Connect differs in that consumers are able to self-enroll and report their own non-debt payment history, and they can build a positive credit file based on alternative data, such as timely payments for bills including rent, utilities, cable, telephone, and insurance that are not automatically reported to the other bureaus.
PRBC received two initial funding grants from the Ford Foundation in support of the company's mission to build a national data infrastructure that incorporates rental payments into credit reporting to benefit consumers.
[2] PRBC also received funding from the Omidyar Network, The Center for Financial Services Innovation and TTV Capital.
In December 2006, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac acknowledged that PRBC reports comply with standards for establishing the credit reputations of borrowers for loans that can be sold to them.
In December 2008, it was announced that PRBC was acquired by MicroBilt Corporation,[8] providing small to medium-sized businesses with the use of alternative data in order to make informed credit decisions.