How Impact Scoring Works

A look inside how Govbase turns bills and executive orders into personalized impact scores.

What does Govbase analyze?

Every bill and executive order is read in full and analyzed for who it affects. The result is a structured breakdown that captures not just whether a policy affects a group, but how much, how likely, and for how long.

Impact scores should be treated as informed estimates, not certainties. We continuously refine our analysis and welcome feedback.

Which groups are analyzed?

Every policy is analyzed for its impact on these groups. Follow the ones that apply to you and Govbase filters everything automatically.

Employment & work

Self-employedFederal employeeState & local employeeActive-duty militaryGig economy workerRetiredUnemployed

Special groups

Military veteransLGBTQ+Tribal membersFamily caregiversFirst respondersUnion membersFoster youthImmigrants

Programs & benefits

MedicareMedicaidCHIPSocial SecuritySSISNAPWICTANFUnemployment benefitsVeterans benefitsPell GrantHousing assistanceDisability services

Health & disability

Mobility impairedBlind / visually impairedDeaf / hard of hearingCognitive / learningDevelopmental disabilityMental health conditionTraumatic brain injuryChronic conditionUninsuredPregnantCancer patient / survivor

Citizenship & immigration

Permanent residentTemporary visa holderUndocumentedRefugee / asyleeDACA recipientTPS beneficiary

Housing & family

HomeownerRenterPublic housingHomelessParents with childrenSingle parent

Education

K-12 studentCollege studentGraduate studentRecent graduateVocational / trade schoolHomeschool

Lifestyle & activities

Hunting & fishingFirearm sportsCannabis useGamblingCryptocurrencyContent creationAviationInternational travelRental property owner

In addition to these tags, every policy is analyzed for impact on all 50 states, D.C., and Puerto Rico.

Four dimensions of impact

Each impact is scored from 1 to 5 on four independent dimensions.

Magnitude

How significant is the effect on daily life?

1 Negligible···5 Transformative

Likelihood

How likely is this impact to actually happen?

1 Very unlikely···5 Near certain

Scope

What share of the affected group is impacted?

1 Few (<1%)···5 Nearly all (80%+)

Duration

How long will the impact last?

1 Temporary (<6 mo)···5 Permanent (15+ yr)

Is it good or bad?

Beyond the four dimensions, each impact receives a net benefit score from -5 to +5. This captures whether a policy, on balance, helps or hurts the affected group. A score of 0 means the effects are neutral or evenly balanced between positive and negative.

−5 Harm0 Neutral+5 Benefit

-5 Severe, potentially irreversible damage

+5 Life-changing positive impact

-3 Meaningful loss of benefits or protections

+3 Meaningful new benefits or expanded access

-1 Small negative adjustments, increased burden

+1 Small positive adjustments, reduced burden

Your personal score

Govbase combines the four dimensions and sentiment into a single number for each impact. The favorability score runs from 0 (most harmful) to 100 (most beneficial), with 50 as neutral.

You set up a profile by following tags that describe you: veteran, student, small business owner, renter. Govbase then combines the scores across all matching policies to produce your personal favorability score. Above 50 means recent policy has been more beneficial to your groups. Below 50 means more harmful.

Get your personal impact score with ProPRO

Questions about our methodology?

We're committed to transparency in how our scores work. Reach out anytime.

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