Before any tech solution can be implemented in government, it should be tested. That\u2019s the motivation behind a nonprofit\u2019s funding initiative that aims to help public sector agencies and other organizations test their artificial intelligence-based public benefit improvement projects.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Up to $10 million in funding is up for grabs for organizations looking to explore and experiment with emerging technologies for enhancing the delivery of public benefits, the Center for Civic Futures, a nonprofit dedicated to assisting governments adopt AI responsibly, announced<\/a> this week.\u00a0<\/p>\n The funds, administered through CCF\u2019s Public Benefits Innovation Fund, will be divided among awards ranging from $150,000 to $2 million to support benefit modernization projects that leverage AI to improve backend processes. Government agencies, startups, nonprofits, academic institutions and other organizations are encouraged to apply.<\/p>\n The Public Benefits Innovation Fund announcement comes as benefit agencies scramble to comply with federal rule changes to Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The new rules, established by President Donald Trump\u2019s \u201cOne Big, Beautiful Bill<\/a>\u201d will pressure agencies to revamp their enrollment and eligibility systems in order to comply with new work requirements and cost-sharing rates.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re at this truly transformative moment, and what really matters is that government leaders have safe, candid spaces where they can talk to each other about what’s going on, and that they’re not having to learn things on their own in silos,\u201d said Cass Madison, executive director of CCF.\u00a0<\/p>\n While improving constituents\u2019 frontend experiences of a benefit system through tools like chatbots<\/a> or eligibility screeners has been popular across benefit agencies, Madison pointed to a growing implementation gap facing those agencies.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cYou can make it easier for people to understand that they\u2019re eligible for SNAP and fill out an application, but if, once their application is submitted, and it gets caught in backend, administrative backlogs [like] verification processes, I think there\u2019s a really strong argument that we actually haven\u2019t made people\u2019s lives better,\u201d she explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n That\u2019s why the PBIF prioritizes three focus areas: improving backend processes, using data effectively and modernizing tech infrastructure. Proposed projects can, for instance, entail an organization’s use of generative AI to review SNAP case files and flag errors for remediation, according to CCF\u2019s request for proposals<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Other acceptable project examples include tools that anonymize or otherwise prepare sensitive datasets used for training AI models for benefit determination and administration, leverage AI to enable system modularization or code modernization, offer sandbox environments to test and train AI models, and others.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe believe the goal of experimentation is to learn what works and what doesn\u2019t in a safe and contained way, so that the broader field can adapt and improve,\u201d the request for proposals reads.\u00a0<\/p>\n The PBIF also entails two tracks for applicants to pursue, based on their project status. One track is designed for agencies that have \u201cshovel-ready\u201d prototypes ready to be tested and validated in real-world environments, Madison said. Awardees in the pilot track will have 12 to 24 months to work on their projects and receive investments between $500,000 and $2 million.\u00a0<\/p>\n The other track will serve agencies that have projects in the research and development phase, enabling them to test \u201ca specific hypothesis in a controlled or sandbox environment,\u201d according to the request for proposals. This track will help organizations demonstrate that their proposed intervention can resolve an administration problem, which will take six to 12 months, Madison said. Awardees in the early-concept category will receive up to $500,000.\u00a0<\/p>\n Beyond funding, awardees will also have access to a cohort of other organizations dedicated to \u201cmaximize support for their projects and their chances of success,\u201d Madison said. For example, CCF has an agreement with Better Government Lab to offer further technical assistance, such as evaluating project impact or ROI.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Recoding America Fund will also serve as a partner to help agencies address structural and operational barriers to adopting innovative tech solutions for benefit system enhancement.\u00a0<\/p>\n