Dear CfA Brigades and Volunteers,
As we begin the year, I’m writing to share some reflections, appreciations, and forthcoming changes to the Network program at Code for America.
I’d like to start by acknowledging that the significance of the Brigade Network cannot be overstated. There is no doubt that Code for America’s Brigade Network has had an enormous impact on how government works. As I’ve stated before, we have always believed that people working locally, whether as volunteers, local leaders, or elected officials, all guided by and centering those who are most impacted by the systems we aim to change, are a key part of the civic tech movement.
And the potential of this community, created through the Brigade Network, is limitless. The volunteers, Brigades, and Fellows who have dedicated their time and talents to this movement have helped define Code for America and the civic tech space–proving that technology can be used for good at the local level and creating a network of alums who are serving in government today.
Meanwhile, Code for America has put a stake in the ground about where we believe we need to focus our strategy. Across all of our programs, we are intentionally pursuing work that is advancing equity and alleviating poverty through the mindful use of technology. We believe that this community of civic technologists is better positioned than ever to move our movement closer to that vision in cities and counties all across the country. We have some ideas based on our learnings over the years about how to best do that.
As we start the year, we’re clear-eyed about the realities of working at the local level, grateful to the contributions and leadership of Network staff, and hopeful for what is possible with a more focused approach in 2023 to make an even greater impact on people’s lives.
With sincere appreciation,
Amanda
TL;DR
Given how our work has evolved, and the decrease in funding available to support a decentralized network, in 2023, we will embark on a set of changes to our relationship with the Brigade Network that we believe will enable us to more efficiently collaborate in ways that deliver significant impact in advancing equity and alleviating poverty and enable Brigades to more easily sustain your own local initiatives. In 2023, we will do three things:
- Transition to Independent Brigades: Code for America will be transitioning away from handling Brigade finances, as we believe there are better options at this point to help Brigades establish financial independence.
- Refresh Formal Relationship Structure: Together with newly independent Brigades, we will explore new ways of supporting you and being in relationship with each other.
- Partner on Digital Equity: In 2023, we will build upon the work and success of the Digital Equity collective action event at last year’s Brigade Congress to improve outreach and enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program. We hope this becomes a model for how we can partner in targeted ways moving forward.
For more detail of our thinking, strategic shifts, and next steps please see below:
How Code for America’s Work Has Evolved Over Time
Code for America’s vision has endured since its founding: that government can work for the people, by the people, in a digital age. Over the years, we’ve remained laser-focused on this vision while experimenting with the most efficient and effective way to achieve it. There is no doubt that Code for America’s Brigade Network has had an enormous impact on bringing this vision to life.
Alongside the work of the Brigade Network, in 2015 we began experimenting with supporting in-house staff to work shoulder-to-shoulder with community organizations and governments to build digital tools and services, change policies, and improve programs directly. This work has enabled us to help millions of clients and unlock billions in benefits–a scale that we only ever dreamed was possible.
As our impact via direct service grew, our organizational structure, ways of working, and core capacities shifted to support that type of delivery–and it has become harder for us to do that while providing effective and efficient support and fiscal sponsorship for a large, decentralized base of volunteers, especially without significant multi-year resources available to support the necessary infrastructure for Network convening and engagement.
How Volunteer Engagement Has Evolved Over Time
We know that Brigade leaders have felt signs of volunteer fatigue and a less connected Network, largely due to the distance, uncertainty, and challenges created by COVID. In 2021 and 2022, driven by this learning and a desire to bring our work with Brigades into closer alignment with our in-house direct service work, we invested more resources in our Network program than ever before to develop and implement the ReVisioning strategy.
We learned that this post-pandemic environment has challenged volunteer engagement for more reasons than just COVID. Volunteerism is down across industries. There are growing privacy and security concerns with volunteers partnering with governments. Also, it has become even more difficult to fundraise larger, multi-year investments for a national volunteer network because of these larger shifts in volunteerism, and we experienced a decrease in philanthropic support for the Brigade Network. This seems to be a major challenge all volunteer-driven non-profit organizations have today.
At the same time, we have seen how Brigade volunteers can play a key role in driving direct impact, like increasing the uptake of vital government services, when it is done in deep collaboration and partnership with Code for America and local organizations through programs like the 2022 Impact Sprints.
Some highlights include Code for Tulsa’s functioning text messaging-based service that keeps people updated about their court cases, Open Maine’s work to enhance election transparency by digitizing paper campaign finance forms, and Code for Boston’s work to improve access to the Air Source Heat Pumps program in underserved communities. We also see it in the work of volunteers who are engaged in our Get Your Refund program and the emerging effort to close the participation gap in the Affordable Connectivity Program.
