MyFriendBen Launches in North Carolina, Using PolicyEngine API

Our rules engine powers the open-source multi-benefit screener and its expansion beyond Colorado.

We're pleased to share that MyFriendBen has launched in North Carolina, making it the second state where this benefits screener helps residents identify potential financial support programs they may qualify for. This expansion aligns with PolicyEngine's mission to make tax and benefits systems more transparent and accessible to all.

Durham-based nonprofit Code the Dream, in partnership with MyFriendBen and NC 211, has brought this tool to North Carolina residents. MyFriendBen-NC (bennc.org) offers North Carolinians a way to discover which benefits and tax credits they may qualify for, including food assistance, health insurance, child care subsidies, and more.

The tool integrates with PolicyEngine's open-source API, which provides calculations for federal and state tax credits and major benefit programs like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, and TANF. By using our computational models, MyFriendBen can generate personalized reports with over 90% accuracy in approximately six minutes.

According to Dan Rearick, Co-Executive Director of Code the Dream, many North Carolina families face financial challenges and could benefit from better information about available support programs. The tool aims to help these individuals understand their options.

In Colorado, where MyFriendBen first launched, households discovered they may be eligible for benefits with an average monthly value of $1,500. This information can help families make informed decisions about which programs to apply for.

Community partners who tested the tool have noted its practical applications:

• Prince Mundeke Mushunju from Mundeke Gospel Mission in Greensboro noted that the tool helps him provide better information when directing people to social services.
• Yanira Vanegas Scott from El Refugio in Sanford highlighted how the tool provides information to families outside standard business hours.

The benefits landscape can be complex and difficult to navigate. As Louise Pocock, Senior Public Benefits Analyst at Code the Dream, noted: "North Carolina families don't know about or can't access programs they are eligible for."

The combination of MyFriendBen's user interface and PolicyEngine's computational capabilities helps address this complexity. Users can complete a survey, available in 12 languages, and receive a personalized report showing which programs they may qualify for, along with estimated dollar values and application time requirements.

The MyFriendBen-NC launch exemplifies the potential of open-source collaboration in addressing social challenges. By using PolicyEngine's API to perform complex benefit calculations, the MyFriendBen team could focus on creating an accessible user experience while ensuring accurate results.

It's important to acknowledge that this success was truly collaborative. Developers and benefit experts at MyFriendBen and Code the Dream worked closely with the PolicyEngine team to develop and implement the North Carolina rules. This cross-organizational expertise was crucial in adapting the calculations to North Carolina's specific benefit structures and eligibility requirements, demonstrating how shared knowledge can create more robust solutions.

We believe this model of collaboration—where specialized tools like our API can be integrated into user-facing applications and enhanced through multi-organization partnerships—represents the future of civic technology.

Are you a developer or organization interested in integrating tax and benefit calculations into your own tools? The PolicyEngine API that powers MyFriendBen's calculations is available for your projects as well.

Our open-source API can help you:

• Calculate eligibility and benefit amounts for major programs like SNAP, Medicaid, SSI, and TANF
• Estimate federal and state tax liabilities and credits
• Model the impact of policy reforms
• Create tools that help people understand their financial options

We invite developers, nonprofits, government agencies, and researchers to reach out to us at contact@policyengine.org to discuss how our API might support your work in making benefits and tax systems more transparent.

max ghenis
PolicyEngine's Co-founder and CEO

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