FAQs

The Community Flywheel is our self-reinforcing ecosystem where each program supports the others, creating continuous cycles of generosity and collaboration. A patron's donation can fund a Helper to deliver a Resource Share item; the same church may later commission art through the Gallery or host a Learning Hub course. These interconnected activities create network effects that amplify participation, revenue, and impact.

Yes! The RCA app (platform) is a community coordination system designed to bring churches, creatives, businesses, Helpers, and supporters into one connected digital ecosystem. While the platform is faith-inspired and led by the faith-based community, participation is open to all faiths, all backgrounds, and all businesses that want to serve their communities in practical ways. At its core, RCA functions as a shared operating space where users can discover opportunities, exchange resources, commission creative work, schedule services, and track real-world impact through a unified, role-based dashboard.

RCA seamlessly integrates multiple programs—including the Creative Arts Gallery, Resource Share, Helper Program, Gig Network, Learning Center, and Canvassing & Campaign Support—into a single experience. Churches and community organizations can find support, businesses can contribute goods or services, artists can share and sell work, and Helpers and gig drivers can earn income. Built-in messaging, scheduling, payments, delivery tracking, and reviews ensure transparency and accountability. RCA owns and manages its core technology and data infrastructure, allowing all activity to flow into one system for reporting, compliance, and improvement.

What sets RCA apart is its purpose-driven engagement layer, which uses light gamification—points, badges, voting, matches, and challenges—to encourage participation while tying every action to tangible outcomes. The faith-based community is spearheading this effort to address real needs in underserved areas, but the impact is collective: generosity, creativity, and service from people of all faiths and businesses of all sizes come together to create measurable community good. RCA is not just an app—it is a scalable digital infrastructure for communities to work better together.

RCA’s donation system is designed to make generosity active, visible, and outcome-driven rather than passive or abstract. Donations can be given through campaigns, matches, challenges, checkout add-ons, and program-specific prompts across the platform. Each contribution is tagged at the point of entry with clear intent—such as supporting Helper pay, delivery costs, creative commissions, or outreach campaigns—and processed through secure third-party payment providers. From the start, every donation is connected to a real service pathway, ensuring donors understand not just that they gave, but what their giving is meant to do.

To sustain engagement, RCA layers in gamified match and challenge mechanics that encourage participation and momentum. Match-based donations allow gifts to be amplified through sponsor pools or RCA subsidy funds, while challenge-based giving introduces shared goals, time-bound milestones, and progress tracking. These mechanics use visual indicators like progress bars and countdowns to show collective movement toward outcomes such as “fund 20 deliveries” or “unlock 10 Helper shifts.” Importantly, the gamification is always tied to tangible results—each milestone corresponds to real-world action, not symbolic rewards—keeping generosity meaningful and mission-aligned.

Behind the scenes, all donations, matches, credits, and redemptions are stored in RCA’s centralized platform database with full traceability. Funds are often converted into credits, vouchers, or subsidies that churches and organizations can apply directly to services, ensuring money flows quickly into action while remaining governed by clear rules and expiration logic. As donations are used, outcomes are logged—deliveries completed, Helpers paid, artwork commissioned—creating a feedback loop that donors, churches, and partners can see. This system transforms giving into a continuous cycle of trust, participation, and impact, reinforcing RCA’s community flywheel and long-term sustainability.

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Art Voting on the RCA Platform

Art voting on RCA is designed to be participatory, meaningful, and tied to real outcomes, not passive likes. Users—including churches, patrons, artists, and community members—can vote on artwork through several mechanisms. These include standard engagement voting (likes, saves, and featured votes), campaign-based voting (where art is submitted for a specific church project, event, or canvassing campaign), and challenge-based voting tied to time-bound goals. For example, a church may open a call for mural designs or flyer artwork, and community votes help surface finalists or determine which piece moves forward for commissioning or print.

Votes are weighted by context rather than popularity alone. Some votes are open-access to encourage broad participation, while others are tied to verified accounts, earned points, or campaign participation to ensure fairness and seriousness. Importantly, voting outcomes are not symbolic—highly voted pieces can unlock commissions, print-on-demand placement, featured gallery spots, or funding through match-based donation pools. This ensures artists are rewarded with visibility and opportunity, not just attention.

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Gamification Mechanics Across the Platform

Gamification on RCA is intentionally purpose-driven, reinforcing service, generosity, and collaboration rather than entertainment. Users earn points, badges, and progress milestones for actions such as voting on art, completing gigs, funding campaigns, delivering items, teaching or completing Learning Center courses, and participating in canvassing efforts. These mechanics are lightweight but persistent, encouraging consistent engagement across programs without overshadowing the mission.

