 | This article includes a list of references, related reading, or external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations. Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
| Type of site | US Government Information |
|---|---|
| Available in | English, Spanish |
| Owner | U.S. Department of Labor |
| Created by | U.S. Department of Labor |
| URL | www.Benefits.gov |
| Launched | April 2002 |
| Current status | Retired |
Benefits.gov (formerly GovBenefits.gov) was launched by the U.S. Department of Labor in April 2002, as a website designed to provide American citizens with access to government benefit eligibility information. Benefits.gov helps citizens determine their potential eligibility for more than 1,000 government-funded benefit and assistance programs. Visitors can complete an on-line questionnaire, and Benefits.gov matches benefit programs with their needs and provides information on how to apply.
Benefits.gov includes information on a variety of benefit and assistance programs for veterans, seniors, students, teachers, children, people with disabilities, dependents, disaster victims, farmers, caregivers, job seekers, prospective homeowners, and more.
Facts and figures
 | This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
- People served: over 220 million people (as of Aug 2024)
- Referrals to partner agencies: 32 million
- Average monthly visitors: 1.1 - 1.3 million
- Benefits provided: over 1,100 (as of Aug 2024)
Shutdown
At the end of September 2024, the website was shut down and replaced by benefits subpages found on the websites USA.gov and USAGov en Español. This was a result of Executive Order 14058 by President Biden in 2021, which directed the General Services Administration to “develop a roadmap for a redesigned USA.gov website that aims to serve as a centralized, digital ‘Federal Front Door’ from which customers may navigate to all Government benefits, services, and programs, and features streamlined content, processes, and technologies that use human-centered design to meet customer needs, including consolidating content currently appearing on Benefits.gov, Grants.gov, and other appropriate websites ”
Key features include:
- A centralized, singular, user-friendly location to access benefits information.
- A search engine called Benefit Finder that helps users locate benefits programs and determine eligibility.
- Category-based navigation organized by type and “life events”.
However, there was some opposition to the new design. The first Federal Chief Information Officer, Mark Forman, told Nextgov/FCW that “A big focus for the original design was finding what you needed within 3 clicks or less noting that he was skeptical of USA.gov's new focus on ‘life events’ as a way to organize parts of the website.”
Govloans.gov
| This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (February 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Govloans.gov, the sister site of benefits.gov, was launched in 2004, and provides information about government loan programs. Govloans.gov features information about loans for:
- Housing
- Education
- Agriculture
- Small business
- Veterans
- Disaster relief
References
- ^ "Department of Labor, General Services Administration to centralize government benefits information on USA.gov and USAGov en Español". U.S. General Services Administration. 2024-08-07. Retrieved 2024-12-03.
- House, The White (2021-12-13). "Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government". The White House. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- Alms, Natalie (2024-08-05). "Benefits.gov to shutter in September". Nextgov.com. Retrieved 2024-12-04.
- The Facts About the President's Management Agenda. https://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/results/agenda/PMA-MythFact20061003.html
- Computerworld Honors Program Case Study, 2006. https://web.archive.org/web/20070927104323/http://www.cwheroes.org/case_studies/USDepartmentofLabor.pdf
- Benefits.gov and GovLoans.gov are both available in English and in Spanish. Benefits.gov en Español and GovLoans en Español offer Spanish-speaking communities greater access to benefit information.