Code for America

Background and Founder

Code for America was founded by Jennifer Pahlka, who served as the deputy chief technology officer in the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Obama administration. ² There, Pahlka founded the United States Digital Service, which recruits software engineers and other technology industry professionals for six-month to two-year “tours,” working with federal government agencies to upgrade digital services and technologies. ³ Pahlka was among the trio “of high-powered tech and telecom advisers” who developed technology policy proposals for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton during the 2016 presidential election. ⁴ She also sits on the advisory board of Civic Hall Labs, a left-leaning nonprofit incubator. ²

Code for America employs software engineers and technology experts and contracts with state and local governments to develop apps and technology solutions for government use, describing itself as the “Peace Corps for Geeks.” ⁵ It seeks to encourage “delivery-driven government,” which it defines as both improving “the delivery of government services using modern technology and best practices” as well as “learn[ing] to drive policy and operations around delivery and users.” ⁶

Pahlka has said that the organization was founded to bridge the “big disjuncture between what we are served up as consumers and what we are served up as citizens,” in terms of digital connectivity and customer service. ⁷ Elsewhere, she has noted that when citizens are engaged with government by technology, their support for higher taxes to pay for government services increases, and that the group’s goal is to increase engagement with government and to “make bureaucracy sexy.” ⁸

Activities

Code for America has three focus areas: implementing technology to automatically remove convicts from criminal records reporting systems, implementing web programs to administer social programs, and developing web programs to address issues related to improper tax return filing. ^{1 9 10}

Clear My Record

In its criminal justice portfolio, the group has developed the “Clear My Record” app, which algorithmically scans court records and identifies persons who are eligible to have criminal convictions vacated. In Los Angeles, district attorneys used Clear My Record to vacate more than 66,000 marijuana possession convictions. ¹¹ Fellows also partnered with probation offices in Salt Lake City to build an app that permitted officers to communicate with supervisees by text message, permitting more daily contact between officers and their charges. ¹²

In 2018, Code for America’s Clear My Record app switched to developing programs that would read through criminal records databases and automatically remove potentially eligible persons. As of November 2024, it reported being used by over 20 states and had removed over 144,000 records in California and over 350,000 records in Utah. ¹³

Clean Slate Initiative

Code for America is a founding partner of the Clean Slate Initiative, which advocates for state legislatures to eliminate policies that require individuals to petition to have criminal records expunged and instead use automatic removal systems. ¹³

Web Apps for Government Programs

In California, the group developed “GetCalFresh,” an app that permits people to apply for food stamps on smart phones and receive text messages and push notifications about essential steps in the application process. The app cut the average food stamps application time from 45 to eight minutes. ¹⁴ The app is now in use in almost all California counties. ¹⁵ Code for America also developed the “Get Your Refund” app, which assists eligible tax filers in accessing the Earned Income Tax Credit. ¹⁶

Code for America is currently seeking state partners for projects relating to workforce development and job training. ¹⁷

Code for America has also helped to develop “civic feedback” apps that allow citizens to give city planners and officials instant comment on issues of concern. In Philadelphia, Code for America helped to develop “Textizen,” an app advertised on bus shelters and inside public transit that permits people to answer questions posed by city planners, such as how to improve transit systems or how people use recreation centers. ¹⁸

In preparation for the 2020 Census, Code for America partnered with several other groups to develop a “digital best practices” guide for cities and counties seeking guidance on how to support the Census Bureau in making its count. ¹⁹

On March 23, 2023, an article by Technical.ly discussed CfA’s announcement of its Safety Net Innovation Lab which it claims would help residents with access to benefit programs. CfA stated goal is to expand its services to 15 states over the next seven years in order to help “13 million people unlock benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC).” ²⁰

Code for America developed MNBenefits.org for the state of Minnesota to process applications for its SNAP program, child care assistance, housing assistance, and welfare payments. ²¹

“Civic Feedback” Apps

Code for America has also helped to develop “civic feedback” apps that allow citizens to give city planners and officials instant comment on issues of concern. In Philadelphia, Code for America helped to develop “Textizen,” an app advertised on bus shelters and inside public transit that permits people to answer questions posed by city planners, such as how to improve transit systems or how people use recreation centers. ¹⁸

In preparation for the 2020 Census, Code for America partnered with several other groups to develop a “digital best practices” guide for cities and counties seeking guidance on how to support the Census Bureau in making its count. ¹⁹

Funders

Code for America has received $1 million+ grants from a number of philanthropic and corporate funders, including Arnold Ventures LLC (which receives funding from the Arnold Foundation), Google, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg’s  Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, the Skoll Foundation, and the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. It has also received substantial support from the Ford Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and the California Wellness Foundation. ²² Code for America was also one of the 2021-2022 recipients of grants from The Audacious Project, an initiative of the TED Foundation with the purpose of funding, “bold solutions to the world’s most urgent challenges.” ²³