Published by Jessica Weisman-Pitts
Posted on August 12, 2022
Over the past two years, the fallout from a global pandemic has affected workers in every industry. For some – particularly those working in restaurants, bars, and other service sectors – restrictions and shutdowns have been especially difficult. As a result, government agencies have worked to address this problem, issuing essential grants and stimulus payments intended to help service workers, artists, and other at-risk sectors navigate the economic setbacks that they experienced.
Although these programs are important in helping Americans recover from the past two years, the distribution of funds has been fraught with challenges – most significantly, recipients have struggled to receive the payments that they need most. At Checkbook, they set out to solve this problem and simplify the payment process. Based in San Mateo, California Checkbook’s all-in-one push payments platform has made it possible for government agencies to disburse payments at scale, ensuring that working people have immediate access to the funds they need.
As VP of Sales Clark Spink explains, Checkbook has streamlined what has been a cumbersome and often confusing process for recipients using payment disbursement platforms that require recipient enrollment.
“There has been massive confusion or opposition on the recipient side because other payment processors require both the entity that is disbursing the money and the recipients to be enrolled within the platform. Checkbook does not require recipient enrollment,” Spink says.
“I can log into my account right now and send you a digital payment for $300, and you can choose to receive the digital payment via online deposit, print & deposit, Instant Pay (push to debit card), Real Time Payment or by provisioning a virtual credit card. Whatever you select, Checkbook.io can deliver the digital payment instantly and without recipient enrollment.”
Checkbook offers multiple ways for recipients to receive payments, and their scalable platform makes it possible for agencies to distribute thousands of payments within minutes – allowing these entities to connect with their recipients quickly and at scale. Checkbook has already partnered with several agencies within the United States, playing a vital role in helping workers survive the incredible challenges of the pandemic.
“Recently, we worked with a regional performing arts center to disburse grant money through our platform to musicians who were adversely affected by the restaurant and bar closures during the pandemic,” Spink says. “For many of these musicians, they make money playing music in the bars, and when the bars close, they can’t make money or pay their bills.”
Checkbook works with multiple government agencies and nonprofits to deliver seamless, streamlined payment processing for the people who need it the most and as quickly as possible. In addition to their partnership to distribute payments to musicians in need, Checkbook has also enabled government entities that distribute emergency Rental Assistance Programs to Tenants and/or Landlords.
However, their work is only beginning. With many recipients and government entities struggling to find a payment processor that can instantly fulfill their needs, Checkbook is actively taking on new clients each day, rapidly becoming the go-to resource for stimulus and grant disbursements. For Spink and the team at Checkbook, it is essential that they help people who need assistance now – and who do not have the luxury to navigate through a long and confusing enrollment process.
“These government entities have money to disburse, and they need to find disbursement partners that offer their recipients convenience, immediacy and optionality all at the same time. Due to the urgent nature of these relief programs, oftentimes these government entities will have hundreds or thousands of applicants with varying needs after they are approved to receive the program’s grant money. These government entities then need to get the money to these people immediately,” Spink says.
“Checkbook.io is specifically designed to help them disburse as well as help their recipients deposit without any hassle.”
To learn more about Checkbook, visit www.checkbook.io.
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