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Merit and Propel Partner to Help Kansans Access Education Services Weeks Faster Than Before

[March 10, 2023]

Merit and Propel Partner to Help Kansans Access Education Services Weeks Faster Than Before

Merit, a leader in digital credential solutions, today announced a strategic partnership with Propel, creator of the free app, Providers, which helps low-income families manage their finances, including government benefits.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230310005107/en/

Our joint partnership with Propel marks a new chapter in cross-program collaboration, making it faster and easier for Kansas families to access educational goods and services. (Photo: Business Wire)

This partnership addresses two Kansas government programs that support families in need:

Kansas Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) which helps families with food insecurities get access to food stamps.
Kansas Education Enrichment Program (KEEP) which provides qualifying parents and guardians with a $1,000 award per eligible child to pay for educational services that promote learning recovery such as camps, language classes, music lessons, tutoring, and school supplies.

KEEP is managed by the Merit platform, and millions of Americans manage SNAP benefits using Propel's Proiders app. This integration eliminates the need for families who are already qualified for SNAP to go through the lengthy qualification process for KEEP.

Now, applicants for KEEP can rapidly demonstrate their eligibility by selecting to verify via the Propel Providers app where they have linked their SNAP benefits. Not only will participants obtain the investments in their education more quickly, but agencies will conserve resources via cross-program coordination.

The new collaboration is the first step in linking families to more services from other government agencies in Kansas and is a solution that can work in states across the country.

A blueprint that can be applied across states and programs

Merit and Propel are both focused on helping Americans access the vital services and benefits they're eligible to receive. Their work in Kansas has the potential to create a working model for other states and benefit programs.

"Propel believes that people who receive SNAP benefits should instantly qualify for a whole host of other services that put dollars into their pockets. Historically, that was possible through our Providers app, where we show 5 million families per month how they can save and earn money," said Jimmy Chen, CEO and co-founder of Propel. "Today, through this partnership with Merit, we're thrilled to introduce a new way for SNAP recipients to rapidly qualify for KEEP benefits by demonstrating their SNAP status through Propel. We're excited for this innovative new approach, piloted in Kansas, to become a blueprint for other states and programs nationwide."

"This integration is the first step in making it easier for Americans to access the services they need most," said Jacob Orrin, COO and Co-Founder of Merit. " Kansas has taken the first step in streamlining SNAP and KEEP eligibility, this new standard has the potential to lessen the burden on state agencies while quickly helping families in need, a true force multiplier."

About Propel

Propel's mission is to enable low-income Americans to improve their financial health. Propel's free app, Providers (formerly Fresh EBT), is used by over five million Americans who receive SNAP benefits across the country each month. Propel was originally founded through a fellowship at Blue Ridge Labs @Robin Hood Foundation and its investors include nonprofits, mission-oriented investors, and top-tier venture capitalists: Financial Health Network, Andreessen Horowitz, Nyca Partners, Flourish Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, and more. Propel is based in Brooklyn, N.Y.