Franklin Soil & Water Modernizes Rebate Payments with Choice Digital

Franklin Soil & Water Conservation District manages programs that support sustainable practices across Franklin County, Ohio. Their flagship initiative, Community Backyards, provides education and financial incentives for residents to adopt eco-friendly practices like installing rain barrels, composting, and planting native species.

As participation grew year over year, the administrative side of the rebate program struggled to keep pace. Reliance on paper checks created slow turnaround times, significant staff workload, and frustration for residents waiting weeks to receive their incentives. Franklin Soil & Water sought a solution that could streamline payments, scale with demand, and maintain full compliance as a government-funded program.

The rebate process was the most time-intensive part of Community Backyards. Each transaction required manual review, approval, and the printing and mailing of checks. With more than 3,300 participants in a single year, the volume quickly became overwhelming.

• Slow delivery: Checks often took weeks to arrive, delaying the satisfaction of completing the program. Some were even lost or never cashed.

• Heavy admin workload: Staff spent hours preparing checks, collecting signatures from directors, and handling re-issuance when problems occurred.

• Limited accessibility: Offering only paper checks made the program less flexible for residents who preferred faster, digital options.

• Audit pressure: As a government entity, Franklin Soil & Water needed clear, accessible records for reporting and compliance, which manual processes struggled to provide.

To address these challenges, Franklin Soil & Water partnered with Choice Digital to implement its SurePay disbursement platform. The platform gave staff full control over setup and execution, while creating a better experience for participants.

Key features included:

• Payment choice: Participants could select ACH, prepaid card, PayPal, digital wallet, or a traditional check. This flexibility made the program more accessible and participant-friendly.

• Custom-branded communications: All emails, letters, and payment experiences were tailored with Franklin Soil & Water’s branding for consistency and trust.

• Streamlined administration: Payments were automated, eliminating the need to manually prepare and sign hundreds of checks each week.

• Robust reporting: Staff could quickly generate detailed reports to satisfy auditors and track program impact in real time.

• Scalable setup: The platform’s pricing and configuration made sense for a county-level program, with no pressure to overcommit funds upfront.

The impact was immediate. By eliminating check-based delays and automating workflows, Franklin Soil & Water transformed its incentive program into a smoother, more efficient process.

• Faster payments: Rebates were delivered in days instead of weeks, improving the participant experience.

• Staff efficiency: Administrative workload was reduced significantly, freeing staff to focus on education and site visits rather than paperwork.

• Improved participant trust: Residents appreciated being able to choose their preferred payment method and had fewer complaints about lost or delayed checks.

• Audit readiness: Reports could be pulled instantly, providing transparency and confidence for both internal stakeholders and auditors.

• Program growth: With reduced friction, Franklin Soil & Water could confidently scale Community Backyards as participation continued to rise year over year.

Franklin Soil & Water’s partnership with Choice Digital simplified what had long been the most complex part of its Community Backyards program. By removing administrative roadblocks and ensuring participants receive incentives quickly and reliably, the team now has greater confidence in running, and expanding, a program that continues to grow each year.

With payments no longer a source of frustration, Franklin Soil & Water can stay focused on its broader mission: helping residents make sustainable choices that strengthen the community and environment.