Applying for assistance, step by step

Create an account and sign in

The community portal lives at app.zakatable.org/portal.

Sign up

1. Open the portal and click Sign Up.
2. Choose Continue with Google, or Sign up with Email — you'll be taken to Zakatable's secure sign-up page to enter your name, email, and password.
3. Follow the prompts; email verification happens on the secure sign-in service.

Sign in

• On the Welcome Back page, choose Continue with Google or Sign in with Email.
• Forgot your password? Click Forgot password? to reset it.
• Want to look around first? Continue as Guest lets you browse prayer times, events, and spiritual content — you can't apply for assistance as a guest.

If you applied by phone

If you called an organization's assistance line, you'll receive a text message with a link. Tap it, press Continue, then Sign in — your email will already be filled in, and your phone application will be waiting in your account.

Verify your identity (one time)

The first time you sign in — and before you can apply — Zakatable walks you through a short three-step welcome wizard.

1 · Identity Verification

You'll verify your identity with a secure third-party service. Before you start:

• Set aside up to 15 minutes.
• Have a government-issued photo ID or passport ready — the physical document, not a photo or copy.
• You'll be asked for a selfie and a photo of your ID, taken live.

Click Start verification. A secure verification window opens in a new tab — complete the steps there and return. The wizard checks automatically; if it doesn't advance, click I've finished — check now. If verification fails, click Try again.

2 · Tell us how you'll use Zakatable

Pick Apply for assistance (you can also choose Volunteer or Register a nonprofit), then Continue.

3 · Terms & Conditions

Read the terms, check "I have read and agree…", and click Accept & Continue. You'll land on your Dashboard.

Apply for assistance

From the Dashboard, click New Application (or the Start a request quick action). The application wizard has eight steps. Your progress is saved automatically — leave anytime with Save & Exit and you'll be offered Resume or Start fresh when you return.

What happens after you submit: your request is matched with organizations near you, who review it and pledge funds. You'll see "Application submitted successfully!" and land on your application's page.

Two messages you might see on submit

• "This looks like a duplicate request" — you already have a similar open application. Choose Submit anyway only if it's genuinely a new need.
• "Request received" — there's no participating organization in your area yet. Your request is saved, and you'll be notified when one joins.

Track your application

Your Dashboard's Your requests card lists recent applications with a status badge and amount — click any row to open it, or View all.

On the application page, the top banner tells you where things stand:

The progress tracker below shows the four broad stages: Submitted → In review → Funded → Completed. The page also shows Funding (how many organizations were reached, and each one's status), Receiving your assistance (contact info for the organizations helping you), and your Documents.

Respond to an interview request

Sometimes a reviewing organization wants to speak with you before deciding. You'll get a notification, the Dashboard shows a blue Interview Request alert with a Respond Now button, and the application page shows an Interview card with the type, proposed time, and location or meeting link. (The Interviews page in the sidebar lists all requests.)

You have three options:

• Accept — confirms the proposed time. The card then shows "Confirmed for: …" with the meeting link or interviewer's phone number.
• Decline — turns it down.
• Request a different time — type when works better for you (e.g., "weekday evenings after 6pm") and click Send request.

Message an organization

Click Messages in the sidebar (the red badge shows unread messages).

• Start a conversation: click New Message, pick an organization (only organizations reviewing your applications appear), optionally link it to an application, then write your subject and message. You can attach files.
• Reply: open a conversation, type in the box at the bottom, and send.
• Each conversation has a View application link so you both know which request you're discussing.

Cancel an application

If you no longer need the assistance:

1. Open the application and scroll to the "No longer need this?" card.
2. Click Cancel application.
3. Explain why in the "Why are you cancelling?" box and click Submit cancellation request.

This sends a request — the reviewing organization confirms the cancellation. Until then the card shows "Cancellation requested — waiting for the reviewing organization to decide."

Notifications and following organizations

Notifications

Click the bell icon in the header. You'll see updates about your applications (including funding milestones like "50% Funded" and "Fully Funded!"), interview requests, messages, and community news. Use Mark all read or dismiss items individually.

Following organizations

Click My Organizations in the sidebar:

• My Organizations tab — organizations you follow. Use Preferences to control what updates you receive, or Unfollow.
• Browse Organizations tab — find organizations in your Metro area or Nearby (adjustable radius, default 50 miles). Click Follow Organization to receive their announcements and events.

Need help?

• Use the Get help quick action on the Dashboard to message your case team.
• The AI Assistant in the sidebar can answer questions about using the portal.
• The portal is available in English, العربية, and اردو — switch languages from the selector in the header.