Code for America Wins Anthem Award for Its Work to Make the Child Tax Credit More Equitable and Accessible

San Francisco (March 1, 2022) – Code for America, the leading nonprofit tech organization that works with community leaders and governments to deliver equitable, accessible digital tools and services, today announced that it has won an Anthem Award for its work to make the Child Tax Credit more equitable and accessible.

In September, Code for America launched a new simplified tax filing portal—located at GetCTC.org and released in collaboration with the White House and US Department of the Treasury. The portal was free to use, accessible on desktops and mobile devices, and available in both English and Spanish. Code for America also led a national awareness campaign to educate people about the portal and encourage them to file their tax returns through it.

Over 10 weeks in fall 2021, over 115,000 families successfully filed returns using GetCTC, claiming an estimated $440 million. Surveys of Code for America clients showed that they found the tool easy to use—including those who had rarely or never filed. Code for America will be relaunching its portal in the coming months.

“We’re honored that Code for America’s work to simplify tax filing and deliver hundreds of millions of dollars in flexible cash has been recognized,” said David Newville, Senior Program Director for Tax Benefits, Code for America. “Over 100,000 families—many of whom had never filed taxes in their lives—successfully used GetCTC in 2021, usually finishing the whole process on a smartphone in about 10 minutes. And the impact for these families was enormous. The average family received nearly $4,000 from using GetCTC; some received over $20,000. In total, GetCTC enabled over 115,000 families to successfully file returns and claim an estimated $440 million in tax benefits they were owed.  What began as an experiment in simplification turned into a successful model for other outreach and engagement efforts in the future.”

Rather than submitting a full tax return, GetCTC filed what the IRS calls a “simplified return,” containing just the information needed to issue Child Tax Credit and stimulus payments. In other words, GetCTC asks for no more information than was required to make these payments accurately. Code for America won a Silver Anthem Award in the cagotory of Responsible Technology Campaign—Non-Profit. 

Anthem Winners are selected by the International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences. Members include Daniel Dae Kim (actor, producer, and activist);  Ashley Judd (Author, Actor, and Social Justice Humanitarian); Mitchell Baker (CEO and chairwoman, Mozilla); Lisa Sherman (president and CEO, Ad Council), Sarah Kate Ellis (president and CEO, GLAAD); Renata Erlikhman (chief investment officer, OW Management); Shayla Tait (director of philanthropy, The Oprah Winfrey Charitable Foundation); Russlynn Ali (CEO and co-founder, XQ Institute); Marc Ecko (chief commercial officer and board member, XQ Institute); Heidi Arthur (chief campaign development officer, Ad Council); and Alexis M. Herman (chair and chief executive officer, New Ventures, and former U.S. secretary of labor).

“It is our distinct honor to recognize the work that brands, organizations, and individuals are all making to create an impact in their community,” said Jessica Lauretti, Managing Director, The Anthem Awards. “We launched this platform to show the world that all corners of our culture, from sports and entertainment to business leaders and celebrities, are all standing up to say, it is time for systemic change and that social good is what we value as a society.”

Winners for the inaugural Anthem Awards will be celebrated at the first annual Anthem Voices conference followed by a star-studded virtual Awards Show on Monday, February 28, 2022.  Fans will be able to hear from social impact leaders during the day and then watch the show, featuring special moments and hallmark speeches from all you and your fellow winners at www.anthemawards.com.

The Anthem Awards was launched in response to the prevalence social good has taken within the national conversation and cultural zeitgeist in recent years. The inaugural competition received nearly 2,500 entries from 36 countries worldwide. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. A portion of program revenue will fund a new grant program supporting emerging individuals and organizations working to advance the causes recognized in the inaugural Anthem Awards.

About Code for America

Code for America, a nonprofit founded in 2009, believes that government can work for the people, and by the people, in the digital age. We work with government at all levels across the country to make the delivery of public services equitable with technology. Together with thousands of volunteers across over 80 Brigade chapters in the U.S., we work with community organizations and governments to build digital tools, change policies, and improve programs. Our goal: a resilient government that effectively and equitably serves everyone. Learn more at codeforamerica.org.

About The Anthem Awards

The Anthem Awards, the Webby Awards newest initiative, was developed to recognize the breadth of social good work (online and offline) around the globe by honoring the organizations, brands, and people creating long-lasting impact; including, Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion; Education, Art, & Culture; Health; Human & Civil Rights; Humanitarian Action & Services; Responsible Technology;  and Sustainability, Environment, & Climate. By amplifying the voices that spark global change, the Anthem Awards are defining a new benchmark for impactful work that inspires others to take action in their communities. Founded in partnership with the Ad Council, Born This Way Foundation, Feeding America, Glaad, Mozilla, NAACP, NRDC, WWF, and XQ.