CHANGE AGENT Resources

About The Change Reaction

What is The Change Reaction?

The Change Reaction is a powerful giving platform that provides vital financial resources to tens of thousands of working Angelenos who struggle with urgent needs and hardship that impact themselves and their families. By activating our vast network of trusted frontline workers and generous donors, The Change Reaction quickly provides grants and loans to those in need and prevents catastrophic life events.

How does it work?

We partner with over 250 nonprofits, hospitals, schools, and churches and work closely with frontline staff so they can access emergency funding for their clients quickly and with ease. Through a simple online portal application, Change Agents can apply and advocate for a gift or a loan for an emergency need their client is facing. Each application is reviewed by our small network of donor champions, who read and decision requests within 24-48 hours.

Change Agents & Head Change Agents

A Change Agent is our term for case managers, social workers, teachers, nurses, faith-based leaders, and community advocates – those who have dedicated their lives to service. Change Agents will have access to our online portal and will submit requests on behalf of clients. Please note: Clients are not allowed to self-refer. Your advocacy plays a huge role in our donor's decision to support the request.

Once a Change Agent submits a request, the Head Change Agent at your organization will review your request and approve it before sending it to The Change Reaction. If there is missing information, the Head Change Agent will push back the request to the Change Agent and ask a few follow up questions, giving the Change Agent the opportunity to make edits and resubmit the request.

Online Portal

Setting up an account on The Change Reaction Portal

Once your Change Agents complete a training session with The Change Reaction team, we will ask you to send staff members' names and email addresses that should receive portal access. These will be designated Change Agents, with a note *for the Head Change Agent who will be our main point of contact, and the person who receives every portal request before submitting to The Change Reaction.

After we receive your list, Change Agents will receive an email from request@changereaction.org to set up their account

Please add the request email as a contact in your email list, otherwise the email will go to your spam folder

You will have 3 days to set up your account or the link will expire - In the case that this email expires, please email Charlie Portillo at cportillo@changereaction.org to resend an activation email

Please bookmark The Change Reaction Portal on your computer for easy access! www.portal.changereaction.org

Before submitting an application

Please use this Pre-Screening Tool to determine if your client meets The Change Reaction’s eligibility requirements. If there are questions about our criteria and grant ranges, please click here to be directed to our reference guide

Is this person employed?* Yes/No

*The goal for the Change Reaction is to support employed individuals, so the details you provide regarding an individual’s employment and income is critical for helping our donors make their decisions.

Is this person in a chronic need* of assistance? Yes/ No

*We focus on those who have a sustainable path for themselves, and who would be able to stay on track if not for this emergency. We are not looking for people who are in chronic situations.

Would this one grant make a difference in this individual’s upward trajectory? Yes/ No

If you answered yes to these questions, then we encourage you to submit a request. Click here to be direct to our online portal.

If you answered no to more than one question:

Reconsider submitting a request to the Change Reaction and explore other resources that might assist this client

If you still feel strongly about submitting a request for this client, please provide extensive details in the advocacy for why you would like The Change Reaction to support this client

The Process of an Application

Change Agent submits application for an emergency need or a career advancement opportunity on behalf of their client

Head Change Agent reviews request and approves it

The Change Reaction team receives the approved request. If additional information is needed, TCR team will click “Need More Info” *and include clarifying questions, giving the Change Agent an opportunity to modify the request and include any missing details

*TCR’s feedback will show up in the email notification

Once Change Agent makes edits, they resubmit to the Head Change Agent who re-approves request

The Change Reaction Team receives it. Once all details have been included, TCR team assigns to donors for review and consideration

Donors review the request and consider for support

Change Agent & Head Change Agent will receive notification via email once decision is made regarding request

If request is “Approved,” the change agent and/or head change agent will connect with their internal accounting department to draw down on Angel Fund and fulfill request

What to know about the Application Process

Here are a few key determining factors when submitting a request to The Change Reaction

Employment

The goal of the Change Reaction is to support employed individuals who can meet their monthly expenses, so the details you provide regarding an individual’s employment and income are critical to helping our donors make their decisions. We focus on those who have a sustainable path for themselves, and who would be able to stay on track if not for this emergency. We do not consider clients who are in chronic situations.

