How We Started And Where We’re Going

MyFriendBen is an online, open-source tool incubated at Gary Community Ventures, a Denver-based philanthropic organization dedicated to increasing opportunity for Colorado kids and families. 

How We Started

The team at Gary co-designed MyFriendBen with a group of families who shared how difficult and time-consuming it was to figure out what benefits they were eligible for and how to apply. MyFriendBen was built with the input of more than 100 Colorado nonprofits, government entities and benefit access champions. As of spring 2025, the Gary team continues to make updates to the tool weekly based on household feedback and suggestions from community partners.

With proof of concept and impact established – over 40,000 households screened in the first two years of operation with a median monthly value of $1,500 identified per household – MyFriendBen is ready to launch to its next phase: expansion. 

What’s Next For Ben

As with other ventures incubated at Gary, MyFriendBen was always intended to operate as an independent entity. 

MyFriendBen is in the process of establishing an independent 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. While we set up the independent entity, MyFriendBen is operating under the fiscal sponsorship of Impact Charitable, an established Denver-based 501(c)3 nonprofit with an aligned impact mission. This is a common and secure step for new organizations. It means Impact Charitable provides administrative and financial support, allowing us to focus on our mission while ensuring that we are operating legally and efficiently.

MyFriendBen was built and incubated internally at Gary Community Ventures. In addition to ongoing anchor support from Gary Community Ventures for MyFriendBen’s work in Colorado, the project now has the backing of several respected funders, including launch support for national expansion from the Gates Foundation. 

As MyFriendBen expands to new states, we are securing place-based philanthropic funding to ensure long-term local support. We are also exploring earned revenue models for enterprise partners and more complex technical integrations and pilots. We are committed to ensuring free access to the core product in any state where MyFriendBen is operating.

With this support, we are launching an effort — alongside innovative partners like Policy Engine and Code the Dream — to unlock $100 million in public benefits across multiple states.