Points and badges are not cosmetic—they unlock real utility. Accumulated points may increase profile visibility, unlock eligibility for certain votes or challenges, generate credits toward services, or qualify users for invitations to featured campaigns. Badges and certifications (especially from the Learning Center) signal trust and readiness, influencing how churches and organizations select artists, Helpers, or gig workers.

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Challenges, Matches, and Community Momentum

Challenges and matches are where voting, giving, and gamification intersect. RCA regularly hosts challenge-based initiatives—such as “Fund 10 Artist Commissions,” “Unlock 25 Deliveries,” or “Vote to Activate a Community Campaign”—where collective participation drives progress toward a visible goal. Votes, donations, completed gigs, or course completions may all contribute toward the same challenge meter, reinforcing the idea that different forms of participation matter equally.

Matched challenges amplify momentum by doubling impact through sponsor pools, partner contributions, or RCA subsidy funds. As milestones are reached, outcomes are triggered in real time: Helpers are paid, artwork is printed and delivered, or campaigns move from planning to execution. Progress bars, countdowns, and update notifications keep the community informed, while post-challenge summaries close the loop by showing exactly what was accomplished.

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Why This Matters

Together, art voting and gamification create a community flywheel where creativity, service, and generosity reinforce one another. Artists gain visibility that leads to income, churches gain creative input and affordable support, donors see tangible results, and everyday users feel ownership in outcomes. By tying every vote, point, and challenge to real-world action—tracked, stored, and reported through RCA’s platform—RCA transforms engagement into measurable impact while preserving trust, fairness, and mission alignment.

RCA operates through a two-part structure: Redeemed Creative Arts, LLC handles technology and revenue activities, while Redeemed Creative Arts Foundation, Inc. oversees education, outreach, and grant-funded programs. The LLC owns all intellectual property and licenses it to the nonprofit at cost through written service agreements, ensuring IRS compliance and transparent financial management.

On secular platforms, creators often lose 15–20% of each sale to transaction fees. RCA provides a 5% commission alternative where artists retain ownership of their work, increase their earnings by 10-15% compared to secular platforms, and establish direct relationships with churches and patrons. Licensing tools and watermark protection safeguard original works.

Each Helper must complete a verification process including reference checks, proof of experience, and optional background screening through RCA's third-party partner. Standardized service agreements and digital payment tracking mitigate risk, while GPS check-ins support deliveries and on-site work. Emergency contact tools are available for quick response.

A donor gives money to a program or to the platform as a whole and hopes it helps (it does!). Once the donation is made, their role is usually finished. They might get a receipt or a thank you, but they do not stay connected to what happens next. A patron is different. A patron does not just give, they participate. In RCA, patrons help fund specific artists, campaigns, churches, Helpers, and community projects. They can see where their support goes, watch progress, unlock matches, and even earn points and recognition for being involved. Their contribution becomes part of an ongoing relationship, not a one time transaction.

In short,
a donor gives to a cause,
but a patron helps build it.

How do I become a gig driver? To become a gig driver with Redeemed Creative Arts, you start by creating a Helper account in the RCA app or on the website. You will choose “Gig Driver” as one of your service roles and enter basic information about your vehicle, availability, and the type of deliveries you can handle, such as small packages, artwork, furniture, or event supplies. RCA then guides you through a quick verification process that may include a driver’s license check, insurance verification, and a basic background screening. Once approved, you will begin receiving local delivery requests from churches, artists, and Resource Share partners. You can accept jobs that fit your schedule, complete pickups and drop offs, and get paid directly through the RCA platform.

RCA "Gig" drivers are not just delivery people. They move:
- Art Gallery orders
- Resource Share items
- Canvassing materials
- Church and ministry supplies
- Event equipment
- Promotional kits
- Courses, books, and merchandise

To work as a canvasser, you sign up as a Helper and select “Canvassing and Outreach” as one of your service options. You will complete a short onboarding that explains how campaigns work, how to approach the public respectfully, and how to use the RCA app to track your work. Churches, community groups, and local organizations create campaigns through RCA and provide print materials or digital links that you will use while canvassing. When you accept a campaign, you will receive your route, talking points, and materials through the app. As you complete visits, distribute flyers, or collect sign ups, your activity is tracked and you are paid based on the campaign terms, with bonuses available through matches, challenges, and performance rewards.

Our sustainable model includes: Resource Share Marketplace (2-3% transaction fees), Creative Arts Gallery (5% commission), Helper Network (1.5-10% service fees and premium subscriptions), Educational Hub (5% platform fee), and Campaign Support (tiered participation fees). We project achieving operational break-even within 18-24 months and 40% cost recovery by Year 3.

Join our Helper Network by completing our verification process which includes reference checks and optional background screening. Helpers can participate in both paid engagements (with 1.5-10% service fees) and unpaid opportunities. RCA aims to creates flexible service opportunities for skilled professionals, musicians, designers, and drivers.