Seattle's CiviForm, listed on Time Magazine's Best Inventions of 2025, helps residents apply for public benefits more easily. Developed by the City of Seattle with Exygy, Google.org, and community groups, it lets users apply for multiple programs using shared information. This year, the portal received over 50,000 applications, including more than 19,000 for benefit and discount programs. Mayor Harrell said that "and the CiviForm portal is a key part of our strategy to deliver tangible savings for our residents." The system is also being used in Bloomington, Charlotte, and the state of Arkansas, according to the Seattle Information Technology.
CiviForm is Seattle’s public benefits platform that helps households save up to $65,000 on child care, preschool, and home repairs. It reduces application time from 30 minutes to 7 and allows users to submit information once for multiple programs. The system supports multiple languages, with about 15% of applications from non-English speakers, and City departments share data to speed up approvals. The platform also meets federal accessibility standards for digital tools, as reported by the Seattle Information Technology.
CiviForm, developed with partners like Google.org and Exygy, is used by Seattle Housing Authority residents for programs such as the Fresh Bucks waitlist, which helps low-income residents buy healthier food. Growing demand has led the city to propose budget increases. Residents can access programs like free preschool, recreation discounts, and home repair aid at seattle.gov/affordable, as stated by the Seattle Information Technology.
