Organization: New America
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Lost in the Labyrinth: Helping Parents Navigate Early Care and Education Programs
The Lost in the Labyrinth brief examines how fragmented early care and education (ECE) programs across the U.S. create challenges for families seeking services for young children.
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The IRS as a Benefits Administrator
The IRS is arguably the single most critical benefits administrator in the country, given its responsibility for tax credit-based relief programs, and COVID-19 relief payments. Despite these programs’ incredible progress in reducing poverty, and despite great strides by the IRS to implement them successfully, accessing IRS benefits remains too difficult for many low-income families. This report presents a comprehensive agenda to increase benefit coverage rates, simplify Americans’ interactions with the IRS, and decrease the portion of IRS benefits diverted to third parties.
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Improving Public Programs for Low-Income Tax Filers
A New America report examines the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, highlighting its role in aiding low-income tax filers and offering recommendations to enhance public benefit access through improved tax filing assistance.
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Want to design policies that really work? Test them on the users who need them first
A step-by-step guide to how New Jersey used plain language and user-testing to improve the state’s paid family and medical leave program
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Better Data Sharing for Benefits Delivery
This policy brief outlines how improved data sharing between federal agencies, state and local governments, and institutions can leverage existing data from other benefits programs to streamline eligibility processes and benefits uptake for the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and other programs.
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MyFile: A Collaborative and Open-Source Approach to Transforming Public Service Delivery
This report details the development and deployment of My File, an open-source digital document management tool designed to help individuals securely store and share documents needed to access public services.
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Sprint 2 Report: Michigan Unemployment – Improving the delivery of unemployment insurance benefits
The Sprint 2 Report: Michigan UI Claimant Experience by Civilla and New America examines challenges in Michigan’s unemployment insurance (UI) system and provides human-centered design recommendations to improve accessibility, clarity, and user experience.
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Sprint 3 Report: Michigan Unemployment – Improving communication and messaging for unemployment insurance in Michigan
Confusing messaging and unclear communication from Michigan’s unemployment system create barriers for claimants, employers, and navigators.
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The Government has a Rare Chance to Modernize its Outdated Tech Systems. They Can’t Afford to Waste it.
Part of the $1.9 trillion recovery package that Biden signed into law includes a $1 billion grant to the Technology Modernization Fund. The fund’s purpose is to help federal agencies upgrade their cybersecurity and modernize their technology. The TMF is a chance for federal agencies to move toward a responsive model of government, where people quickly and easily access the resources they need.
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Participatory Planning to Build Stronger Early Childhood Policy and Programs
The article explores the importance of participatory planning in policymaking, emphasizing how engaging impacted communities improves program design, equity, and trust in government, with a focus on early childhood education initiatives.
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Visions for the Future at BenCon 2024
Leaders share their aspirations for excellence in digital benefits delivery and their reflections on BenCon and the work ahead.
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The Cash Assistance Implementation Playbook
The purpose of this document is to outline possible technical approaches to supporting a cash assistance program.