Employer length and stability of employment. (Please make sure to list the name of the business where your client is employed. If there are discrepancies in their employment history, the change agent’s advocacy statement is the opportunity for deeper explanation)

Income Verification

Documented income verification is required when you are requesting an amount that exceeds $1,000

The income that is approved can be gross household income before taxes have been paid, but it must be documented

Acceptable Verification Documents: Pay stubs, w2, tax returns, letter of support from employer. (Please note: it is not required for The Change Agent to upload verification documents to the Change Reaction portal)

Please let your clients know that we do not report any of this information to government agencies. These applications are strictly for our donors and own internal policies

Housing Information

If a Change Agent is requesting rent related support, they will need to upload a completed w9 form from the landlord

Include clients monthly contribution towards rent or mortgage

Household Size

We ask this question to gain a clear understanding of the situation your client is in. Please ensure to include all individuals living with the client

ii.

Exceptions: Roommates that are not financially assisting each other

Household Income

Why we ask this: Our donors are looking to support individuals that are normally sustainable, meaning their monthly household income can cover their monthly rent, however an unexpected financial emergency is impacting their ability to pay their rent and bills on time

If requesting payment other than Landlord, provide the following:

A Third-Party Vendor the check needs to be written to, such as: auto repair, home repair

Additional documents must be uploaded for:

Invoices for Auto or home repairs

ii.

W9 from landlord for rental payment

Advocacy Statement

Tell us a little about your client (what they do for work, how many people in their household...)

“Jane works as an office assistant at Alta Dena full time and has been there for 3 years. She is a single mother of 3 kids ages 6,8, and 12.”

Questions to ask client:

What is your job role and your responsibilities?

ii.

Are you the head of the household? Or a contributing member?

iii.

Are you financially responsible for anyone else in your household?

Tell us about your relationship with the client. How are they involved with your organization?

“I have known Jane’s family for 5 years, all three children have attended our elementary school, and I have gotten to know Jane very well over the past year. She is a hard-working mom and receives support with the kids from her family.”

Questions to ask client:

How long have you been involved with our organization?

ii.

In what ways have you benefited from your involvement in our organization?

What is the crisis they are facing? How did you come to hear about their situation?

“Jane’s car began to have issues, and the kids began coming to school late. When we checked in with her regarding the kids tardiness, she explained thatshe has been having car trouble. She took it into the auto shop and found outthat she needs a new transmission. Jane lives paycheck to paycheck and cannot afford such a big expense of $1,560 to fix her car, but she needs her car to get the kids to school on time and to get to work on time.”

Questions to ask client:

How were you dealing with this situation prior to reaching out forassistance?

ii.

What is the plan for handling this financial emergency?

iii.

How will this emergency impact your household’s stability?

What funds are needed to cover the emergency/urgent need? What is the breakdown for the support requested? (Please provide exact amounts)

“Attached is a copy of the invoice from the auto shop, auto repairs are for transmission $500, spark plugs $200, front brakes $410 and labor cost $450 to fix her car.”

Questions to ask client:

Do you have any funds to contribute to this financial emergency?

ii.

Have you considered any other resources to assist you with this emergency?

How will this gift impact your client’s ability to maintain their stability?

“Fixing Jane’s car will keep her on track at work and help ensure that her kidsget to school safely and on time.”

Question to ask client:

How will this gift contribute towards your life and help keep you stable?

Pay it forward Plan

We encourage your client to think about ways they can do an act of kindness within their community. Whether it be planting a tree, cooking a meal for a neighbor, or paying for a strangers coffee, everyone has the power to be the giver. We encourage this act of kindness to happen outside of employment and family members – it does not have to be monetary.

How will you help continue the cycle of kindness?

“Jane and her kids plan to volunteer at our next school beautification day”

Question to ask client:

If you receive this gift, what are some ways you will give back to your community?

Self-sufficiency plan

How will your client be able to sustain this need moving forward?

“Jane is usually on top of her bills, rent and expenses. This is a one-time expense. She hopes to start saving a little more each month to prepare for another emergency.”

Questions to ask client:

Will you be able meet your monthly expenses if you receive this gift?

ii.

Do you have a plan for preventing future financial emergencies?

Status of the Application

INCOMPLETE

Request has not been submitted by Change Agent and they can still make edits to the application before submitting for consideration.

