We wrapped up Rules as Code Demo Day with Max Ghenis and Nikhil Woodruff, the founders of PolicyEngine. The PolicyEngine web app computes the impact of tax and benefit policy in the US and the UK. With PolicyEngine, anyone can freely calculate their taxes and benefits under current law and customizable policy reforms, and also estimate the society-wide impacts of those reforms. Policymakers and think tanks from across the political spectrum can analyze actual policy. PolicyEngine is built atop the open source OpenFisca US and UK microsimulation models and they are building an open unified data set utilizing data from the Policy Rules Database, Current Population Survey, Survey of Consumer Finances, Consumer Expenditures, tax records, and IRS Public Use File.
On July 16, members of the Digital Identity Community of practice gathered to learn how peers are gathering beneficiary feedback on their experiences with accounts and proving their identity.
A comprehensive resource guide providing an overview of mobile driver’s licenses (mDLs) in the United States, including their implementation status, technical standards, and key privacy and accessibility considerations.
This publication describes the research process and protocol used in the Digital Benefits Networks research project, "Digital Account Creation and Identity Proofing in Public Benefits Applications."
An event recap from one of FormFest 2024's closing main stage session featuring speakers from the City of Portland, Oregon and New York City, New York.
A profile on FormFest speaker Karissa Minnich, a civic design manager with The Lab @ DC, whose innovative approach to redesigning government forms has transformed paperwork into a model of human-centered design.
This FormFest profile describes how California rapidly simplified disaster-aid processes for wildfire survivors by auditing 22 forms across eight agencies and developing a concept for a universal eligibility form and relief portal.
Across the United States, a number of state and local governments are embarking on digital transformation efforts. This case study is part of the Beeck Center’s Digital Service Teams project, which is learning how leading government digital service units are introducing new approaches to service delivery. Beeck Center researchers are documenting work as it happens, including analyzing challenges and opportunities, and disseminating this information to benefit both the people of New York City and collaborators in other governments.
Benefits Data Trust (BDT) is a nonprofit that connects people to public benefits through a streamlined, phone-based application system called Benefits Launch, which reduces redundant questions and speeds up the process for multiple programs. BDT's approach, supported by a custom-built rules engine, has facilitated over 800,000 benefit enrollments, helping secure over $9 billion for eligible households across seven states.
