Getting Involved
The best way to get involved is just to show up. We’re a project-driven community, which means at any given time we have 6–7 active projects running. We meet twice a month, and the evenings are a mix of real work, learning, and genuinely good company (and pizza).
Everyone’s welcome. You don’t need to be a developer or have any particular background. We have seasoned engineers, policy folks, designers, product managers, researchers, and plenty of people who just heard about us and wanted to see what civic tech was about.
What to Expect on Your First Night
Section titled “What to Expect on Your First Night”Walking into a new community event can feel a little intimidating, but we are friendly folks. Here is exactly how the evening usually goes:
6:00–6:30pm — Arrival, food, and mingling
Doors open and there’s pizza. This is unstructured hangout time to meet people.
6:30–6:45pm — Welcome and announcements
We give a short intro to Civic Tech DC for new members, share announcements, and hear quick pitches from project leads about what they’re working on that night.
6:45–7:00pm — New member orientation
A casual space to learn about Civic Tech DC, your background, and how to connect you with the right project.
7:00–8:15pm — Project work
This is the heart of the evening. You break off into project groups and work alongside the team. If it’s your first time, you can stay in orientation or jump into a project that interests you.
8:15–8:30pm — Regroup and share
Everyone comes back together for a quick wrap-up where each project shares what they worked on. No achievement is too small—shipping a PR, finishing a research interview, or getting unstuck all count.
8:30–9:00pm — Optional happy hour
For those who want to keep talking, we head to a nearby bar. This is optional, but a great way to end the night.
Find a Project
Section titled “Find a Project”We’re always incubating new projects and iterating on existing ones. You can explore the full list of active projects here
When you join a project, you’ll notice that each one operates a little differently. Some projects begin with a structured onboarding and orientation phase, while others dive directly into building and learning by doing. Both approaches are valid.
The key is to observe how the team works, ask questions early, and find where you can plug in effectively.
Logistics
Section titled “Logistics”GitHub Access
Please fill out this Google form with your GitHub username and we will add you.
Code of Conduct
Use this Google form to report any violations of our code of conduct. Reports go directly to the organizer team for follow-up.
Join Slack
Slack is the best way to stay connected between project nights. We share updates, coordinate work, and post announcements there. If you’re new to Slack, here’s the official guide