The Human Utility
The Human Utility seeks to eliminate water service disconnections for…
The Human Utility is active in the unspecified space based in Oakland, CA, USA; Remote.
Profile
Founded July 2014, The Human Utility (formerly known as the Detroit Water Project) matches families needing help with utility bills to people who want to help through payments directly to utility companies.
For over 40 million families in the United States, water and other essential utilities may be unaffordable. In order to afford utilities, families often forgo medication, food, and transportation. The Human Utility's platform divides a bill similar to a loan syndicate expanding the possible number of donors from around the world able to join together to ensure families never lose access to utility service. Donors are matched with a specific family or donate to a universal assistance fund.
Later, we use utility data to design interventions addressing the root causes of why people need help with their utility bills with the goal of never having them lose service again.
The company sits in the unspecified segment, where it competes on its core product or service.
The company is recorded as being based in Oakland, CA, USA; Remote.
It is recorded at the Winter 2015 stage.
Its team size is recorded as 2 employees.
Directory analysis
The Human Utility is a U.S. remote-based nonprofit that connects families needing utility bill assistance with donors who can pay directly to utility companies, aiming to prevent disconnections. Founded in July 2014 (formerly the Detroit Water Project), it uses a platform that splits a bill into smaller contributions, similar to a loan syndicate, allowing many donors worldwide to help. The organization also plans to use utility data to design interventions addressing the root causes of utility unaffordability.
Positioning: The organization operates in the social impact space, focusing on utility assistance for low‑income families. Its model leverages crowd‑funding and data analytics to address a critical public service need, positioning it as a niche player in the broader nonprofit ecosystem.
Note: The Human Utility matches donors with families to keep water and other utilities on.
Auto-generated directory analysis from public data · updated 6 Oct 2026. Informational only, not investment advice.
| Sector | Unspecified |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | Oakland, CA, USA; Remote |
| Country | USA; Remote |
| Employees | 2 |
| Stage | Winter 2015 |
Website: www.detroitwaterproject.org
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