Urban Institute Study Shows MyFriendBen Is Delivering Results in Just 6 Minutes

Source: Urban Institute — How Digital Eligibility Screening Tools Can Improve Access to Public Benefits

When families are stretched to the breaking point by rising costs, the hardest part of getting help should not be finding it.

A new Urban Institute evaluation of MyFriendBen, a free online benefits screener analyzed across nearly 100,000 screenings in Colorado and North Carolina, shows what is possible when technology meets people where they are.

In a median of just 6.6 minutes, users facing real crises, including 43% who reported no household income, discovered support they did not know existed. The study found that:

• 64% of users learned about at least one new benefit
• 86% of follow-up respondents applied for something new
• 85% of those applicants were approved

These results helped unlock access to food, health care, housing support, and other critical benefits that lowered household stress and improved daily life for families.

Available in 18 languages and requiring minimal personal information, MyFriendBen is also reaching immigrant families at a time when many may feel uncertain or fearful about engaging with public systems.

The Urban Institute evaluation’s message is clear: digital screening is a powerful first step toward closing the benefits gap. Its impact grows even further when paired with navigators, trusted community partners, and clearer pathways from screening to enrollment, work MyFriendBen is already advancing.

Read the full Urban Institute article: How Digital Eligibility Screening Tools Can Improve Access to Public Benefits