The Rockefeller Foundation
Updates
Lessons from The Rockefeller Foundation’s Grantees through the Covid-19 Pandemic
13 million
$60 billion
87% of major government
The social safety net in the United States is meant to not only give people in need the means to get by, but is an investment in a humane and productive society. However, access to the safety net remains a perennial problem. “Modernizing Access to the Safety Net: Lessons from The Rockefeller Foundation’s Grantees during the Covid-19 Pandemic” draws lessons from leading organizations and projects using data and technology to make the safety net more friendly, personalized, and respectful; realizing the vision of a safety net that actively offers help and builds value both for people in need and their communities.
This project will combine Mozambique’s largest digital job platform for informal workers with an AIpowered virtual assistant, and apply algorithms to provide workers with targeted insights into the labor market to improve job opportunities and financial outcomes. Over 54% of Mozambique’s adult workforce is in the informal sector, and information gaps on demand trends mean that opportunities for workers to improve their livelihoods are limited.
GiveDirectly & CEGA - USA, Togo
GiveDirectly and CEGA will demonstrate a new model for rapid assistance where machine learningbased targeting will guide the delivery of digital cash transfers. Data science will enable GiveDirectly to better assess communities who are most in need of cash transfers.
Chatbot Wyatt helps seniors apply for FAFSA
High school seniors who need help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form can now get support through Wyatt, a free assistance chatbot that replies to studentsâ FAFSA questions via text.
Wyatt was launched through a partnership between the College Board and Benefits Data Trust, a national nonprofit that helps connect people to public assistance.
The chatbot, which is available to students until February, answers studentsâ FAFSA questions such as troubleshooting the FSA ID process, understanding whose income to report, what to do if they have a special circumstance, and more.