For media inquiries, please contact: Abhi Nemani, Director of Strategy and Communications, abhi [@] codeforamerica.org, 6183222220
Code for America Will Send Geeks for Year of Service in Philly, Detroit and Macon
Tech President, September 7, 2011
For the second year in a row, Philadelphia will receive a technological assist from Code for America to help build and enhance Internet tools that bolster civic engagement. Philadelphia is working on a neighborhood project platform application called Change By Us, which allows residents to share ideas about projects in their communities and encourage participation. Following its launch later this year, the tool will be further developed with additional enhancements in 2012.
Philadelphia Named a Code for America City for Second Time
Government Technology, September 7, 2011
For the second year in a row, Philadelphia will receive a technological assist from Code for America to help build and enhance Internet tools that bolster civic engagement. Philadelphia is working on a neighborhood project platform application called Change By Us, which allows residents to share ideas about projects in their communities and encourage participation. Following its launch later this year, the tool will be further developed with additional enhancements in 2012.
Could Code for America Work in the UK?
The Guardian, September 7, 2011
Cue stars and stripes imagery, cue red, white and blue typeface, cue hardcore technology patriotism: Code for America has arrived. For those who haven’t heard of it, Code for America is a new non-profit organisation. It brings together web geeks, technology industry leaders and US cities to develop new types of public services and administration using the power of the internet.
Philly Chosen as Code for America Partner, Again
Philadelphia Weekly, September 7, 2011
For the second straight year, Philly has been chosen from a pool of 20 governments to receive technical assistance from Code For America Fellows.
Are Millenials the Key to Solving Government’s Woes?
Washington Post, August 12, 2011
“Studies do quantify characteristics of Millennials that have some interesting points,” Code for America founder Jennifer Pahlka said. In her experience, today’s young adults are, in many cases, “fantastic at ignoring the politics and jumping in with fixes, hacks, improvements, solutions.”
Remaking Government in a Wiki Age
New York Times, August 18, 2011
Ms. Pahlka’s focus is on citizens and finding ways to help government serve us better. For political leaders, Government 2.0 offers a further benefit: Citizens who are more deeply engaged in how government works are more willing to pay for it.
Names You Need to Know: Code for America
Forbes Blog, May 17, 2011
will know the data, and the data will set you free. Or at least, create a better, more participatory democracy. That is the premise of Code for America, a budding national organization of software programmers who use public information from local governments to create better civic services.
Love for Public Service
Next Gov, May 4, 2011
This week marks Public Service Recognition Week, but with talks about workforce cuts, extended pay freezes and other cuts to pay and benefits, it’s easy for federal employees to feel unappreciated. Need a morale boost? Social networking website GovLoop teamed up with Code for America to create WeLovePublicService.org, a website that allows anyone — you, your colleagues, your family or friends — to recognize and thank government employees and military service members for the work they do every day.
New Site Lets Users Say ‘Thanks’ to Public Employees
Oh My Gov, May 4, 2011
WeLovePublicService.org is a new web venture started by our friends at GovLoop along with Code for America, a user-generated site where citizens of all stripes can say thank you to those who (mostly) thanklessly toil away in the public sector. Users can submit their name and location along with a 100 character long message of thanks to all the teachers, first responders, mail carriers, and IRS auditors who help comprise the public work force.
Mural Guide application finds, details Philly’s ample outdoor art, built with OpenDataPhilly
Technically Philly, May 3, 2011
Two Code for America fellows with help from a third developed and launched the Philadelphia Mural Guide app. Aaron Ogle and John Mertens, with Mjumbe Poe, used the MuralFarm collection of locations, images and other information on the city’s expansive outdoor art, to develop the project.
Code for America Works to Help Cities Solve Problems
Government Technology, April 28, 2011
Alissa Black is city program director of Code for America, a nonprofit organization of civic and tech leaders. Appointed in 2007, Black works closely with partner cities to understand their problems and determine how the organization can help them find solutions.
Jennifer Pahlka: Taking Government into the Future
The Informant, April 8, 2011
A new wave of geeks have emerged: those who combine a love for political affairs with a love for technology. On the forefront of this wave is San Francisco’s Jennifer Pahlka, founder of Code for America.
Innovator: Jen Pahlka
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Bloomberg Business News, April 7, 2011
Firefighters and computer programmers don’t often interact. Yet in February, representatives of both gathered in Boston’s City Hall, where fire department officials explained one of their wintertime worries: snowbound fire hydrants. The coders quickly responded with a website that mapped every hydrant in the city and encouraged residents to “adopt” each one and take responsibility for shoveling them out after snowstorms. The site is a product of Code for America, founded by Jennifer Pahlka in September 2009. She modeled the organization after Teach for America, with the goal of uniting technologists and city employees.
