Contribute

EligibilityRules.org is built by the community. Whether you're a policy expert, developer, or just someone who knows about a program, there's a way to help.

How Contributions Work

1 Suggest or Fork
2 We Encode Rules
3 Review & Merge
Live!
Easiest Way to Contribute

Suggest a Program

Know of a government program that should be added? Just share the link. No coding required—we'll read through the eligibility requirements and turn them into a structured ruleset.

Suggest a Program View suggested programs

What to include:

  • Link to official program page
  • Program name
  • Jurisdiction level

Submit a Pull Request

For developers: fork the repository, add or edit ruleset YAML files, and submit a PR for review.

Fork on GitHub View open pull requests

Get in Touch

Have questions, suggestions, or want to discuss the project? Reach out on X or through GitHub.

@randw CivicStudio on GitHub

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need to know how to code?
No! The easiest way to contribute is to suggest a program by sharing a link. We'll handle the technical encoding. If you do know YAML and Git, you can contribute directly via pull requests.
How are contributions verified?
All contributions are reviewed before being merged. We check that rules are accurately sourced from official government documentation and that the YAML structure follows our schema.
What programs should I suggest?
Any government program with eligibility requirements! This includes federal programs (SNAP, Medicaid, SSI), state programs, county programs, and city programs. The more specific and local, the better.
How do I report an error in existing data?
Click the "Edit on GitHub" link on any service page to propose a correction, or open an issue describing the error and the correct information with a source link.

For Developers: Adding a Ruleset

If you're comfortable with Git and YAML, you can contribute directly.

1

Fork & Clone

Fork the repository on GitHub and clone it locally. Navigate to the data/jurisdictions/ directory.

2

Create YAML File

Add a new .yaml file in the appropriate jurisdiction's services/ folder following the schema.

3

Submit PR

Push your changes and open a pull request. Include source URLs for all eligibility rules.

Example Ruleset

service_id: example-program
name: Example Assistance Program
jurisdiction: federal
agency: Department of Example
category: food-assistance
service_type: benefit

ruleset:
  effective_date: 2024-01-01
  rules:
    - id: income-limit
      key: household_income_fpl_percent
      operator: less_than_or_equal
      value: 200
      unit: percent
      label: Income Limit
      description: |
        Household income must be at or below
        200% of the Federal Poverty Level.
      source_url: https://example.gov/eligibility

    - id: residency
      key: residency_status
      operator: equals
      value: US
      label: Residency
      description: Must be a resident of the United States.
      source_url: https://example.gov/eligibility