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Code for America and Anthropic: A Partnership to Enhance Public Benefits Navigation

In a groundbreaking move, Code for America, the nonprofit organization dedicated to improving public service delivery through technology, has announced a strategic alliance with Anthropic, a pioneering AI research company. This collaboration aims to revolutionize how public benefits, particularly food assistance programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), are administered by government caseworkers.

The partnership comes at a critical time as federal benefits policies have evolved, creating a more complicated landscape for state agencies to navigate. With millions of low-income families at risk of losing access to essential food benefits, Code for America is stepping up its efforts to ensure that the caseworkers tasked with helping these families have the tools they need to perform their jobs effectively.

Building the SNAP Policy Navigator

The primary focus of this collaboration is the development of the SNAP Policy Navigator, a robust tool powered by Anthropic’s AI model, Claude. The tool is designed to provide caseworkers with accurate and reliable information about SNAP policies and regulations in real-time, enabling them to assist families more efficiently.

Amanda Renteria, CEO of Code for America, expressed the significance of this partnership, stating, "This collaboration with Anthropic highlights our mutual belief that responsible AI can significantly ease the burden on caseworkers. By streamlining the processing of applications and delivering benefits more swiftly to those in need, we can create a more empathetic government service."

The SNAP Policy Navigator utilizes the Model Context Protocol (MCP), an open standard developed by Anthropic. This innovative approach ensures secure, two-way communication between trusted data sources and the AI application, allowing for responsible deployment in critical areas where accuracy is paramount. Caseworkers will now be equipped to access precise answers to intricate questions regarding SNAP, improving their ability to serve the community.

Addressing the Challenges of Case Management

Elizabeth Kelly from Anthropic highlighted the pressing challenges faced by caseworkers. "SNAP caseworkers deal with complex regulations under tight deadlines, which can be overwhelming. By offering them advanced tools like Claude, we aim to support their work so they can assist more eligible families promptly and accurately."

The SNAP Policy Navigator is just the beginning. The partnership intends to create additional Claude-powered tools that can be employed across various states and counties, allowing for a standardized approach to benefits administration. These tools will focus on addressing complex policy questions, reviewing eligibility documents, and drafting clear communications for benefit recipients.

A Vision for A More Efficient Future

The formal announcement of this partnership took place at the 2026 Code for America Summit in Chicago, coinciding with the release of the organization’s second annual Government AI Landscape Assessment. This report outlines states’ advancements in AI adoption, spanning readiness to implementation stages.

For over 15 years, Code for America has tirelessly worked with various partners across the nation to tackle key challenges in public services. Their extensive work has already helped 7 million people access more than $22 billion in benefits. This latest collaboration with Anthropic marks another pivotal step in their mission to reshape government services through technology.

About Anthropic and Code for America: Anthropic is committed to developing AI systems that are interpretable and can be guided effectively, exemplified by their flagship language model, Claude. Conversely, Code for America has established itself as a leader in civic technology, believing in the potential of government to serve its citizens efficiently and equitably. With ambitious goals and the right tools, both organizations are set to transform public service delivery for the better.

For more information, visit Code for America and Anthropic.