Why Relay
The need is growing. Access hasn’t kept up.
Your community is already asking for help. The research below shows what stands in the way, and what Relay does about each barrier.
01Language
28.5 million
people in the U.S. have limited English proficiency. That’s nearly 1 in 10 people age five and older.
For 63% of them, Spanish is the primary language.
Source: KFF analysis of the 2024 American Community Survey (opens in a new tab)
Relay solves this
Relay answers in the language someone writes in, using the same service information your team already keeps. No separate site for every language, and staff see translated context when a conversation is handed to them.
02Overwhelmed front lines
3 in 4
nonprofits with job vacancies had open program and service delivery roles, the positions that work most directly with the public.
Nearly 3 in 10 nonprofits reported longer waiting lists for services than before the pandemic.
Source: National Council of Nonprofits, 2023 Nonprofit Workforce Survey (opens in a new tab)
Relay solves this
Relay answers calls and texts on your own number and handles the routine questions — hours, what to bring, where to go — so the people waiting on your line are the ones who need your team.
03Staff capacity
72%
of nonprofits with paid staff said vacancies were hurting their ability to pursue their missions in 2025.
46% of nonprofits with paid staff had open positions.
Source: Urban Institute, National Survey of Nonprofit Trends and Impacts (opens in a new tab)
Relay solves this
Relay answers the repeated questions and hands your team the conversations that need judgment, with the context attached. Your staff spend their time where people need a person.
04Complexity
28%
of U.S. adults read at the lowest literacy level measured, up from 19% in 2017.
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, PIAAC 2023 (opens in a new tab)
Relay solves this
People describe their situation in their own words. Relay works out which program fits and answers in plain language, instead of sending them to an eligibility document.
05AI readiness
57%
of nonprofit executives have no dedicated AI budget, and more than half name data, privacy, and security as the biggest barrier to adopting AI.
Source: NTEN and The Bridgespan Group, State of Nonprofit AI 2026 (opens in a new tab)
Relay solves this
Relay is built for nonprofits from the start. It works with the information you already have, answers only from it, and staff open a conversation only when it’s handed to them. You don’t need an AI team: we also train your staff to use AI well, including tools you may already pay for.
An unanswered question doesn’t show up in any report.
Relay makes sure someone answers. Next, it will show your team what people are asking for.
Make access easier.Understand what people need.
Your community is already asking. Tell us about your organization and the questions people ask most, and we’ll show you what Relay could look like for the people you serve.
Custom pricing based on your organization’s needs.
We’re more than a chatbot.
We also build custom AI tools for nonprofits, and train your staff to get more out of AI, including tools you may already pay for.