Insights

Nava Labs awarded grant to pilot tools powered by generative AI

This grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation will enable Nava Labs to test and refine new tools with partner benefit agencies and navigators.

James Gordon joins Nava as first Executive Vice President of Growth

A seasoned government contracting executive, Gordon will oversee the advancement of mission-aligned growth strategies and investments.

Nava awarded contract on VA ART with Oddball, Inc.

We’ll help the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs improve tools for those who help Veterans and their families submit benefits claims.

National WIC Association receives USDA funding to modernize WIC Management Information Systems

This four-year cooperative agreement is part of larger effort to streamline and innovate WIC technology.

Improving products with small, incremental experiments

We offer a framework for agile, data-driven experiments to align delivery teams.

Refining an AI chatbot that cites its sources

We tried 3 approaches to providing an AI-powered chatbot with source data, aiming to better assist staff who connect people with public benefits.

Nava and Focus win prime award supporting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) IT

The Focus-Nava Joint Venture will provide strategic advisory support as the IRS enhances its modern, customer-based IT operations.

Nava welcomes Sam Elmi as Director of People Services

As our new Director of People Services, Sam Elmi will focus on strong operations and services for Nava employees.

7 steps to develop a government communications program

Learn how to build a robust program to communicate with the public and stakeholders effectively.

Nava wins OPM Customer Experience Modernization

We’ll partner with OPM to build best-in-class customer experiences for millions of federal employees.

Nava awarded prime contract on Maryland FAMLI

We’ll partner with Maryland to build and launch a new paid family and medical leave program that’s human-centered, flexible, and future-proof.

Improving every level of service delivery

In this year’s Public Benefit Report, we reflect on the importance of taking a holistic approach to modernizing government services. This means recognizing that every facet of every level of government is interconnected and building to help the entire ecosystem thrive.

Building a flexible paid family and medical leave program with API technology

We partnered with the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to develop an API layer that connects disparate systems.

Hannah Kane joins Nava as new Chief of Staff

A seasoned civic tech professional, Kane will drive strategic company-wide initiatives.

Reducing the burden of applying for public benefits

We partnered with CMS and USDS on a project aimed at easing the process of income verification for people applying for public benefits.

Communicating the successes of state unemployment insurance programs

We worked with the U.S. Department of Labor on a report that outlines how states are using federal funding to modernize unemployment insurance.

Nava wins prime contract to help CDC build data-informed pandemic-readiness

We’ll partner with CDC to optimize ReportStream, a data pipeline that helps public health agencies make decisions about the public’s well-being.

Leveraging user research to improve unemployment insurance delivery

We partnered with the Department of Labor on a user research initiative aimed at providing states with human-centered modernization recommendations.

Strengthening response readiness with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's ReportStream

We partnered with CDC to help expand ReportStream, an essential tool that enables public health departments to receive data on disease test results.

Empowering Department of Justice staff with human-centered tools

We partnered with DOJ on a project aimed at improving the agency staff experience, helping staff process civil rights complaints more effectively.

Delivering a human-centered claimant portal for New Jersey unemployment insurance

We used agile development and API technology to help the State of New Jersey revamp its unemployment insurance claimant portal.

Building cloud-native solutions with the Office of Personnel Management

We partnered with OPM to provide essential services to federal employees.

Helping Veterans get disability benefits faster

We partnered with VA and prime contractor Agile Six to increase access to Veteran disability benefits.

Improving perinatal care in the U.S.

We partnered with CMS on a project to connect pregnant people to “Birthing-Friendly” hospitals.

Aquia-Nava joint venture wins prime position on VA’s SPRUCE IDIQ

This contract vehicle enables our joint venture to bid on task orders to improve digital experiences for Veterans and VA staff.

Nava and Aquia-Nava joint venture win prime awards on USDA DISC STRATUS Cloud BOA

The 10-year BOA sources vendors with deep expertise in cloud integration and development.

Nava wins prime award supporting Massachusetts’ IT projects

We will join a pool of vendors helping Massachusetts on a variety of projects aimed at improving experiences for the state’s constituents.

Nava awarded prime contract to scale Grants.gov modernization

We’ll help HHS scale its modernization of Grants.gov with incremental delivery, API-first architecture, and human-centered design.

Nava selected as finalist for Robin Hood AI Poverty Challenge award

We’ll use the funding to pilot an AI-enabled chatbot that may help benefit navigators like caseworkers connect families with critical public services.

Q&A with Joanne Woytek: Pioneering a new kind of uncharted space

Joanne Woytek, program director at NASA, discusses her experience transitioning in the 1990s and establishing workplace guidelines.

A day in the life of a project manager at Nava

Michelle Garfinkel describes her day-to-day work keeping teams on track as a project manager.

Nava wins prime award on HHS SWIFT BPA

We will help the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) deliver excellent customer experience through technology modernization projects.

A day as a Nava open source software engineer

Brandon Tabaska describes his day-to-day work as an open source software developer evangelist at Nava.

