Bridging inequities through Civic Innovation
Open Civic Tech is where civic innovation meets tech education.
By uniting builders, learners, and industry mentors, we advance public interest technology through education and open-source collaboration that serves our communities.
Join us at our annual Civic Tech Camp in New York City, where innovators build technology that makes a difference.
Our vision is to build a thriving ecosystem where aspiring technologists can upskill, collaborate, and make meaningful contributions to civic technology.
We believe civic tech should be inclusive, accessible, and community-driven.
As we continue to co-design with community, we aim to align with these objectives:
1. Build a Cross-Sector Tech Coalition
Through our partner network - including universities, tech bootcamps, meetups, and mission-aligned companies - we're creating pathways for new technologists to engage in Public Interest Technology. Our goal is to make civic tech participation a normal part of tech career development.
2. Create Long-Term Impact Through Open Source
Open Civic Tech goes beyond short-term events by supporting open-source teams and maintaining projects that benefit the public. We evaluate all proposals using three pillars - community-driven tech, skills advancement, and social good projects - to ensure each project creates lasting value. Learn about the full criteria here.
3. Promote Participatory Design with Local Impact
We champion participatory, grassroots-led projects. In 2025, we hosted the Open Data NYC Design Challenge like where we help transform research data into impactful solutions for the community. With the Equitable Mapping Project, we’ve tapped into partnerships with Pratt Institute, Data + Women and Superbloom Design.