> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs-terra.withunify.org/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Platform Vision

> The Unify Platform: connecting community needs to opportunities and resources

# Unify Platform Vision

> Governments and community organizations struggle to launch benefit programs. Manual document review requires armies of staff. Fraud detection systems slow legitimate applicants. Language barriers exclude entire communities. Setup takes months instead of days. As a result, **\$140 billion in public benefits go unclaimed every year.**

Unify is the easiest and best way to design, launch, and scale benefit programs. We've processed nearly 500,000 applications across 16 states, proving that speed and dignity can coexist at scale.

***

## The Platform

Unify is not a single application—it's an integrated platform of specialized tools that work together:

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Terra" icon="hammer" href="/foundation/introduction">
    Form builder and intake engine. Create complex, multi-language forms with conditional logic. Collect submissions and sync to case management systems.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Pathfinder" icon="compass" href="/pathfinder/foundation/introduction">
    Benefits discovery portal. Help people find programs they qualify for through guided screening and personalized matching.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Forge" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/forge/foundation/introduction">
    Program design studio. Build program templates, generate eligibility criteria, and create all program messaging—powered by AI.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sentinel" icon="shield-halved" href="/sentinel/foundation/introduction">
    Fraud analysis platform. Define fraud vectors, run batch analysis, and protect program integrity while maintaining low false-positive rates.
  </Card>

  <Card title="Hub" icon="users" href="/hub/foundation/introduction">
    Unified applicant view. See the complete lifecycle of every person across all programs, applications, and benefits received.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>

***

## How They Connect

```mermaid theme={null}
flowchart TB
    subgraph Design ["Program Design"]
        Forge[Forge]
    end

    subgraph Intake ["Application Intake"]
        Terra[Terra]
        Pathfinder[Pathfinder]
    end

    subgraph Analysis ["Review & Analysis"]
        Sentinel[Sentinel]
        Airtable[Airtable]
    end

    subgraph Identity ["Applicant Identity"]
        Hub[Hub]
    end

    Forge -->|"Program templates"| Terra
    Forge -->|"Messaging & outreach"| Terra
    Pathfinder -->|"Program discovery"| Terra
    Terra -->|"Submissions"| Airtable
    Terra -->|"Submissions"| Sentinel
    Sentinel -->|"Fraud flags"| Hub
    Airtable -->|"Fraud findings"| Sentinel
    Terra -->|"Applicant data"| Hub
    Pathfinder -->|"Applicant data"| Hub
```

### Data Flow

1. **Program Manager** uses **Forge** to design a new benefit program, generating eligibility rules, required documents, and all messaging variants
2. **Forge** exports the program template to **Terra** as a draft form
3. **Applicants** discover the program through **Pathfinder** and submit applications via **Terra**
4. **Submissions** flow to **Airtable** for case management review
5. **Sentinel** analyzes submissions for fraud patterns, flagging suspicious applications
6. **Hub** shows the complete applicant lifecycle across all touchpoints

***

## Shared Infrastructure

All Unify applications share common infrastructure:

| Component         | Technology                      | Purpose                                                 |
| ----------------- | ------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Database**      | Supabase (PostgreSQL)           | System of record for intake data and applicant identity |
| **Auth**          | WorkOS                          | Enterprise SSO, role-based permissions                  |
| **Identity**      | `@unify/identity`               | Unified applicant profiles across apps                  |
| **Files**         | Supabase Storage + Google Drive | Secure document storage                                 |
| **Notifications** | Resend (email) + Twilio (SMS)   | Multi-channel communications                            |
| **Secrets**       | Doppler                         | Environment management across apps                      |

### Shared Packages

```
packages/
├── database/     # Supabase types, client, schemas
├── identity/     # Applicant management, profiles
├── extraction/   # Document extraction (OCR, AI)
├── ai/           # Shared LLM utilities
└── ui/           # React component library
```

***

## AI Capabilities

The platform leverages AI to remove barriers at every stage:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Document Extraction">
    Extract structured data from paystubs, IDs, bank statements, and proof of address. Feed extracted data into Terra forms, fraud analysis, and case management systems.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Fraud Detection">
    Analyze patterns across 450,000+ applications. Identify synthetic identities, coordinated fraud attempts, and document forgery. Maintain low false-positive rates to protect legitimate applicants.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Program Template Generation">
    Analyze existing programs and public benefit models to generate eligibility criteria, documentation requirements, and workflow designs. Compress program launch from months to days.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Multilingual Messaging">
    Generate all program communications—social media, notifications, approval letters, outreach materials—and auto-translate to 20+ languages while preserving cultural context.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Personalized Outreach">
    Inform applicants about relevant opportunities, upcoming deadlines, and next steps in their preferred language and communication channel.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Grant Context

This platform expansion is funded by the **GitLab Foundation's AI for Economic Opportunity** grant. The grant supports deploying AI to:

1. **Foundation Phase**: Document extraction pipeline, baseline fraud detection, multilingual translation infrastructure
2. **Intelligence Layer Phase**: Cross-program insights, program template generation, personalized outreach engine
3. **Integration & Validation Phase**: Partner validation, measurement, documentation for scaling

### Success Metrics

| Metric                | Target                                                              |
| --------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Document extraction   | Reduce manual review from hours to minutes per application          |
| Fraud detection       | Maintain \<15% false positive rate while catching coordinated fraud |
| Language coverage     | Expand from 2 languages to 20+                                      |
| Program launch speed  | Compress setup from months to \<2 weeks                             |
| Geographic expansion  | Grow from 16 states to 25 states                                    |
| Distribution capacity | Scale from $5M to $15M annually                                     |

***

## Architecture Principles

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Monorepo, Multiple Apps">
    All applications live in a single repository. Shared packages prevent duplication. Database migrations stay in sync. One team can work across all apps without context-switching.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Human in the Loop">
    Every high-stakes decision (fraud flagging, eligibility determination, benefit denial) requires human review. AI serves as a support tool, not a replacement for human judgment.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Privacy by Design">
    PII is encrypted at rest. Separate queryable metadata from sensitive values. Audit all access. Never log credentials or sensitive URLs.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Applicant Data Is Sacred">
    Benefit applicants trust us with their most sensitive information. Every architectural decision prioritizes data protection. Files are never publicly accessible. Submissions succeed even if integrations fail.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Path to Redemption">
    Someone flagged for fraud in one program should not be barred from all future programs without recourse. Fraud flags are program-specific unless confirmed through human review. Clear processes exist to exit fraud status.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Forge Documentation" icon="wand-magic-sparkles" href="/forge/foundation/introduction">
    Learn about the program design studio for program managers
  </Card>

  <Card title="Sentinel Documentation" icon="shield-halved" href="/sentinel/foundation/introduction">
    Learn about the fraud analysis platform
  </Card>

  <Card title="Hub Documentation" icon="users" href="/hub/foundation/introduction">
    Learn about the unified applicant view
  </Card>

  <Card title="Shared Packages" icon="cube" href="/platform/packages">
    Explore the shared infrastructure packages
  </Card>
</CardGroup>