Code for America
{{Short description|American non-profit organization}}
{{use dmy dates|date=October 2022}}{{Infobox Institute
| name = Code for America
| image_name = Codeforamerica_logo.png
| caption =
| established = September 2009
| chairman =
| head_label = CEO
| head = Amanda Renteria{{cite web |title=Code for America names new CEO |date=May 2020 |url=https://www.axios.com/2020/05/01/code-for-america-amanda-renteria-ceo }}
| faculty =
| staff =
| budget =
| endowment = [https://www.codeforamerica.org/our-supporters Primary sponsors]
| assets =
| location = San Francisco, CA
| address =
| website = {{URL|https://codeforamerica.org}}
| founder = Jennifer Pahlka
}}
Code for America is a 501(c)(3) civic tech non-profit organization that was founded by Jennifer Pahlka in 2009, "to promote ‘civic hacking’, and to bring 21st century technology to government."{{Cite web |date=2014-07-10 |title=Code For America Announces Five Companies For Accelerator Program |url=https://techcrunch.com/2014/07/10/code-for-america-announces-five-companies-for-accelerator-program/ |access-date=2023-10-15 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} Federal, state, and local governments often lack the budget, expertise, and resources to efficiently deploy modern software.{{Cite news |last=Boyd |first=E.B. |date=2011-01-05 |title=Hacker-Driven "Code for America" Kicks Off Today |work=Fast Company |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/1714303/hacker-driven-code-america-kicks-today}} Code for America partners with governments to help deliver software services, particularly to low income communities and to people who have been left out.{{cite web |last=Renteria |first=Amanda |date=2022-05-02 |title=A bold plan to transform access to the US social safety net |url=https://www.ted.com/talks/amanda_renteria_a_bold_plan_to_transform_access_to_the_us_social_safety_net |access-date=2022-10-28 |df=dmy-all}} "A large population of American citizens in poverty are not connected and exposed to government resources that they are eligible for—nearly {{Currency|60B}} worth of potential benefits for people in need remain unclaimed every year."{{Cite news |last=Peters |first=Adele |title=Code for America will help states redesign their public benefits systems |work=Fast Company |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/90740040/code-for-america-will-help-states-redesign-their-public-benefits-systems |quote=An estimated $60 billion in funding for food assistance and other social safety net programs goes unclaimed each year.}}
Projects that illustrate the organization's impact include:
- GetCalFresh – a portal to access food assistance programs in California that lowered the time to complete an application from 45 minutes to under 10 minutes. Users can access benefits from their mobile device and receive text message updates.{{Cite web |last=Johnston |first=Ryan |date=2019-05-31 |title=California announces statewide expansion of Code for America food stamp tool |url=https://statescoop.com/california-announces-statewide-expansion-of-code-for-america-food-stamp-tool/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US}}
- MNBenefits – a site that allows Minnesota residents to apply for a range of benefits in English or Spanish. Residents can also upload documents and get help via a live chat feature. The site takes what is often an hour long paper process down to a 12 minute task.{{Cite web |date=2021-10-21 |title=Minn. Hones Its 'Human-Centered' Benefits Web, Mobile Portal |url=https://www.govtech.com/gov-experience/minn-hones-its-human-centered-benefits-web-mobile-portal |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=GovTech |language=en}} The work enabled $636 million in benefits for the state that would have otherwise been lost.{{Cite web |last=McKenzie |first=Lindsay |date=2023-07-24 |title=Code for America, Minnesota speed up Medicaid renewals |url=https://statescoop.com/code-for-america-minnesota-speed-up-medicaid-renewals/ |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US}}
- Clear My Record – Software that analyzes large datasets of criminal records and pinpoints records eligible to be erased or dismissed in states like California, Utah, Illinois.{{Cite news |last1=Garcia-Navarro |first1=Lulu |last2=Bowman |first2=Emma |title=Algorithm Targets Marijuana Convictions Eligible To Be Cleared |work=NPR |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/02/23/808575012/algorithm-targets-marijuana-convictions-eligible-to-be-cleared}}{{Cite web |last=Pace |first=Eliza |date=2022-02-10 |title=Utah's 'clean slate' law goes into effect to expunge old, minor criminal charges |url=https://ksltv.com/483946/utahs-clean-slate-law-goes-into-effect-to-expunge-old-minor-criminal-charges/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=KSLTV.com}}{{Cite web |last=Freed |first=Benjamin |date=2019-08-27 |title=Code for America's pot-conviction clearance program heads to Illinois |url=https://statescoop.com/illinois-code-for-america-marijuana-clear-my-record/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US}}
- GetCTC – a streamlined filing tool that enabled low-income families to claim the Child Tax Credit and other tax benefits.{{Cite web |title=State partners with Code for America, IRS for free e-filing |url=https://suncommunitynews.com/news/104944/state-partners-with-code-for-america-irs-for-free-e-filing/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=suncommunitynews.com |language=en}}
- GetYourRefund – an online service that allows taxpayers to access Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) services virtually.
