Reimagining Government Services to Better Serve the Public

Code for America, a nonprofit founded in 2009, is dedicated to reforming government services to be simple, accessible, and effective for all Americans, particularly focusing on vulnerable populations. Initially, the organization operated through a fellowship model where small teams of developers collaborated with city governments to address community issues. However, realizing the need for broader impact, Code for America transitioned to creating full-time teams to manage digital services, ensuring long-term support for government agencies and communities. Key initiatives include Clear My Record, which automates the complicated process of criminal record clearance, and GetCalFresh, which streamlines access to California's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). GetCalFresh has significantly reduced application times and expanded its reach to all 58 counties in California, helping nearly a million people apply for SNAP benefits. As California reverses the SSI Cash-Out policy, Code for America anticipates an influx of new applicants and relies on tools like PagerDuty to maintain the platform's reliability. Through these efforts, Code for America is transforming government services to be more efficient and user-friendly, empowering vulnerable populations with the knowledge and tools they need to navigate public programs.