We know that our partners who work in human and social services are incredibly thoughtful about their approach. Before they even reach out to Beam, they’ve already spent countless hours planning and coordinating operations to ensure that their programs will be effective and compliant.
Whether they’re delivering emergency funds to families impacted by disasters or standing up a workforce development initiative, our partners trust us to help them launch their programs quickly, so they can get back to supporting their communities.
When it comes to receiving critical cash assistance, the recipients of these benefits— families, students, small business owners—don’t have time to wait, which is why Beam prioritizes our time-to-value when we engage in new partnerships or help existing partners stand up new programs.
Let’s take a look at what time-to-value looks like in real terms, how Beam accelerates it, and why it makes such a big difference to our partners.
Beam’s approach to rapid impact: Time-to-value explained
At Beam, we use time-to-value to describe how long it takes our partners and the communities they serve to achieve meaningful benefits from our work. We know during times of need, hours can feel like days. Expediency in aid delivery is a critical component to helping communities recover and families thrive. That’s why we place such an emphasis on driving rapid time-to-value for our partners, like:
- Quickly creating and launching accessible program intake applications
- Shortening case processing time and reducing administrative burden for case managers
- Delivering funds in less than 24 hours to communities and individuals
Regardless of how our partners define value, Beam understands that the faster we can deliver it, the bigger impact we can make collectively.
How we accelerate time-to-value at each stage of the process
A core focus of Beam is building processes and a platform that helps us quickly enable time-to-value. When we partner with impact organizations, we think about how we can deliver value at each stage of the process.
1. Early collaboration
At Beam, we are deeply embedded in the needs, priorities, and policies of the communities we serve. As your partner, we pull from industry best practices and provide recommendations before we even sign a contract.
“As we learn about the needs of your unique program, we’re already planning the best way to implement it” said Sanket Karuri, the Chief Product Officer of Beam. “That parallel process enables us to deliver results immediately after contract signature.”
2. Time to launch
At our partnership kickoff, we’ll talk through the details of the problem you’re looking to launch, taking time to understand:
- Who is going to be involved in administering the program
- What the application needs to look like
- How the applications will be processed by the team
- What the eligibility requirements are for the program
Our team brings their government, policy, and non-profit expertise, which allows us to ensure your program is built in the most effective way possible. The Beam platform is modular, not bespoke, which substantially cuts down on the time it takes to get your program up and running, without sacrificing impact.
Most configurations take between an hour to a week to launch, enabling you to deliver funds and services to the communities you serve faster than any other platform. The configurable nature of Beam, combined with our deep industry knowledge of cash assistance programs, enables us to build the best solutions for your organization quickly.
“We built our platform for scalability. When the Beam team develops impactful new capabilities, we want as many communities as possible to benefit as possible,” Sanket shared.
3. Time to payment
Approving funds is a key step, but it’s not enough. Actually getting that cash into the hands of your community relies on having the right financial infrastructure in place. Beam streamlines the banking process so that program administrators can leverage modern payment rails–ACH, Zelle, pre-paid cards–to get money out quickly. In moments of crisis, like natural disasters, we know that every second is critical, which is why we established mechanisms to help your organization access and deliver aid the same or next day.
“In times of need, we view Beam like a public utility so that communities can respond and rebuild as quickly as possible,” Sanket said.
4. Reducing burdens in the process
Beam was designed with accessibility at the forefront, ensuring every user can easily access and apply for aid. This means we create simple, efficient applications without unnecessary hoops or confusing steps. Our applications are also compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) and able to be translated across dozens of languages—ensuring all communities can access and complete our applications for assistance quickly and easily.
For case managers and program administrators, our platform’s ease of use reduces administrative burden. This allows them to dedicate their time and energy to what truly matters: supporting their communities. Without the right tools, case managers often find themselves bogged down, sifting through countless applications and navigating inefficient processes. By streamlining the application workflow with their needs in mind, we make it easier—and faster—for resources to reach the people who need them most.
“We realized that, if we build with both applicants and case managers at the forefront, we end up getting money in the hands of the folks much more quickly,” Sanket shared.
Time-to-value translates to impact
Faster outcomes are better outcomes. Rents are paid, utilities are kept on, students stay in school, and families are able to get relief from disasters. Our partners are able to feel the immediate impact on their communities.
Like San Diego Mesa Community College, who partnered with us to distribute emergency cash assistance to students in just 48 hours. That speed ensures students spend less time worrying about their financial burdens, allowing them to focus on their education. And we delivered time-to-value at Minnesota State by coordinating an emergency aid program across 54 campuses statewide. By streamlining the process, we helped staff deliver resources efficiently, reducing administrative burdens and ensuring students got the help they needed without delay.
“The thing that makes me proudest of our work is that no matter the size and scope of a partner’s program, there's almost always something that we can do to move the needle for them immediately,” Sanket said.
Watch our video overview learn more about the impact Beam can have on your organization or book a demo with us!
