Background
When Hurricane Helene struck Western North Carolina, Addison Fuller found himself stranded away from his family's mountain-top community in Swannanoa. Cut off from loved ones but determined to help, he turned to Reddit and his smartphone to remotely organize volunteers for search and rescue operations. What started as an improvised crisis response to help one isolated community quickly evolved into a movement–100 volunteers mobilized across five counties and two states, providing critical aid where large agencies struggled to reach.
Despite their impact and partnerships with global organizations, the informal grassroots group faced an all-too-common challenge: the bureaucratic hurdles of becoming a nonprofit prevented them from accessing donations and sustaining their efforts. Volunteers risked burnout as they juggled urgent needs with the exhausting process of proving their legitimacy to funders.
The experience revealed a crucial insight–while large organizations have resources, they often lack the agility and local knowledge to act effectively in the immediate aftermath of a crisis. Meanwhile, grassroots groups are deeply embedded in their communities but lack the financial infrastructure to sustain their work. Recognizing this gap, Addison partnered with co-founder Matt Corzine to build FastRoots—a technology platform designed to amplify grassroots impact, streamline collaboration, and secure sustainable funding.
FastRoots isn’t just about emergency response; it’s about ensuring that community-driven initiatives have the tools to turn their expertise into lasting change. By providing a transparent, real-time system for tracking needs, mobilizing resources, and demonstrating impact, FastRoots empowers grassroots organizations to secure funding without losing focus on what matters most–helping their communities thrive.
Team
Addison (Addi) Fuller, Co-founder & Chief Product Officer
Addison Fuller is the Co-Founder and Chief Product Officer of FastRoots, working alongside Matt Corzine to reinvent how grassroots organizations and funders move fast and grow roots with live data. The inspiration for FastRoots emerged during Hurricane Helene in Western North Carolina, where Addison successfully orchestrated a large-scale emergency response effort that mobilized 100 volunteers across five counties and two states using only a smartphone, social media, and spreadsheets.
Prior to founding FastRoots, Addison transformed the construction industry as an executive at the fastest-growing construction technology company in the United States. He built and unified product, brand, and people operations teams that revolutionized project delivery for the nation's largest general contractors through data-driven insights.
Under his leadership, general contractors achieved data-driven project success by orchestrating complex collaboration among project workforces of up to 2,000 people on projects ranging from $500M to $5B, spanning data centers, government bases, hospitals, and more. This resulted in the delivery of projects safely, securely, on time, within budget, and dispute-free.
With a proven track record of leading data-driven, collaborative operations for entrenched industries to achieve unprecedented success, Addison is dedicated to revolutionizing how grassroots organizations and funders collaborate to amplify community-led impact.
Matt Corzine, Co-founder & Chief Executive Officer
As Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of FastRoots, Matt Corzine works alongside Addison Fuller to revolutionize how grassroots organizations secure funding and maximize their impact. With a deep background in executive leadership, business innovation, and strategic advising, Matt brings decades of experience to the table, ensuring that high-impact community efforts receive the resources they need to thrive.
Before co-founding FastRoots, Matt led GSA National as President, where he spearheaded strategic growth initiatives and guided the organization through transformative industry shifts. A significant part of his work involved serving nonprofit clients within the AbilityOne Program, helping them navigate complex fringe benefit regulations and secure government contracts. His philosophy prioritizes operational excellence, data-driven decision-making, and mission-driven innovation.
Beyond FastRoots, Matt is actively engaged in philanthropy. He plays a key role in the WNC Futures Fund, a donor-advised fund dedicated to social impact. Passionate about aligning resources with purpose, he is committed to leveraging his expertise to support community resilience, environmental restoration, and sustainable development.
With a proven track record of driving impact across both corporate and nonprofit sectors, Matt Corzine is dedicated to shaping the future of grassroots empowerment by harnessing technology to amplify community-led solutions.
Katy Calloway, CFRE, Strategic Advisor
Katy has spent three decades in nonprofit management. She is a founder and managing partner at Calloway Stern Group, a disruptive nonprofit consulting firm in Charleston, SC.
She received her Masters Degree in Arts and Cultural Management from Pratt Institute and has worked in multiple sectors including the arts, environment, special populations, education and social services. Katy has led numerous nonprofit organizations and Boards of Directors along the East Coast to increase program effectiveness and financial capacity. She excels at strategic initiatives, relationship management and fund development.
Katy was publicly elected to the Charleston County Constituent School Board for a second, four-year term in 2022, and is the founder of People in Partnership, the only exclusive fiscal sponsorship organization in South Carolina.
A lifelong learner, with a passion for education, Katy continues to refine her professional skills, rooted in a commitment to best ethical practices and visualized through a progressive lens. She is a Certified Fund Raising Executive® and 21/64 Certified Advisor, engaging philanthropists in conversation at the intersection of values and governance.