Colorado Entrepreneur Launches AidtoAll, a National Nonprofit, Providing COVID-19 Recovery Aid to Small Businesses and Individuals

DURANGO, Colo., Aug. 11, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In partnership with the La Plata County community, local government, business and public health leaders, AidtoAll, a nonprofit providing financial aid in response to crisis, is launching its first pilot community grant program to provide financial assistance to small businesses and individuals impacted financially by COVID-19 in the La Plata County, Colorado area.

AidtoAll is a 501(c)(3) public charity, identifying individual needs and distributing donations within communities utilizing a fintech-driven, community-led digital platform and a hyper-localized approach to enable neighbors to help each other during a crisis. 

AidtoAll was founded by Matt Taylor, a former executive at financial technology solutions provider FIS, and resident of Durango. Taylor is also the former CEO of Mercury Payment Systems, a Durango-based payment processing provider that was acquired by Vantiv in 2014. Leveraging 16 years of leadership experience in financial technology, Taylor assembled the AidtoAll leadership team, including a number of pro bono professional services agencies and dozens of field-expert volunteers who tirelessly collaborated to pursue the AidtoAll mission and launch the platform in La Plata County, Colorado.

"The fabric of our society is stitched together by the small businesses and the people who work in every hometown we live in, and they are critical to our recovery from the economic effects of COVID-19," said Taylor. "AidtoAll augments crisis response within communities by utilizing a localized, marketplace approach – a safe and trusted method of convening those in need and anyone who can help. AidtoAll's technology-led approach to disaster relief is intended to help communities weather this crisis together. We're starting in my hometown, Durango, and throughout the broader community of La Plata County, Colorado."

AidtoAll has partnered with FIS, a leading provider of technology solutions for merchants, banks and capital markets firms globally, by utilizing a combination of FIS' Integrated Payments, E-commerce and Prepaid Debit Card technologies to provide its online donation and aid distribution capabilities.

"FIS is proud to help launch this community-focused giving initiative which aligns so closely with our 'Be the Change' core value," said Asif Ramji, Chief Growth Officer, FIS. "We're excited to see how this innovative new idea can grow and help address our nation's challenge of connecting those who have the heart and means to give with those that need immediate help." 

Traditional and newly created charity programs along with government aid have been unable to meet all of the needs created by the COVID-19 economic crisis. Additional aid is still desperately needed to reach those who don't have enough help or are left behind altogether. AidtoAll has created an unbiased platform, removing friction and red tape, that provides timely and direct financial relief from within the community. Aid from inside the community is complemented by regional, state and national organizations.

"As the governor's office works aggressively to address the threat COVID-19 poses to our state's economic and social well-being, we are reassured knowing communities are also working to provide rapid and direct resources for financial assistance to the business community," said Betsy Markey, Executive Director of the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. "AidtoAll, its mission and its partnership with La Plata County represents the pioneering, can-do spirit that defines Colorado and is a significant example of how private and nonprofit sectors can partner with government entities to better serve Colorado communities." 

AidtoAll's methodology is designed to integrate with local communities' crisis response capabilities and is rooted in ensuring their economic success. The value in leveraging the insights of local leadership and community-based resources, which include economic development agencies, local governments, nonprofits and NGOs, is core to addressing local needs. Mike French, AidtoAll board member, is the executive director of the La Plata Economic Development Alliance. Mike's role in leading regional economic recovery efforts during this crisis has been essential in guiding the localized approach and integrating AidtoAll's solution into the local community. 

"The La Plata Economic Development Alliance is committed to the AidtoAll mission, as it is a mechanism for economic stimulus to the small business workforce that will continue to need help in these challenging times," said French. "It is critical that a rural community like ours keep our workforce intact so that they can return to full capacity when the business landscape allows. That is essential to both economic recovery, as well as long-term community resiliency."

AidtoAll.org also provides communities with a public dashboard that displays up-to-date data on applicants' total monthly needs, available donations to meet those needs and total aid distributed through its platform during a crisis. AidtoAll is designed to fund hardships for small businesses and individuals, one month at a time, from within their own communities. The program will provide funding for as long as crisis is affecting each community utilizing its platform.

Applications are available online at AidtoAll.org in a secure, online portal and are designed to be streamlined, requiring less than 10 minutes to complete and optimized for access from any desktop or mobile device.  

La Plata County residents can get more information and apply for the grants by going to https://www.aidtoall.org

About AidtoAll
AidtoAll is a 501(c)(3) public charity, identifying individual need and distributing donations within communities utilizing a fintech-driven, community-led digital platform and a hyper-localized approach to enable neighbors to help each other during a crisis. Visit AidtoAll.org for more details.  

Community Partners for La Plata County Include:

• FIS
• La Plata County Economic Development Alliance, Executive Director
• City of Durango
• Town of Bayfield
• Southern Ute Indian Tribe
• La Plata County, Colorado
• Fort Lewis College
• Durango Business Improvement District
• Durango Chamber of Commerce
• Local First Foundation
• Community Foundation Serving Southwest Colorado
• Alpine Bank
• El Moro
• First Southwest Bank
• Vectra Bank

CONTACT: 
Marie Rotter, AidtoAll
[email protected] 
303-907-9826

SOURCE AidtoAll

Related Links

https://www.aidtoall.org