How to determine which benefit programs your agency should include on GovBenefits.gov

As you review your agency's portfolio of benefit programs and evaluate each program for possible inclusion in GovBenefits.gov, begin your evaluation with the following two questions:

1. Can an individual benefit directly from this program?
2. Does my agency define key beneficiary eligibility requirements?

If you can answer "Yes" to these questions, the program should be included in GovBenefits.gov. Put yourself in the individual's shoes. We should include programs you would want to know about if you fit the beneficiary profile.

To help clarify your decision making process further, here are some specific scenarios that our existing partners have come across, along with our responses:

Scenario #1: My agency funds this program, but an intermediary organization (non-profit, business, state/local government) administers the benefits to individual citizens.

Go back to the above two questions -- if the answers are "yes," the program should be included in GovBenefits.gov. The point of program administration is not relevant to this decision. An example of such a program would be a housing loan program administered by private sector lenders, but your agency funds and defines key eligibility rules.

Scenario #2: Other organizations define some of the eligibility criteria.

If your agency is the primary source of the program funding, typically your agency will define key beneficiary eligibility criteria. If this is the case, then even though another organization adds criteria, the program belongs in GovBenefits.gov.

Scenario #3: Individuals apply to this program to get funding for research.

Since research is typically designed to serve an institution, not an individual, we would recommend NOT including a program like this in GovBenefits.gov.

Scenario #4: Individuals use this program to file legal complaints.

If a program is designed to help citizens access a legal process, such as filing a housing discrimination complaint, this is not a direct benefit that belongs in GovBenefits.gov. However, if a program provides legal support services to help a citizen resolve a legal dispute, this is a direct benefit that belongs in GovBenefits.gov.

Scenario #5: This program doesn't provide direct payments to an individual.

A program that directly benefits an individual, even if not through direct monetary payments, should be considered for GovBenefits.gov.

Still not sure? Email us at newgbpartner@dol.gov We can assist you in evaluating potential benefit programs for inclusion into GovBenefits.gov.