NEEDS MORE INFO

The request has missing details, and a TCR team member has sent it back to the Change Agent for clarity. The Change Agent will receive an email with comments on the additional information and clarity about the situation.

HCA REVIEWING

The request is awaiting your organization’s internal approval and has not yet been approved by the Head Change Agent.

TCR REVIEWING

The request is in TCR’s queue for review and has not yet been shared with a donor for consideration.

DONOR REVIEWING

The request has been assigned to a donor and is in the donor’s queue for consideration.

FULFILLED

The request has been approved and funded by a donor. Please double check the gift amount or if it was approved for a loan.

UNFUNDED

The Change Reaction team could not identify a donor to fulfill the request, this request has been closed for consideration.

Resources and Business Contacts

At The Change Reaction, we have partnerships and negotiated rates with various companies for their products and services. If you are submitting a request for the following items, we ask that you utilize our partnerships and include these prices in your requests.

Beds Unlimited (For furniture requests)

Envy Mattress Only:

Twin $190

ii.

Full $219

iii.

Queen $250

iv.

King $310

Cal King $310

Envy Mattress with Box Foundation & Metal Frame:

Twin $428

ii.

Full $498

iii.

Queen $549

iv.

King $778

Cal King $778

Envy Mattress with (NEW) #10 Foundation with legs:

Twin $379

ii.

Full $429

iii.

Queen $470

iv.

King $585

Cal King $585

Louis Philippe Dresser $520

Louis Philippe Tall Chest $420

Buhl Dining Table w/4 Chairs $465

Buhl Dining Table w/6 Chairs $565

AC Pacific Sofa $500

AC Pacific Sofa Bed $500

Twin/Twin Bunk Bed $390

Twin/Full Bunk Bed $495

Full/Full Bunk Bed $545

Dell Laptops (Please add an additional $30 for shipping)

Inspiron 15 3511 laptop - please choose this laptop if your client needs a laptop for work or school

11th Generation Intel Core i3 processor

8gb RAM Memory

128gb Solid State Drive storage

1 year of ProSupport coverage

List Price - $678.99

Discount - 39.98% / $271.44

Selling Price $407.55

Inspiron 15 5510 laptop - please choose this laptop if your client is studying or working specifically in engineering or graphic design

11th Generation Intel Core i3 processor

16gb RAM Memory

512gb Solid State Drive storage

1 year of ProSupport coverage

List Price - $1,128.99

Discount - 26.04% / $293.94

Selling Price $835.05

T-Mobile Custom Government Program with TCR

The Change Reaction has a government program plan with T-Mobile. When a request for a phone is approved your client will receive a new phone and a one-year service plan fully paid. After the year of service expires, your client will be responsible to take on payments themselves; the phone does not need to be returned.

Please only submit a phone request for extremely urgent situations, or clients experiencing life transitions.

Services included in program - Unlimited Voice, Unlimited 4G & 5G Data, Unlimited Messaging, 11GB Mobile Hotspot

To request a line and a phone for a client, the Change Agent will need to submit the request on the portal for a total amount of $350

When approved please share the following information via email to place the order

Client’s full name and mailing address (address for where to send device)

ii.

Phone number (If they have a current phone number, we can transfer the number over)

iii.

Share whether the individual is an existing T-Mobile member

iv.

Share if the client would like an (iPhone SE3 5G 64GB or the Samsung Galaxy A23 5G 64GB)

Home Depot

We have special pricing for select appliances with Home Depot. We will also consider alternative appliances that are within these price ranges. Prices listed include Haul Away and additional equipment needed for installation. Tax and delivery is based on zip code.

Stoves

GE 30 in. 5.3 cu. ft. Electric Range with Self-Cleaning Oven in White $630.85+Tax & Delivery

ii.

GE 30 in. 4 Burner Freestanding Gas Range in White with Standard Cooking $647.98+Tax & Delivery

Refrigerators

Frigidaire 18.3 Cu. Ft. Top Freezer Refrigerator in White $681.97+Tax and Delivery

Washer & Dryers

Hotpoint 3.8 cu. ft. Top Load Washer in White with End-Of-Cycle Signal $552.98+Tax & Delivery

ii.

