Giving Compass' Take:

• Cities are using behavioral science to create nudges that encourage individuals to partake in public services, increasing the use of these services. 

• How can philanthropy support effective nudges? How can nudges be designed to improve equity? 

• Read the full Behavioral Design Teams: A Model for Integrating Behavioral Design in City Government PDF.

In New York City, a redesigned reminder notice about SNAP food stamp eligibility has reduced the number of people who forget to submit to continue their benefits by almost 6% overall. People aren’t just remembering to file that paperwork, they’re doing it more quickly, which helps administrators keep the program running smoothly.

That same trouble seemed to be occurring with second-year college students on federal student aid, about 40% of which didn’t renew after their initial year in school. Many otherwise smart kids have to drop out because they can’t afford that mistake. At CUNY, several different tests led to the idea of paired email and text reminders around the deadline. That spurred 31% more kids into action.

In each case, an intervention that cost just a few dollars or less per person yielded tens of thousands of dollars in benefit.

To encourage other places to adopt similar practices, Ideas42 has compiled a public playbook outlining all of its experiments in both places. The guide, which has the straightforward title “Behavioral Design Teams: A Model for Integrating Behavioral Design in City Government” is accompanied by a tip guide, that clearly enumerates five ways to get started and continue success. (In behavioral parlance, such clear and timely directions improve the odds those with good intentions actually act.)

Read the full article about citywide nudges by Ben Paynter at FastCompany.