Nava and Corbalt awarded CMS SPOC as CTA teammates

We’ll partner with CMS and Corbalt to provide platform and engineering expertise to help CMS support over 80 million beneficiaries.

How to determine whether AI is an appropriate solution for public sector challenges

We provide a checklist of items to help your team determine whether AI-powered tools are appropriate to meet your needs.

Experimenting with AI-powered tools in public benefits

Our Nava Labs team conducted a series of experiments to test how AI can increase access to public benefits.

How to successfully onboard teams onto a software product

We share practical tips for standardizing your onboarding process.

Measuring administrative burden to promote equity in government services

Don Moynihan of Georgetown University joins Nava CEO and co-founder Rohan Bhobe in a conversation about administrative burden.

Conducting user research to jumpstart human-centered experimentation with artificial intelligence

Our insights are helping us identify use cases and design experiments to test how AI-powered tools can expand access to public benefits.

Nava Public Benefit Corporation and Nava United reach collective bargaining agreement

Nava and Nava United announce three-year collective bargaining agreement.

Using a data journey map to improve your DevEx practice

Learn practical tips for improving your team's DevEx practice with a data-focused journey map.

Nava supporting remote work from Missouri and Nevada

This move enables us to deliver on our mission by sourcing the best talent from across the U.S. and by ensuring a more diverse talent pool.

Nava's Delivery Organization appraised at CMMI maturity level 3

Our Delivery Organization's work and processes have received the highest form of third-party validation.

How modern technology can enable a more human-centered Medicaid unwinding

Web portals, a robust communications strategy, and better data sharing practices may help people keep coverage.

Building a multilingual paid family and medical leave experience

We partnered with Massachusetts to help deliver a paid family and medical leave (PFML) application experience in a total of five languages.

Maintaining a diverse, equitable, and inclusive workplace

A conversation with Nava employees about the importance of corporate DE&I

Nava and Benefits Data Trust partner to explore how AI can support public benefits navigators

Nava and BDT will explore how generative AI can support benefits navigators to quickly enroll people in government benefits programs.

Nava awarded prime contract to improve healthcare experiences for Medicare beneficiaries

We’ll partner with CMS to give Medicare beneficiaries and their healthcare partners the data they need to make informed decisions about their health.

Transitioning from the private sector to civic tech

We speak with five Nava employees about the challenges and rewards of switching career paths.

A day at Nava as a capture manager

Eliza Young-Ferguson, a capture manager, describes her day-to-day work helping Nava build its state portfolio.

Nava wins new work supporting executive order on customer experience

In partnership with CMS and USDS, we’ll improve data sharing practices to help those facing financial shock to get critical support.

How technology can enable successful service member transition

We spoke with Crystal Francis, Nava’s Program Manager for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), on ways to expand access to VA’s resources.

Nava awarded SEC modernization contract

We’re supporting the SEC's modernization goals to become more resilient and adaptable by developing cloud-based infrastructure.

Envisioning the future of government services

In this year’s Public Benefit Report, we’re sketching a blueprint for modern digital services that people trust. With every story, we show how we’re delivering on that vision and positively impacting the lives of millions.

Applying user research to improve access to unemployment benefits in New Jersey

Nava is leveraging user research to help the New Jersey Department of Labor make its UI technology more accessible, flexible, and resilient.

Nava partners with Georgetown University’s Better Government Lab

We're partnering with the Better Government Lab at Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy.

Building trust with the public through unemployment claim transparency

We're helping the U.S. Department of Labor with an initiative to catalyze state-level unemployment insurance modernization projects.

Modernizing payment systems for Medicare

Nava is working with CMS to create flexible, scalable payment systems that will serve the 65 million people who use Medicare.

How to apply a content-first design approach to public services

Learn methods to use content-first design for public services.

How a content-first design approach fits into your agile development process

Learn how to fit content-first design into your agile software development process.

Enhancing the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's pandemic-ready systems with ReportStream

Nava is working with The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to help public health departments receive crucial data on disease test results.

Helping people access government services through Login.gov

We're helping to design, build, and deliver an in-person identity verification service that will help more people access critical government services.

Helping Medicare beneficiaries find and receive preventive care

We’re working with CMS on a tool that informs people about preventive care and connects them with primary care providers in their area.

How to implement a WIC participant recertification portal

Learn methods to provide a human-centered experience for participants to recertify for their WIC benefits.

How product leadership can collaborate: Find opportunities, align stakeholders, and make decisions

We offer tips for government and vendor product leadership based on our experience building human-centered government products and services.

How product leadership can collaborate: Interface with other teams and launch your product

We offer tips for government and vendor product leadership based on our experience building human-centered government products and services.

Nava awarded CMS Data Modernization contract

We’ll expand our work helping CMS build and operate scalable infrastructure for their Payment System Modernization.

Nava wins new work helping to modernize Grants.gov

Nava will support HHS to redesign Grants.gov, improving the accessibility and usability of the federal grantmaking experience.

Designing government programs that last

How vendors can work with government partners to build internal capacity, empowering agencies to hone and maintain systems in the future.

