experiencing homelessness and poverty.
Expensify.org’s groundbreaking model moves away from the opaqueness of traditional grant-based nonprofit funding where there are often large gaps of information between donor and aid, towards a more transparent approach.
“Our goal is to provide total traceability to every dollar donated,” said TJ Ferriss, Secretary of Expensify.org. “We want our donors to know exactly who spent their donation dollars and exactly what was purchased because we believe that increased transparency will also mean an increase in support and donations for organizations in the long run.”
To learn more, participate, or donate to Expensify.org’s community campaigns, visit www.expensify.org.