U.S. Government Open-Sources IT Dashboard to Help Cut Tech Costs
Mashable, March 31, 2011
The United States government has made its IT Dashboard, a cost-cutting tool for federal transparency, freely available for anyone, especially other governments, to use and customize…The government is working with Code for America for this release. In an announcement, CfA said, “The IT Dashboard was a major component of the process the Federal Government employed to save over $3 billion in just its first two years of deployment.”
White House Releases IT Dashboard as Open Source Code
O’Reilly Radar, March 31, 2011
The White House has released the software code for its IT Dashboard and TechStat toolkit. The initiative was coordinated through Civic Commons, a code-sharing project incubated within Code for America that helps governments share technology for the public good, with support from OpenPlans.
The Inception Event CfA
The Chief Seattle Geek Blog, March 25, 2011
I was pleasantly surprised by a Code for America “inception event” on March 17th. The event was the kickoff – really the kickoff of the second half of our “game” (project) to create open source software which will help Seattle and Philadelphia and other cities’ neighborhood leaders … well … “lead”.
Code for America Calls for Hackers with Hearts of Gold
Mashable, March 21, 2011
Code for America is seeking devs for its 2012 Fellowship Program, a year of public service that puts coders to work for communities. The fellowship gives developers, researchers, entrepreneurs and designers a chance to build customized web and mobile apps for communities and governments. Their work is used to solve pervasive public problems and connect citizens to governments
Dept. of State and 18 Other Governments Apply for Code for America
Mashable, March 9, 2011
Code for America, the non-profit organization that creates government-changing apps for communities around the U.S., has received applications from 19 U.S. city, state and federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of State. Each of these government entities will compete to be one of the three to five communities that gets Code for America fellows to create a customized, open-source app to solve a pervasive problem in public service or government administration.
Code for America brings Philly closer to open data, civic transparency
Flying Kite Media, March 8, 2011
Philadelphia’s Department of Technology has made creating a transparent city government a priority, and it has recruited the Code for America program to help make it a reality. Though the program just kicked off in January, the Code for America fellows have already served as a bridge in drawing the civic and tech communities in Philadelphia closer together, and started to make an impact in the space around civic applications.
Tech project needs public’s help in modernizing city government
The Boston Globe, March 4, 2011
Boston was lucky to be chosen as one of the five pilot cities for Code for America, a new program that pairs teams of young computer programmers with city governments to develop new technology initiatives that will serve the public good. If executed correctly, the project will not only yield useful applications for Boston residents, but also accelerate efforts to use technology to improve local government — while incorporating the concerns and insights of the public into the process.
Applied Brainpower
The Boston Globe, Mar 1, 2011 [in-print; view pdf]
Now in its first year of operation, Code for America is a kind of City Year for techies. The team of seven developers assigned to Boston will live and work in San Francisco; but first, the members spent the month of February canvassing city government, looking for problems to solve.
Data Camp’s Goal: An app to improve Philadelphia
Philadelphia Business Journal, Feb 24, 2011
The event, which is called DataCamp: Philadelphia, will be led by seven fellows from Code for America, a San Francisco-based nonprofit that provides people with fellowships for a year to build applications for cities around the country. The fellows are building an application to improve the flow of information both from the city of Philadelphia to neighborhood organizations and then to residents, and from residents to neighborhood organizations and then to the city
Civic Developers Code for America on Presidents’ Day in D.C.
Huffington Post, Feb 21, 2011
This past weekend, civic developers gathered at a Seattle data camp to code for America. This Presidents’ Day, the day before George Washington’s Birthday, dozens of government technologists, data nerds, civic hackers and citizens from around the District of Columbia, Virginia and Maryland will join Code for America fellows for a datacamp at Big Window Labs.
City to create app for students
The Boston Herald, Feb 20, 2011
Those endless waits for the school bus in the dead of winter may soon be a thing of the past in Boston, thanks to a group of brainiacs who have descended on the Hub in pursuit of innovative smartphone apps to make life a little easier. The city recently won the help of seven technologically sophisticated fellows through “Code for America,” which works similarly to its “Teach for America” namesake, giving yearlong fellowships to young adults.
