Maryland secures $2.6M in AI grants to improve access to public services
Maryland state agencies have won two grants totaling more than $2.6 million over two years to build AI tools that remove barriers to benefits and make public services easier to use. The awards come from the Public Benefit Innovation Fund of the Center for Civic Futures, which received more than 400 applications from 45 states. Maryland earned two of the seven total awards.
The projects focus on practical service delivery: speeding up eligibility checks, reducing paperwork, and supporting frontline staff across programs like food assistance, Medicaid, housing, and unemployment services. The timing matters as H.R. 1 (2025), signed into law by President Trump, creates new work requirements for seniors, veterans, and people experiencing homelessness-affecting up to 80,000 Marylanders seeking food assistance and about 300,000 Medicaid customers.
Grant 1: Faster work verification for SNAP and Medicaid ($1.2M)
The Maryland Department of Human Services, Maryland Department of Health, Maryland Benefits, and the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange will build AI tools that streamline work verification for SNAP and Medicaid. Maryland will also anchor a multi-state cohort through the American Public Human Services Association so other states can adopt and improve the same tools.
State leaders framed the push as a clear step to make benefits simpler and more accessible across nutrition, housing, and health care. Maryland Department of Human Services Secretary Rafael López said the department is focused on using technology to make government more accessible and deliver the customer service Marylanders expect.
Grant 2: AI support for Labor services ($1.45M)
The Maryland Department of Labor will collaborate with the Government Performance Lab and the Computational Policy Lab to test AI that improves service delivery. Priorities include tools that help staff apply complex regulations consistently, process documents faster, and train through simulators.
"Modernizing state systems will enable us to better serve Marylanders and provide staff with the professional-quality tools and training they deserve," said Maryland Department of Labor Secretary Portia Wu. Maryland Department of Health Secretary Dr. Meena Seshamani said the work is essential to protect access to health coverage and meet the needs of residents. Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Executive Director Michele Eberle added that the cross-agency approach will deliver responsible innovation for the state.
Why this matters for agencies
- Reduced friction: Streamlined verification and fewer documents mean faster decisions and less churn.
- Consistency: Decision support can improve rule application and generate audit-ready trails.
- Equity: Cleaner entry points help seniors, veterans, and people experiencing homelessness keep critical benefits.
- Reuse: Multi-state collaboration increases reuse and lowers cost for everyone in the cohort.
Guardrails and shared learning
All AI systems funded or procured by the State of Maryland go through a rigorous intake process and must meet the state's Responsible AI Policy, including strict data, security, and privacy standards. Awardees will also join a shared learning cohort with researchers and community partners to test, evaluate, and refine approaches across sectors.
Each team will receive technical assistance in AI and machine learning, data ethics, privacy, security, pilot design, and business strategy to move from pilots to practical, repeatable solutions. The Maryland Department of Information Technology noted that winning two of seven awards from a pool of 400+ applications reflects growing momentum behind responsible AI across state agencies.
What to do next (for government teams)
- Prioritize use cases: Pick high-volume, high-friction processes (verification, recertification, document intake) with clear metrics.
- Prepare data: Finalize data-sharing agreements, define data dictionaries, and set retention and access controls early.
- Build safeguards: Run impact and bias checks, keep a human in the loop, and document decision logic for audits.
- Update procurement: Add AI-specific clauses on data rights, security, red-teaming, and model performance reporting.
- Invest in people: Train staff, involve frontline teams in design, and use simulators to build confidence before go-live.
- Measure and publish: Track timeliness, accuracy, churn rates, and customer satisfaction; share results to inform the field.
Key partners and resources
Skills and training
If your team is building AI skills for service delivery, policy, or operations, explore practical courses organized by role: AI courses by job.
Voices from the effort
Governor Wes Moore emphasized responsible use of AI to expand access to nutrition, housing, and health care. Katie Savage, Maryland Department of Information Technology, noted that 45 states submitted more than 400 applications and highlighted the state's momentum in responsible AI.
Cass Madison of the Center for Civic Futures said the volume of ideas shows agencies, nonprofits, and community partners are ready to move carefully and share what works so the entire field can progress with confidence.
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