Improving Benefits Access

The US government distributes nearly a trillion dollars each year through major public benefits programs like Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, EITC and TANF. These programs make up our social safety net. And study after study after study shows that the social safety net is a smart investment in the future of America, boosting economic mobility, making children more likely to graduate from high school, attend higher education, and enter the middle class. The reach isn’t small: more than 70% of Americans will benefit from safety net programs over the course of their lifetime, making them critical to millions of families.

However, access to public benefits programs is often riddled with complex barriers – physical, psychological, and emotional – that, when coupled with poor overall awareness of eligibility, leaves billions of dollars of unclaimed benefits annually. Poorly designed applications, underfunded agencies, onerous recertification processes, and wide variability in state-by-state administration are just a handful of the major contributors to this dynamic.

With so much unclaimed support, how do philanthropic institutions like Ballmer Group help to address this gap and make sure families can get resources they are eligible for, resources that can play in a role in their economic mobility? We found two strategies that are guiding our grantmaking. First, invest in key organizations that mirror our technical roots and focus on human-centered design thinking that centers on the experience of the applicants (in lieu of designing for compliance, etc.). And second, fund support for government adoption of modern technology solutions, including approaches for outreach and awareness.

A great example of this work comes from Michigan, home of Ballmer Group's Southeast Michigan team and Detroit office. Some of the state’s benefits programs – for things like food and healthcare - had cumbersome application processes, including a 40 page, 1,000 question, 18,000 word application that served as a decades long barrier to families trying to access services and benefits. In partnership with the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, our grantee Civilla conducted extensive research to gain a deep understanding of the exact needs of residents, as well as frontline government staff. They then designed a new application process that was 80 percent shorter than the previous system and could be administered in half the time – which means that applicants had an improved, dignified experience and a shorter wait to receive their benefits. It made life better for government, too. Read more about Civilla’s project here.

Additional examples of grantees from our portfolio:

• Benefits Data Trust - A Philadelphia based proactive benefits outreach and data team that leverages technology and policy to ensure that individuals/families are fully aware of their benefit eligibility, and giving them a streamlined dignified experience to access those benefits.

• US Digital Response - A virtually based technology organization connecting experienced technologists to federal, state, and local government in need of capacity and support.

• Beeck Center at Georgetown University helping organize the field by connecting nonprofits, government agencies, technology providers, and thought leaders working on benefits access to ensure that effective solutions have more pathways to scale.

Benefits programs are one of the clearest paths to supporting families – but in order to be helpful, they must actually get to the individuals who need them. This simple truth has guided our grantmaking in this area. When we improve access to available public benefits, in an equitable way, families are better able to build economic stability and upward mobility.