Children's Defense Fund
Bridge to Benefits
Purpose of grant: For enhancements to the Bridge to Benefits program
Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) conducts research, educates the community and advocates for effective tax, social and health policies on behalf of the state’s children.
CDF Minnesota has developed a Bridge to Benefits project combining information technology and community organizing to create a long-term, sustainable enrollment strategy for many public programs that help stabilize working families and keep them independent of welfare and cash assistance programs.
The project relies on a website that provides a quick screening tool for families to determine potential eligibility and program information on seven work support programs (Minnesota Care, Medical Assistance, General Assistance Medical Care, Energy Assistance, Food Support, School Meals, Child Care Assistance) and two tax credits (Earned Income Tax Credit and Working Family Tax Credit).
Bridge to Benefits relies on three basic elements: the website, an on-line screening tool and an infrastructure of community partners to help clients apply for programs for which they are eligible.
CDF is requesting support for four purposes:
1) A technology investment to allow families to go beyond knowing whether they are eligible and providing information about the dollar value of each benefit ($30,000).
2) The addition of a screening tool to determine whether families are eligible for the WIC (Women, Infants and Children) benefit program ($15,000).
3) Mini-grants to partner agencies to allow CDF to provide small dollar amounts to community based organizations in Greater Minnesota to remove barriers to effectively use the Bridge to Benefits web based screening tool ($20,000). Mini-grants are often used to purchase computers for food shelves so clients can be screened for eligibility for additional supports.
4) Transitional operating support. Bridge to Benefits has relied heavily on major grant support from the Bush Foundation that will conclude in March 2010.
The cost of the Minnesota Bridge to Benefits core program is about $200,000. A transitional grant of $100,000 will help meet 2010 operating expenses as CDF implements their focused plan to secure support from major regional and/or national foundations.
Visit the Bridge to Benefits Minnesota website