Hotpoint 6.2 cu. ft. 240 Volt White Electric Vented Dryer $583.96+Tax & Delivery

iii.

Whirlpool 1.6 cu.ft Electric Stacked Laundry Center 6 Wash cycles and Auto Dry $1,398.93+Tax & Delivery

Criteria

Working individuals facing urgent needs or life events

Earning a minimum Household Income (HHI) of $25,000 per year

Working 30 hours or more per week

Shows future ability to meet monthly expenses

Grant Ranges

For an individual working less than 6 months, we will consider up to $1,000

Working 6 months - 3 years, we will consider up to $2,500 (Income must be documented)

Working more than 3 years, we will consider $2,500 or more (Income must be documented)

How do I fulfill an approved request?

The Change Agent who submitted the request will need to gather all necessary information and contact their organization’s accounting department to fulfil the approved request.

Organization will:

Write a check to the vendor on behalf of the client

Place an order / purchase items for the client

It is our policy not to issue checks to clients, and that all checks go directly to vendors.

Please get in touch with your finance team to ensure Change Agents understand the process of fulfilling approved requests. Most organizations have certain regulations (processes) that they must follow to adhere to IRS tax laws and regulations.

Impact Statements and Pay It Forward

We believe that everyone in this world has the power to be generous. We also believe that when impact is shared, it creates a ripple effect of kindness and generosity throughout our city.

We highly recommend that you encourage your clients to provide an impact statement once the request is approved about how this gift touched their life and improved their situation. Once they receive a gift, your client can write a letter, send an email, or leave a voicemail to the donor who directly made the gift. Impact statements encourage our donors to expand their reach and touch the lives of as many Angelenos as they can. Addressing impact statements to a specific person can also enhance the client's dignity, knowing that a stranger heard about their story and cared enough to help.

Requests that will not be considered:

Tire replacements or oil changes (i.e. regular car maintenance, car registration)

Auto repairs that exceed $2,500

Funeral related expenses

Groceries/food

Animal related emergencies or vet bills

Rental and utility arrears for more than 2 months

Medical bills

Reimbursement expenses

Any long term or chronic expense

Loans

Aside from our grants, clients may be approved for an interest-free loan through ourlending partners, Jewish Free Loan Association (JFLA) or Inclusive Action for the City.

The process is as follows:

Change Agent submits an application through The Change Reaction portal

If the donor fulfills the request as a loan, the Change Agent will need to get confirmation from the client that they will accept this loan. If they accept, TheChange Reaction will connect the change agent to JFLA or Inclusive Action for the City

Client will fill out loan application and submit necessary documentation

Client will be required to include a guarantor on the JFLA application. The Change Reaction will fill that role on behalf of your client. Please advise them to enter the name "Greg Perlman" as their guarantor. They do not need a second guarantor. They will need to contact Bobby once they complete that section

Client needs to have a California ID/Driver's License, Social Security Number and bank account to receive the loan

VOIDED check – with client’s routing and account number

If a client is married, their spouse will need to upload ID and email address

DocuSign will be sent to client and their spouse (separately)

Once application is approved, your client will receive a DocuSign with the terms of the loan, such as:

When the loan payment will begin

How much they will need to repay each month

Example: Repayment will begin six weeks after funds are received and will be $84/month until repaid in full

Terms of loan are determined prior to client introduction to lender – typically $100 a month or repayment amortized over 36 months

Funds will be deposited into the recipient’s bank account within 2 business days

Once the repayment period begins, loan repayments will be due monthly on the date selected during the loan application. The repayment will be automatically deducted from their bank account

Missed Payments

Our mission is to help your clients during a difficult time, and we want them to be in good standing. Client is encouraged to maintain open communication with Bobby, our contact at JFLA, or Jesus, our contact at Inclusive Action for the City throughout the repayment process. Should they find themselves struggling to make payments, Bobby or Jesus can reduce the monthly amount so they can maintain payments and good standing.

If the client is unable to make payment, please notify the lending partner within 72 hours. If the auto deduction date needs to be changed, a request must be made in writing to JFLA or Inclusive Action. If a payment is missed, the Change Agent will be contacted by the lending partner.

Any client that doesn't maintain communication with lending partner and misses more than one payment will be considered for collections.

