DATE
01/01/2024
Amplify
Amplify is a purpose-built fintech mobile application designed to support individuals navigating social services by providing access to “Local Dollars”—a form of digital community credit that restores agency, choice, and purchasing power.
Fintech
Mobile
Services
Mobile App Development
Category
Social Services/Non-Profit
Client
IslamicFamily
Build
At Ihsan Labs, we co-designed Amplify with community agencies and service providers to reflect the realities of delivering culturally relevant support. Built to scale with grassroots initiatives and institutional programs alike, Amplify streamlines how organizations engage, evaluate, and elevate their work.
What We Delivered with Amplify:
Community-Driven CRM & Engagement Tools: Customizable intake forms, community profiles, and communication workflows tailored to social service organizations, advocacy groups, and funders.
Automated Story & Impact Collection: Tools to gather testimonials, qualitative data, and outcome-driven narratives that power both internal learning and external storytelling.
Segmented Dashboards & AI-Backed Insights: Real-time reporting by audience, program, or geography—built to surface patterns and inform decisions across community and policy levels.
Role-Based Permissions & Partner Access: Secure, configurable access that empowers staff, volunteers, and external collaborators while protecting sensitive information.
Shared Infrastructure for Collaboratives: Enables coalitions, funders, and networks to standardize intake, share learnings, and reduce fragmentation across the sector.
Tech Stack
Back-End:
Node.js
Express.js
Socket.io
Mailgun (email service)
Front-End (Mobile):
React Native
Database:
MongoDB
Firebase
Infrastructure & DevOps:
DigitalOcean (App Platform, VPC Network, Spaces Storage)
Bitbucket (Version control)
UI/UX
Amplify was designed with real people in mind—those navigating social services and small business owners alike. Using a human-centered approach, we engaged users early through co-design sessions and testing to ensure the interface was intuitive, respectful, and easy to use.
We prioritized clarity, minimalism, and mobile-first design to support low digital literacy. Accessibility standards (WCAG) guided our choices in contrast, layout, and touch targets—ensuring usability for everyone, across devices and abilities.
Problem
Traditional financial tools—like credit cards and bank-linked payment systems—are often inaccessible to those navigating social services. These individuals face systemic barriers: limited credit history, mistrust of institutions, or simply not qualifying for mainstream products. What’s available instead—food hampers, vouchers, or restricted subsidies—often strips away personal agency, imposes limitations on choice, and reinforces stigma.
On the other side, small local businesses struggle to retain customers and compete in a digital-first economy. Existing loyalty programs and POS integrations are expensive, overly complex, and require reliance on systems like Interac—which charge fees and offer little flexibility.
Solution
Amplify reimagines financial access with purpose. It’s a mobile-first fintech solution that enables individuals to receive and spend Local Dollars—a community-based digital currency that functions like cash but operates entirely outside of Interac’s infrastructure.
By sidestepping traditional payment rails, Amplify reduces overhead for merchants and allows funds to flow more freely within communities. It acts like a mission-aligned alternative to credit cards—giving users flexibility, purchasing power, and dignity without requiring a credit check or bank account.
For small businesses, Amplify provides a simple rewards engine, real-time transaction tracking, and offer scheduling—all at a fraction of the cost of conventional platforms. It’s easy to use, merchant-friendly, and aligned with community development goals.
Together, this creates a closed-loop ecosystem that strengthens local economies, empowers marginalized individuals, and builds new forms of financial infrastructure that are inclusive by design and competitive by nature.