Code for America Philadelphia fellows start work with City
Technically Philly, Feb 17, 2011
Ogle, 30, is something of the leader of the seven-pack of Code for America fellows that parachuted into City Hall earlier this month. Ogle, a former developer for local GIS shop Azavea, is one of two Philly natives in this, the inaugural year for an experimental program that offers chosen cities a team of coders for a year to create open source products that make government more efficient, transparent or ideally both.
Local Coders Help Improve Government Functions
Governing, Jan 2011
Interest in CfA from developers, designers and city officials is the latest example of how a new generation of small-scale software developers and city officials can collaborate to provide useful and engaging apps for citizens. As more cities tap into this pool of talent, they’re discovering the rewards and challenges of developing and deploying these fast — and cheap — mobile, Web-based apps.
Non-profit offers tech talents to local government
MarketWatch, Dec 3, 2010
Code for America matches some of the country’s top young technologists with city governments for one year. Its goal is to develop innovative, cost-saving web-based technologies aimed at making government more accountable, connected and efficient. In many cases, CfA fellows take large pay cuts to code for good.
How an Army of Techies is Taking on City Hall
Fast Company, Nov 29, 2010 [in-print; view pdf]
This January, a new organization called Code for America, with support from Yahoo, Microsoft, and others, will launch, aiming to leverage the idealism of a generation of young programmers, this time from within city hall… “This transcends political ideology,” says Jennifer Pahlka, Code for America’s founder. “One thing that people of different backgrounds can agree on is that government needs to get better.”
‘Code for America’ Programmers to Work in City Governments
Government Technology, Nov 3, 2010
Four cities will each receive a team of five open source Web programmers for 11 months, as selected by Code for America, a new nonprofit that’s pairing Web geeks with city governments. The selected cities were Boston, Seattle, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. Each city paid $250,000 to participate, which included submitting applications and proposals for what they wanted from a team of fellows.
Code for America Chooses 20 Developers as Fellows
Mashable, Nov 2, 2010
Code for America, the refreshingly ambitious app project that brings city-changing technology to a handful of lucky communities, has just named 20 top developers to be fellows in the program this year. Throughout next year, these developers will convene in San Francisco to build apps for communities in need.
Program matches geeks with government
<<Santa Cruz Sentinel, Aug 13, 2010
Code for America is matching up geeks with government. The San Francisco-based nonprofit is accepting applications until Sunday for fellowships for software developers, designers and product managers. Fellows for the 11-month project will work with five U.S. cities to develop technology to help government function more efficiently, or offer new services.
Code For America Offers Young Web Developers A Chance to Bring Cities to the Web 2.0
Campus Progress, Aug 5, 2010
Take a minute and look at your city government’s webpage. Is there anywhere for you to share input? Is there an app you can download to your phone to provide feedback or submit a request? If it looks anything like my city’s website, probably not and you might be worried that your city and its dozens of downloadable tax forms are trapped in 2001. Don’t worry. Web 2.0 will soon be on its way to city hall, if one Bay Area-based nonprofit has its way.
Video Interview: Code for America City Program Director Alissa Black
Technically Philly,July 30, 2010
At today‚ Supernova conference, we caught up with Code for America‚ City Program Director Alissa Black to ask her about the program‚ timeline, and why Philadelphia was selected as one of CFA‚ inaugural cities.
Gov 2.0: The Future of Government Is In Your Hands
CBS News, July 30, 2010
Annoyed with how your city is dealing with public transportation or want that pothole fixed on your street but can’t get anyone to listen? A brewing movement referred to as Gov 2.0 is working to help the public sector deal with these issues with the help of some of the smartest techies out there.
Code for America: Great people doing great things
SySCon, July 30, 2010
You are no doubt aware that cities are under great financial pressure. And we citizens of cities are as well, which means the odds of significant new IT money for most cities is really scant. It is time to look for new ways to empower our cities with abilities to serve citizens, and Code for America is one of the most positive things I have seen happening on this front.
What is Gov 2.0?
CBS News, July 29
Gov 2.0 uses the technology and innovation of Web 2.0 to address the needs of government. CBSNews.com’s Shira Lazar talks with Tim O’Reilly, founder and CEO of O’Reilly Media, about the new movement and Code for America.
Code for America: Great people doing great things
July 29, 2010, CTO Vision
You are no doubt aware that cities are under great financial pressure. And we citizens of cities are as well, which means the odds of significant new IT money for most cities is really scant. It is time to look for new ways to empower our cities with abilities to serve citizens, and Code for America is one of the most positive things I have seen happening on this front.