Bobby’s Contact Information
Bobby Saidan
bobby@jfla.org
323-761-8830 x 113
323-761-8842 - can text

Jesus’s Contact Information
Jesus Gonzalez-Saucedo
jesus@inclusiveaction.org
213 633 9383

Index

Defining Client Types

Domestic Violence Survivor: Actively fleeing an unsafe or violent situation
Fixed Income: Individuals who maintain household income expenses via government funded assistance
Foster Parent: Individuals who are currently fostering children
Human Trafficking Survivor: Individuals who are out of the life and striving towards fiscal independence
Kinship Placement: A family member caring for a relative's child due to birth parents being removed from guardianship
Medical/Non-Hospital: Individuals experiencing medical emergencies, and who were not referred by a Change Reaction hospital partner
Senior: Individuals 65 years or older
TAY (Transition Aged Youth): Youth “Aging Out” of the foster care system or juvenile detention facilities, or who have run away from an unsafe home. Usually between the ages of 15 – 26 years
Veteran: Individuals who have served in the military, naval, or air services and who were discharged or released under conditions other than dishonorable
Working Individual: Individuals working 30+ hours a week
Working Family: A family that has one or more individuals working 30+ hours a week
‍Youth: Youth under 18 and currently attending school
Other: (__________): Please share what your client type is based on their life experience

Supporting Information for Advocacy Statement

Here are some questions you can ask your client based on the situation you are requesting funding for:

Appliance

Why do you need support with replacing a home appliance?

What happened to your current home appliance?

Auto Repairs

What is the breakdown cost of the auto repairs?

Is your insurance provider able to cover the auto repairs?

How much are you able to put towards your auto repair costs?

Dental

What is the dental work you currently need support with?

Do you have insurance and are they able to cover the cost?

Furniture/Household Items

What type of furniture/household items do you currently need support with?

Please include the breakdown cost of the items you need

What led you to need support with furniture purchases?

Housing Deposit/ First Month’s Rent

What is your move in cost breakdown?

How much are you able to contribute towards the move in cost?

Were you able to get the security deposit from the previous location?

Legal Fees

What legal fees do you need support with?

What will be the outcome of receiving support with your legal fees?

Are you currently working with an organization to help resolve your legal fees?

How much are you able to contribute/ have contributed towards your legal fees?

Loan

What caused you to take out this loan you need support with?

What is your current APR/ Interest Rate on your current loan?

Please include the amount owed and how much have you paid down?

Are you looking to refinance your current loan to be able to pay down the loan without it affecting other essential needs?

Medical/ Medical Non-Hospital

What is the medical diagnosis that you are currently being treated for?

May you share the plan towards recovery?

What is the breakdown cost to resolve your current emergency?

Have you reached out to your medical provider/ hospital to create a payment plan?

Rent/ Rental Arrears

What is the name and address of your landlord, and how do pay your rent each month - Check, Zelle, Venmo, Credit Card?

What led applicants to not be able to pay their monthly rent? Did they try to make partial payments?

How many months in rental arrears is the applicant in? Have they been served an eviction notice? Have they reached out to their landlord for a payback plan?

Have they applied for any Government rental assistance programs? If yes, please share

10.

Transportation (Non-Auto Repairs)

What support do your currently needs support cover?

What caused you to not be able to cover this emergency expense?

What will the outcome be if you are supported with resolving this emergency?

11.

Utilities/ Utility Arrears

How many months in utility arrears are you in? Who is your utility provider and what is the breakdown to resolve utility arrears?

What lead you to not be able to cover your utility bills? Were you able to make partial payments?

Have you reached out to your utility company to create a payment plan to avoid shut off? Have you received a shut off notice if you don’t pay by a certain date?

Do you qualify for any low payment plans with your utility company?

12.

Work Equipment/ Uniforms

What is the breakdown for the items needed to support with work related equipment/ uniform?

Is this a new employment opportunity?

How will receiving this support affect/influence your ability to perform in your employment?

13.

Other: (__________)

Please share what is the emergency you are currently experiencing?

What is the breakdown cost to resolve the emergency you are experiencing?

General Questions

Please provide a breakdown of the items

How much would the client be able to contribute towards this request?

Has your client already applied to any government assistance programs?

What led your client to not be able to pay this expense?