How to build a participant advisory council

Learn how to bolster your user research and design more effective services by forming a participant advisory council.

Modernizing legacy systems to make data more usable

Our work with CMS shows that modernizing legacy systems by adopting cloud-based infrastructure is key to better data engineering practices.

Designing an API prototype for Montana WIC

Nava worked with the state of Montana’s WIC agency to build an API prototype, helping ease data management and informing a national API standard.

Designing an eligibility screener tool for Montana WIC

Nava worked with Montana’s Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) agency to help ease the enrollment process.

How our work with Montana WIC demonstrated the value of a national API standard

A national API standard can help fuel modernization to improve the WIC experience for staff, participants, and applicants.

Becoming a scrum lead at Nava

Hanya Moharram, a Designer/Researcher on Nava's PFML team, shares her thoughts on becoming a scrum lead.

Three models for cloud adoption in government

We’ve found that categorizing cloud adoption projects into three models helps us maximize the value cloud can provide our government partners.

The first fifty years of civic design

Tracing civic design's history can help the field become more resilient.

Building public benefit claims trackers across states

What we learned helping design and build public benefits claims trackers for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as well as the state of California.

Bringing diverse perspectives to help modernize ADA.gov

The Department of Justice contracted Nava and 18F to redesign ADA.gov, aiming to make ADA rights easier to find, understand, and share.

Building equity into our foundations

Our annual Public Benefit Report details our impact as we work alongside government partners. Read about how the principles of equity and sustainability guided our work.

Nava receives grant from Schmidt Futures for the Expanded Benefits Access Initiative

Schmidt Futures has announced Nava as a grantee of the Expanded Benefits Access Initiative to modernize the social safety net.

Unlocking technology for WIC with the state of Montana

Nava, with the support of Schmidt Futures and technical assistance from the WIC program in Montana, is unlocking modernization for Montana WIC.

How APIs can help WIC better meet staff and participants’ needs

An API standard would unlock digital tools and catalyze WIC's ability to evolve and grow.

Combine commercial & custom solutions for flexible, future-proof software

When building a new digital service, using a hybrid approach to software yields the most cost-effective, reliable, and flexible options.

Outcomes that matter: Using metrics to measure your program

When metrics strategies align with program goals, you know you’re measuring outcomes that matter to your program, partners, and the people you serve.

Interviewing at Nava: Preparing for your portfolio presentation

A portfolio presentation is a chance to show off your work and share your process. Here are some tips to help you prepare.

Power your mission: How to set goals

Before you start, you should define what program outcomes you want your technology product to help you achieve.

Power your mission: How to build technology

Learn our guiding principles for managing a human-centered technology build, like setting your project up for success or using a modular approach.

Power your mission: How to engage users and iterate

Rather than building your product based on assumptions of what users want, engage users throughout the building process to truly meet their needs.

Power your mission: How to measure success

Measuring implementation helps determine whether your technology product can achieve your desired outcomes.

Scalable cloud infrastructure to support excellent customer experiences

Optimizing its cloud platform will enable CMS to eventually quadruple the number of applications it supports — but costs and workloads won't.

Structural change requires resilience

We know that through catastrophe, opportunities to create a better future emerge. Learn more about our work delivering unemployment benefits to Californians during the pandemic, supporting Veterans with virtual tele-hearings, and more.

A day at Nava as a program director

Angela Colter, a program director, describes her past experience working in government and collaborating with Nava’s top-notch technical team.

Observations from successful integrated eligibility and enrollment projects

Working on integrated benefits systems with Vermont, California, and other states has highlighted a few key strategies for success.

Nava’s methodology for sharing diversity, equity, and inclusion data

Nava's DE&I report holds us accountable to where we are now and where we want to be.

A day at Nava as a software engineer

Alsia Plybeah, a software engineer, describes working with government stakeholders and starting at Nava’s apprenticeship program.

Building resilient services at scale

We’re here to help agencies be more adaptable in a world where the only constant is change. In the past year, we helped Massachusetts build atheir new Paid Family and Medical Leave program and improved the security and resilience of systems at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Integrating eligibility and enrollment, one piece of software at a time

Nava created flexible and reusable software and design components to help make it easier for Vermonters to access their benefits.

Black Past, Present, and Future Technologists

In the last week of Black History Month, Nava is celebrating the contributions of Black men and women in STEM.

How Nava selects government work

To advance our mission and help restore trust between people and public institutions, Nava has clear criteria for the work we take on.

How to create a service blueprinting facilitation guide

This guide will help you create a service blueprint to better understand a service, unite teams, and identify opportunities for improvement.

Progress takes work

Progress costs time, effort, attention, patience. Over the last year, we've worked alongside the Vermont to make it easier for people to access social safety net benefits and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to improve how doctors get paid to care for Medicare recipients.

Cloud infrastructure in the federal government

To fully benefit from cloud infrastructure, agencies need to use modern risk management practices.

Why Nava is a public benefit corporation

The social mission written into our founding charter has as much weight as a corporation’s fiduciary responsibility to its shareholders.