Code for America Labs picks Phila. for interactive applications project
July 29, 2010, Philadelphia Business Journal
A nonprofit that is seeking to get Web 2.0 developers and designers to spend a year working with cities to develop interactive applications for them has selected Philadelphia for its five-city inaugural program. Code for America Labs Inc. will assign a team to work with the city to develop a Web application that enables residents to form groups with others in their neighborhoods to communicate with the city about problems and services.
Code For America Selects Philadelphia To Participate In fellows Program To Develop Citizen Engagement Web Application
City of Philadelphia, July 29, 2010
Allan Frank, the City’s Chief Technology Officer and head of the Division of Technology, is excited about the high-level programming expertise that Code for America Fellows will bring. We are talking Star Wars here; Philadelphia will have the benefit of a group of “Jedi Master” technologists that will augment the Division’s existing web-development capacity, facilitating the creation of a powerful, interactive citizen engagement tool that will increase connectivity and the exchange of information between the City government, residents, and visitors.
Microsoft announces support for Code for America at Seattle event
Microsoft On the Issues, July 21, 2010
Microsoft is demonstrating our support for Code for America by committing to a $50,000 contribution. We have also agreed to help provide developer skills training to the Code for America Fellows, as well as technical and architectural guidance for the planned solutions in the target cities of Boston, Philadelphia, DC, Seattle, and Boulder. Finally, we will spread the word about Code for America to our developer and partner community to drive interest in the fellowships and to expand the reach and impact of Code for America’s mission
Hack the government
IT World, July 21, 2010
Code for America thinks that the U.S. would be a lot better place if hackers turned their technical skills towards improving the government.
Code For America
Seattle Mayor McGinn Blog, July 20, 2010
A select group of software developers, designers and managers will be chosen to build the next generation of Gov 2.0 apps for five U.S. city governments.
City of Seattle looks to bring the Block Watch into the 21st century
TechFlash, Seattle, July 19, 2010
The City of Seattle has operatedBlock Watch programs in select neighborhoods for more than 35 years. But now, some city officials and local high-tech leaders think the program is ready for an upgrade. A new effort — led by the non-profitCode for America — is looking to transform the way neighbors communicate with one another by tapping into social networking tools. Eventually, the goal is to create stronger communities where citizens are actively engaged in helping city government operate more smoothly.
Changing Government and Tech With Geeks
New York Times, July 6, 2010
Talking about government and computer programming most likely doesn’t evoke the feeling of fun for most Americans. But a group of Web geeks and technology leaders is trying to change that with a new nonprofit project, Code for America, which aims to import the efficiency of the Web into government infrastructures.
The Reasons “Code for America” is a BFD
Change.org, June 7, 2010
Code for America is a program that gives web professionals the chance to spend a year working with municipal data to create applications that improve resource efficiency, change the communication between officials and citizens, and general use their web app skills to improve government.
Five Cities Get Free Civic Apps Through Code for America
Mashable, May 4, 2010
Five American cities have been selected for a random act of kindness from software developers. Boston, Boulder, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Seattle will all receive free web and/or mobile apps to help administer government and serve citizens, thanks to a program called Code for America.
CfA Founder on Bringing Open Government Help to Philadelphia
Technically Philly, April 16, 2010
What if tech professionals who want to work on open government municipal projects could join a program that would pay them to do just that? A program that would give a batch of cities a top tech team of developers, designers, and product managers for an entire year to build out their dream application that drives transparency and participation within the city and its government. And what if Philadelphia was in the running to get just such a team? Oakland-based Jennifer Pahlka, the executive director and co-founder of Code for America, is about to find out.
5 U.S. mayors, 25 developers will make the Gov 2.0 American Dream Team
GovFresh, Jan 8, 2010
Tryouts for the Gov 2.0 American Dream Team are on. Alphagovs, alphageeks get ready to spec and code, because Code for America is recruiting 5 cities to take the lead in re-shaping the face of the American municipal IT department.
Gov 2.0 is Not Cool Tech
GovLoop, Sept 15, 2010
Code for America creating a safe space for governments to share code? Gov 2.0.
Introducing Code for America
EngagingCities, Sept 16, 2010
In the same vein as Doctors Without Borders and Architecture for Humanity, emerges Code for America (CFA). A fellowship based program for web developers and designers with a public service slant; CFA was founded to help the brightest minds of the web 2.0 generation transform city governments.
5 Tips for Aspiring Web Developers
Mashable, Sept 18, 2010
By far the most oft-repeated words of advice we heard from masters of the web dev trade were these: Put in some time on open-source projects. The hands-on experience will challenge you, educate you and help you build your body of work… Sites like Code for America and organizations such as the Mozilla Foundation are always looking for good developers with free time.