Organization: Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation
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Change Management 
Theory of Change (ToC) Resource Appendix
This resource appendix is a compilation of useful resources intended as a follow-on to the DSN’s writing on theories of change for digital transformation in government. Practitioners can use these resources to DIY their ToC after reading our essays.
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Management 
The Move to Digital Government Requires More Than Just Tech
Processes, power and people are also crucial elements.
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Communications 
Breaking Through the Noise: Building a Trusted Source of Information for COVID-19
When COVID-19 hit, the State of New Jersey recognized the need to both receive data on the spread of the disease from the public and provide information to them on how to mitigate it.
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Management 
Making a Successful Shift to Digital-first Government
As they transition to providing more services online, there are ways governments can get creative working around talent shortages and entrenched bureaucracies.
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Digital Identity 
Analysis: Digital Authentication and Identity Proofing Requirements in Unemployment Insurance Applications
In February 2023, the Digital Benefits Network at the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation released a dataset documenting authentication and identity verification requirements that unemployment insurance (UI) applicants encounter across the United States. This resource outlines high-level observations from the data and more information about the research process.
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Digitizing Policy + Rules as Code 
Project Snapshot: ACCESS NYC & Benefits Screening API
The NYC Mayor’s Office for Economic Opportunity (NYC Opportunity) developed the NYC Benefits Platform, including ACCESS NYC, to help residents easily discover and check eligibility for over 80 social programs. This mobile-first, open-source tool uses a simple eligibility screener, reducing access barriers while allowing integration with other city services like MyCity, ensuring efficient access to benefits.
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Digital Identity 
Digital Benefits Network Quarterly Call: What’s Next for Digital Identity in Public Benefits?
Identity proofing, authentication, and online access to benefits applications have been increasingly important issues for benefits agencies since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the call, we heard from two speakers: April Dunlap, Policy Administrator for Arizona’s Department of Economic Security and Professor Michele Gilman, Venable Professor of Law and Associate Dean for Faculty Research and Development at the University of Baltimore School of Law.
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Digital Identity 
Digital Identity and Public Benefits: Announcing a New Research Agenda
An announcement about the Digital Benefits Network's new research agenda on digital identity in public benefits.
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Digital Identity 
Digital Identity and the Federal Government: Recent Actions and Interest
In recent years, the federal government has taken notice of cybersecurity, identity management, authentication, and identity proofing issues. This short resource guide highlights some key actions at the federal level around digital identity topics in 2022.
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Digitizing Policy + Rules as Code 
Project Snapshot: Alluma: One-x-Connection
Alluma is a nonprofit that provides digital solutions to simplify eligibility screening and enrollment for social benefit programs, supporting cross-benefit access in 45 counties and two states. Their One-x-Connection product suite streamlines Medicaid and SNAP applications using a business rules engine, with a focus on human-centered design and anonymous, simplified eligibility checks, having helped screen over 10 million individuals and submitted over 67 million applications.
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Digitizing Policy + Rules as Code 
Project Snapshot: PolicyEngine
PolicyEngine is a nonprofit that provides a free, open-source web app enabling users in the US and UK to estimate taxes and benefits at the household level, while also simulating the effects of policy changes. By combining tax and benefits data, PolicyEngine helps individuals and policymakers better understand the impacts of existing policies and proposed reforms, using microsimulation models built from legislation and enhanced survey data.
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Human-Centered Design 
Project Snapshot: The “Income Passport”: Income Verification for Gig Workers in Louisiana and Alabama
In response to COVID-19, the Workers Lab and Steady developed the "Income Passport" to streamline gig workers' unemployment benefit applications by pulling income data directly from gig platforms and financial accounts. This tool reduced manual verification time, helped prevent fraud, and improved workers' access to full benefits, with successful tests in Alabama and Louisiana demonstrating significant time savings and improved service delivery.