Safety Net Innovation Lab
In April, 2022, "Code for America received two separate investments, totaling {{Currency|100M}} over seven years, to set up its Safety Net Innovation Lab and work with state and local government agencies to modernize their social safety net administration services to make access to government services more equitable."{{Cite web |title=Code for America Receives $100 Million Investment to Work With SLGs on Safety Net Innovation Lab |url=https://www.meritalk.com/articles/code-for-america-receives-100-million-investment-to-work-with-slgs-on-safety-net-innovation-lab/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=www.meritalk.com |language=en-US}} The investments were made by Audacious project worth {{Currency|64M}}, and Blue Meridian Partners with {{Currency|36M}}.
The project also includes expanding agencies' digital services to boost participation in assistance programs targeting women, infants and children, and developing an integrated benefits application that allows families to apply for and access benefits all in one location."{{Cite web |last=Wood |first=Colin |date=2022-04-12 |title=Code for America to launch safety-net innovation project after $100M investment |url=https://statescoop.com/code-for-america-safety-net-innovation-lab-states/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US}} The project includes partnerships with 15 states, announced in cohorts:
- May 2022: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana{{Cite web |last=Freed |first=Benjamin |date=2022-05-18 |title=Code for America's 'Safety Net Innovation Lab' names first 4 states |url=https://statescoop.com/code-for-america-safety-net-innovation-lab-first-states/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US}}
- March 2023: New York, New Mexico, Maryland, District of Columbia{{Cite web |last=McKenzie |first=Lindsay |date=2023-03-23 |title=Code for America unveils second wave of 'Safety Net Innovation Lab' states |url=https://statescoop.com/code-for-america-safety-net-innovation-lab-second-wave/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US}}
The remaining states have yet to be announced as of October 2023.
History
File:Code for America building 2013-04-13 12-27.jpg
In 2009, Jennifer Pahlka was working with O'Reilly Media at the Gov 2.0 Summit in Washington, DC. A conversation with Andrew Greenhill, the Mayor's Chief of Staff of the City of Tucson, sparked the initial idea for Code for America, when he said "You need to pay attention to the local level, because cities are in major crisis. Revenues are down, costs are up—if we don't change how cities work, they're going to fail."{{cite web |title=How an Army of Techies Is Taking On City Hall |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/151/icitizen-bonus.html?page=0,0 |first=Anya |last=Kamenetz |publisher=Fast Company |date=2010-11-29}} The two began discussing plans for a program that eventually became Code for America, "a one-year fellowship recruiting developers to work for city government". With support from web entrepreneur Leonard Lin, Tim O'Reilly of O'Reilly Media, the Sunlight Foundation, among others, the organization was launched in September 2009.
