2023 Reflection
to the Community

From the Executive Director

2023 was a tremendous year of growth for Technologists for the Public Good (TPG). We saw a 134% increase in membership, tripled our events while increasing attendance, and had more active engagement in Slack than ever. 

We welcomed leaders from across the public and private sector for demo days about radical participatory design, crowdsourcing innovation, and intergenerational civic hacking; offered workshops on government resume creation, communication dynamics, and meditation; offered hands-on resume review; participated in the Tech to Gov initiative to help guide thousands interested in government roles; created opportunities to connect both virtually and in-person; launched a pilot mentorship program; and more.

We have even more planned for 2024 – things that build on our existing successes and things that push us in new directions. Throughout, we’ll stay focused on our goal: Building an engaged, diverse workforce with the skills and resources they need to thrive.

Thank you for being part of this journey so far. I’m excited about what comes next.

Reilly Martin

Who We Are

As organizational change and growth happens we know it’s important to remind ourselves who we are and what we offer.

We are a professional association for people who are reimagining how the government serves the public through technology. We provide tools, resources, and a community in which people can find and learn from one another, across sectors, as individual practitioners with a common goal of helping government work better to deliver better outcomes to the public. Most of our members and services are focused in U.S. geographies.

Nearly 50% of members work in government, 25% at nonprofit organizations, a little more than 15% in academia, and 10% for political or movement organizations. 

Members still skew heavily design or research, product management, and software engineering. There is a growing number of folks that work in data science, operations, and policy. 

Finally, we continue to welcome folks who identify and/or are interested in public interest technology in a broad way and would love to see our membership grow to include more folks with a skillset in marketing and communications, advocacy, talent management, and procurement.

Our Theory of Change

We know that an engaged, diverse workforce that has the skills and resources to thrive in their roles leads to better government service delivery that equitably meets people’s needs. 

If we invest in the individuals who are reimagining how the government serves the public through technology then:

1. The field will grow, and be more diverse.

2. More people will stay in roles in government, because they have the resources they need to be successful.

3. People who leave roles in government will continue to support the field in other capacities.

 
What Members Want

Here's what we've heard from you:

• Hard and soft skill development and opportunities to apply these skills 

• Insight and guidance on how to navigate the field of public interest tech

• Opportunities for in-person and online networking and connection

• Opportunities to give back to the field through volunteering, jobs, etc

• TPG to serve as a voice for the community and field and its needs

 
Delivering on Value for Members in 2024 and Beyond

In 2024, as a professional association we’re focused on:

• Developing written artifacts, research, and guides on entering and navigating the field 

• Offering interactive workshops, listen-only learning sessions such as panels and presentations

• Expanded mentorship, particularly for mid- to senior-career technologists

• Resume support

• Other virtual and in-person events for networking and collaboration 

We’ll work on expanding partnerships, ensuring a sustainable future for the organization, and exploring new ways to support this field altogether.

A sneak peek on a few specific upcoming items:

• A workshop on how to help staff or peers level up and get into leadership or management in government

• Case studies highlighting different career paths people have taken in the field

• A new workforce study

• A written guide on working at different levels of government, with some highlights that may include: What it’s really like getting in and moving into different roles and supporting the work on a contract or employee basis, what are other roles you’ll work with, and more.

• Online and in-person guided networking opportunities

Where Your Support Comes In

We’ve been able to develop our organizational infrastructure and expand our program offerings thanks to philanthropic funding. Philanthropic funding is often a catalyst, but also typically isn’t the only thing organizations should rely on for long-term sustainability. In 2024, we're determining the best way to support this work moving forward while ensuring that programming remains accessible and doesn’t feel like a sales pitch. We're asking now and will continue to ask community members to invest in yourselves and the field. 

Contribute a financial gift to support the future of TPG

If making a financial contribution isn’t possible right now, then consider helping TPG in other ways:

• Tell a friend or colleague about the organization. Or better yet, bring them with you to an event. The most effective way for an association to grow is through word of mouth.

• Connect TPG with a potential partner to co-host events or programs, co-publish written resources, and/or provide financial support for the work. Any industry connection is welcome.

• Connect with at least one new TPG member per month. Many folks in our community are searching for new collaborators, but are afraid to be the first one to reach out to another member.

• Contribute to and share TPG-offered research, artifacts, and events.

• Think outside the box and send us your ideas and needs of program offerings you’d really like to see.