The Process of a Partnership Establishment

Establish a partnership and create an Angel Fund (restricted fund for requests approved through the portal)

Organization must determine if they have the bandwidth to manage anAngel Fund. If not, please let us know and we will make other arrangements

The Change Reaction team trains and onboards change agents to learn how to apply for funding via the online portal

To set up an onboarding call, please schedule a session here

The Change Reaction team receives required information and documentation from the organization

Signed Grant Agreement

IRS Letter of Determination

Signed W9 Form

Change Agent Staff List

Full Name and Email Address (Please note who the Head Change Agent will be)

Organization’s team has access to online portal and begins submitting requests

What is an Angel Fund?

The Change Reaction will send a lump sum of money to establish what we call an in-house Angel Fund. These are restricted funds that should only be used when a request has been approved by one of our donors via the Change Reaction portal. Organizations will receive a 10% admin fee for managing the Angel Fund. This fee can be drawn from the funds received and can be used for administrative costs.

Agreements and Amendments

Before receiving the Angel Fund, The Change Reaction team will prepare a Grant Agreement between your organization and The Change Reaction. Grant Agreements and Amendments for replenishments will be sent through DocuSign for your review and signature. After receiving a signed copy, we will initiate the fund transfer through our banking system, Fidelity. Once the transfer request is processed, we'll provide your organization with an executed Grant Agreement for your records.

Fidelity EFT Enrollment to receive Funds for Angel Fund

In order to receive funds, we need someone from your organization to complete this online survey through Fidelity. Please reach out to Charlie Portillo with any questions at cportillo@changereaction.org.

After the form is completed, Fidelity will need to verify that the primary contact listed on the enrollment form is an employee of the organization and is responsible for your banking/accounting operations. This can be done over the following recorded line: 800-952-4438. Once on the line, please Press Option 4.

Reporting

In order to receive funds, we need someone from your organization to complete thisonline survey through FiPlease allocate a designated team member to keep track of the Change Reaction Angel Fund through a Spend Down Report to ensure The Change Reaction and your organization are aligned on the balance of the Angel Fund. The Change Reaction will provide you with an excel template that you can use or reference when keeping track of your fund.

We ask that you share the report with Charlie Portillo at The Change Reaction every month to ensure the funds are being allocated correctly and that The Change Reaction team has an accurate balance of your Angel Fund. If your Angel Fund balance is running low, please update the spend down report and share it withThe Change Reaction; we will reconcile the report on our end and will then start the process for replenishment.

Team Notes

Change Agent Handbook

Include PEX Card Information

For CCA’s and Small Partners

Angel Fund section doesn’t apply to change agents

Admins & Accounting

Angel Funds

Amendments

Grant Agreements

PEX Card

Example Request

Easier to put one long example request

Discounted Rates for Specific Requests

Price Caps / Private Vendors

Include photos of items and delivery / timelines

Exceptions

Foster, DV, human trafficking

Hospital Change Agents – have a separate resource page for hospitals

Add TCR contact list

Link to the Facebook group

10.

Add to newsletter

11.

Impact report from them – once they run out of funding

Favorite stories, numbers, change agent statements

12.

After that, report should come quarterly

13.

Add executive staff list and marketing staff list

14.

Loans

Added Inclusive Action for the city

15.

Adding Pre-Approvals

Minimum request is $250

CHANGE AGENT Resources

About The Change Reaction

What is The Change Reaction?

How does it work?

Change Agents & Head Change Agents

Online Portal

Setting up an account on The Change Reaction Portal

Before submitting an application

The Process of an Application

What to know about the Application Process

Advocacy Statement

Pay it forward Plan

Self-sufficiency plan

Status of the Application

INCOMPLETE

NEEDS MORE INFO

HCA REVIEWING

TCR REVIEWING

DONOR REVIEWING

FULFILLED

UNFUNDED

Resources and Business Contacts

Criteria

Grant Ranges

How do I fulfill an approved request?

Impact Statements and Pay It Forward

Loans

Missed Payments

Index

Defining Client Types

Supporting Information for Advocacy Statement

General Questions

The Process of a Partnership Establishment

What is an Angel Fund?

Agreements and Amendments

Fidelity EFT Enrollment to receive Funds for Angel Fund

Reporting

Team Notes

Change Agent Handbook

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