Case Study
Centralizing federal benefits eligibility awareness and access
Simplifying benefits discovery experience during life’s most critical moments
Challenge
Many people who are eligible for help in times of crisis and change — when facing a job loss or natural disaster — do not claim benefits that might help them. In fact, according to research, an estimated 60 billion dollars in benefits remains unclaimed each year.
Some of this is due to a lack of awareness of available benefits and confusion about where to look for them. For individuals in need, identifying and claiming benefits is far from straightforward. The benefit information is generally siloed by agency, so if someone wanted to find the benefits available, this fragmented structure could easily overwhelm them, leaving vital aid untapped.
Imagine a grieving spouse or a worker facing sudden unemployment — already under immense stress — trying to navigate benefits scattered across agencies like the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, FEMA, the Department of Labor, Social Security Administration, and more.
How could we streamline the benefits discovery process, break down information silos, and create a centralized, user-friendly resource? Our goal was clear: to ensure that every eligible individual could access the benefits they need during life’s most challenging moments. We needed to find a way to make it easier and faster for people to find the benefits they need and are eligible for.
Our approach
We began by partnering closely with teams across the federal landscape to discover the benefits available to individuals in times of crisis. Through this collaborative effort, we identified key resources provided by agencies, particularly for families coping with the loss of a loved one. To ensure our solution met the diverse needs of users, we built a multilingual site that was extremely fast, very secure, highly user-friendly, and respectful of the privacy of our users.
Next, we ran a series of interviews, usability studies, and focus groups with a variety of individuals across a range of backgrounds, including users of assistive technologies. Incorporating their feedback helped us focus on what delivered the best value as quickly and efficiently as possible while also reducing potential barriers that may have undercut adoption and usability. The key pillars of our strategy were:
Rapid development: We focused on speed and efficiency, prioritizing features that delivered immediate value while leveraging shared infrastructure and tools to reduce costs and complexity.
Security by design: A secure site protects users and delivers long-term savings by preventing costly remediation. Hence, we made it our cornerstone approach from day one. We employed tools and processes that were auditable and observable while reducing the possibility and potential scope of security incidents. Since security incidents are expensive to remediate, a safer site not only protects users but also saves time and resources in the long run.
Scalability: We drastically cut back on development time, effort, and investment by leveraging open-source tools, languages, formats, and libraries. Sharing the results with other agencies further amplified the impact, enabling them to save money and benefit from our work, too.
Data-driven QA: Accessibility, plain language, and rigorous testing were central to our process, enabling us to identify and address potential issues before launch. The goal was to deliver an exceptional user experience from the first click to the final action.
Technology stack
Outcomes
Motivated by a desire to support people during life’s hardest moments, we successfully designed a solution that made finding eligible benefits simpler and less overwhelming. Early users found it easy to navigate and shared that they felt more confident in understanding available support. One participant emphasized its potential impact if more people knew it existed—highlighting the need for continued outreach and visibility.
This project reminded us that technology doesn’t need to be flashy to be impactful—it just needs to meet people where they are, especially when they need help the most.Explore how to identify and apply for benefits during the death of a loved one on Benefit Finder.
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