On July 6, 2010, the organization announced it would be recruiting fellows to participate in an eleven month program with assigned cities.{{Cite web |last=Bilton |first=Nick |date=2010-07-06 |title=Changing Government and Tech With Geeks |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/changing-government-and-tech-with-geeks/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Bits Blog |language=en}} Twenty fellows were selected from 360 applicants.{{cite web |date=2010-11-03 |title=Code for America Fellows to Work with City Governments |url=http://www.govtech.com/education/Code-for-America-Programmers-City-Governments.html |access-date=2011-01-15 |publisher=Government Technology}} Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Seattle were the four cities selected to participate in the 2011 program.{{cite web |date=2011-01-05 |title=Hacker Driven Code for America Kicks Off Today |url=http://www.fastcompany.com/1714303/code-for-america-kicks-off-hacker-version-of-teach-for-america |access-date=2011-01-15 |publisher=Fast Company}} Fellows partnered with Boston developed an "Adopt a Hydrant" website, so that volunteers in Boston could sign up to shovel out fire hydrants after storms. The system was also used in Providence, Anchorage, and Chicago. Honolulu created a similar website, "Adopt-A-Siren", for its tsunami sirens.{{Cite news |last=Raja |first=Tasneem |date=June 2014 |title=Is Coding the New Literacy? |work=Mother Jones |url=https://www.motherjones.com/media/2014/06/computer-science-programming-code-diversity-sexism-education |access-date=2014-06-21}} A group of 2015 fellows started the GetCalFresh project, which grew into a multi-year project supported by teams within the organization.{{Cite news |last=Lu |first=Yiren |date=2016-11-10 |title=Why Is It So Hard to Make a Website for the Government? |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/13/magazine/design-issue-code-for-america.html,%20https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/11/13/magazine/design-issue-code-for-america.html |access-date=2023-10-23 |issn=0362-4331}}
In 2012, Code for America started supporting local volunteer groups called Brigades. One of the first Brigades, Friendly Code, was out of Grand Rapids, Michigan.{{Cite web |first=Molly |last=Crist |date=February 6, 2014 |title=RapidChat: Jonathan Pichot |url=https://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/features/020614rapidchatjonathanpichot.aspx |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=Rapid Growth |language=en}} The Brigade network eventually grew to 60 chapters.
In May 2019, Pahlka announced her intention to step down from her leadership role at Code for America.{{Cite news |last=Fried |first=Ina |date=2019-05-23 |title=Exclusive: Code For America founder plans to step down |work=Axios |url=https://www.axios.com/2019/05/23/exclusive-code-for-america-founder-plans-to-step-down}} On May 1, 2020, Amanda Renteria was named as the new CEO.{{Cite news |last=Fried |first=Ina |date=2020-05-01 |title=Code for America names new CEO |work=Axios |url=https://www.axios.com/2020/05/01/code-for-america-amanda-renteria-ceo}}
In January 2023, Code for America ended its Brigade Program and began sunsetting affiliation with Brigades. In an interview, Tracey Patterson, Code for America’s chief program officer, "Called the brigades a 'big part' of Code for America’s history, she said its mission has shifted over the years to the point that supporting dozens of decentralized groups isn’t the best use of its resources."{{Cite web |last=Freed |first=Benjamin |date=2023-05-17 |title=Cut loose, Code for America's former local brigades look to regroup |url=https://statescoop.com/code-for-america-former-brigades-regroup/ |access-date=2023-10-23 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US}}
On August 4, 2021, Code for America employees announced their intent to unionize with the Office and Professional Employees International Union (OPEIU) Local1010. The organization officially ratified its first union contract in October 2023. The benefits package “sets a model for technology nonprofits across the country,” according to CEO Amanda Renteria.{{Cite web |last=srispens |date=2023-10-30 |title=Code for America finally ratifies first union contract |url=https://statescoop.com/code-for-america-ratifies-first-union-contract/ |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=StateScoop |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [http://codeforamerica.org/ Code for America] official website
- [http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/07/06/changing-government-and-tech-with-geeks/ Changing Government and Tech with Geeks], Nick Bilton, The New York Times, July 6, 2010
- [http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/151/icitizen-bonus.html?page=0,1/ How an Army of Techies Is Taking on City Hall], Anya Kamenetz, Fast Company, November 29, 2010
- [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/08/19/us/19iht-letter19.html?ref=wikipedia Remaking Government in a Wiki Age], Chrystia Freeland/Reuters, The New York Times, August 18, 2011
Category:Foundations based in the United States
Category:Transparency (behavior)
Category:Politics and technology
Category:Non-profit organizations based in San Francisco