How We Propose To Partner with the Network to Advance Equity and Alleviate Poverty in 2023
Given how our work has evolved, in 2023, we will embark on a set of changes to our relationship with the Brigade Network that we believe will enable us to collaborate in ways that leverage the best of what Code for America can offer from an organizational perspective, with an emphasis on partnering with local volunteers and organizations in ways that deliver significant impact in advancing equity and alleviating poverty through the mindful use of technology in cities and counties all across the country.
In 2023, we will do three things:
- Transition to Independent Brigades: Over the next six months, Brigades will transition to independent entities, and we will work with each Brigade to explore options for more effective fiscal management. Some Brigades may elect to partner with one of the many great organizations whose primary mission is fiscal sponsorship. Others may elect to establish an independent 501(c)(3). Whatever the path, we will work with Brigades to support a smooth and successful transition to independence. A number of Brigades already operate financially independently and can provide models for transition.
- Refresh Formal Relationship Structure: Together with newly independent Brigades, we will also explore new ways of being in relationship with each other that better align with our mission and respective interests while creating the space for you to more easily continue your own local initiatives. For example, we want to explore partnership agreements, marketing agreements, licensing agreements, or other methods for formalizing our work together that tap into our respective strengths and shared goals.
- Partner on Digital Equity: In 2023, we aim to prototype solutions in lock-step with outreach partners and newly independent Brigades in up to 3 states to improve outreach and enrollment in the Affordable Connectivity Program, building upon the work and success of the Digital Equity collective action event at last year’s Brigade Congress. This Digital Equity effort is one way that Code for America will bring together volunteers, newly independent Brigades, and organizations in partnership to deliver impact for people. We hope this becomes a model for how we can partner in targeted ways moving forward. Will you join us?
Staff Changes
As we evaluated our program and development strategies, we recognized that we would need to eliminate three positions on the Network team to set ourselves up for long-term sustainability. This is never easy, and we want to share a note of gratitude to the staff whose positions were eliminated in this process, and their invaluable contributions to building, nurturing, and convening the broader Network over the years:
- Em Burnett has been a longtime member of the Brigade Network and joined the Network team in February 2021 and played a key role in the design and development of ReVisioning. Em, thank you for your inspiring facilitation, clear-eyed approach to problem-solving, and steadfast leadership. Em’s last day at Code for America is February 28.
- Jill Bjers has been a part of the Brigade community since 2013, having co-founded and led the Open Charlotte Brigade, serving as a member and chair on the National Advisory Council from 2016-2019, and participating in the 2019 Community Fellowship program. Jillzey joined Code for America in November 2021 and was the lead event producer for the 2022 Brigade Congress. Jillzey, thank you for all that you’ve poured into the Network. Jillzey’s last day at Code for America was January 31.
- Sung Kim joined Code for America in August 2022 and jumped right into the mix, designing and delivering on a national day of action in St. Louis that helped us deepen our understanding of the barriers to the Affordable Connectivity Program and the design choices that are causing a low participation rate in the important program. Sung’s last day at Code for America was January 31.
Finally, we want to thank Ben Treviño, Senior Program Director, Network, for his invaluable contributions to Code for America throughout his two-year tenure. Ben has received an opportunity he cannot pass up in Hawaiʻi with the Hawaiʻi Leadership Forum, and his last day is February 28th. We want to thank Ben for his leadership, vision, and the intentionality and care that he brings to his work and for his colleagues, volunteers, and partners.
Mari Anthonette Miranda, Jess Manapul, and Mellina Stoney on the Network team, with dedicated support from the Finance team, will spend the next 6 - 8 months working with individual Brigades to work on the efforts around fiscal sponsorship. Along parallel paths, the Network team, along with members of the executive team and current Brigade leaders will explore how we will shape the next iteration of this important relationship between Code for America and Brigades and volunteers and work that emerges related to Digital Equity and ACP. James Armes will support any technical partnerships with newly independent Brigades and volunteers related to ACP. Evonne will lead and support the team in her role as VP of Programs.
Immediate Next Steps
I know that this community has experienced a tremendous amount of change in the past few years and that this news may raise questions and reactions that we want to make space for in the coming weeks. There are a few ways for us to connect and share questions and thoughts. We will share an FAQ and hold a series of forums:
- 2023-02-10T00:00:00Z: Immediate reactions and questions
- 2023-03-03T00:00:00Z: Forum #2 (originally scheduled for 2/16 but has been postponed)
- Future forums TBD
Zoom link: https://codeforamerica.zoom.us/j/84871319841?pwd=ZDR5RE1sanI5ZW5JMUxRdzVHbDY3UT09
If you would like to submit a question or concern to be included in the FAQ or the Forum, please respond to this post or email eburnett@codeforamerica.org. In the meantime, a Network team member will contact leaders of each Brigade to schedule time to talk through what these changes mean specifically for their Brigade.
