The public sector technology and AI space spans research institutes, advocacy organizations, government teams, civic tech firms, academic programs, and community groups. This page is a living directory of the ecosystem — for practitioners, policymakers, and anyone who cares about how technology serves (or fails to serve) the public interest.
Research & Policy
Organizations producing original research, analysis, and policy work on AI, technology, and society.
- AI Now Institute — Independent research institute studying the social implications of AI, focusing on rights, labor, bias, and safety. Founded at NYU by Meredith Whittaker and Kate Crawford.
- Data & Society — NYC-based research institute advancing public understanding of the social implications of data-centric technologies and automation.
- Tech Policy Press — Nonprofit media venture at the intersection of technology and democracy. Publishes opinion, analysis, and a weekly podcast.
- Algorithmic Justice League — Founded by Dr. Joy Buolamwini. Combines art and research to illuminate the social implications and harms of AI, with a focus on bias in facial recognition and decision-making software.
- Humane Intelligence — Nonprofit designing and running rigorous AI evaluations including red teaming, bias bounties, and contextual assessments. Ran the first public red teaming event for closed-source AI models at DEF CON 2023.
Advocacy & Community
Groups organizing technologists, advocating for the public interest, and building communities of practice.
- TechEquity Collaborative — Mobilizes the tech community to address economic inequity, with focus areas in housing and contract labor. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area.
- Technologists for the Public Good — Professional association for tech workers improving public services. Hosts events, mentorship, and learning opportunities for government technologists.
- Digital Services Coalition — Alliance of agile digital services firms (including Nava, Ad Hoc, Skylight, CivicActions, and others) working to bring modern approaches to federal IT.
Government Digital Services Teams
In-house technology teams inside government, building and improving public-facing digital services.
United States — Federal
- U.S. Digital Service (USDS) — Technology unit within the Executive Office of the President, established in 2014. Currently operating as the U.S. DOGE Service Temporary Organization (scheduled to end July 2026).
- 18F / Technology Transformation Services — GSA's digital services consultancy, created in 2014. The 18F office was eliminated in March 2025; TTS continues to operate Login.gov, Cloud.gov, and the U.S. Web Design System.
- Presidential Innovation Fellows — One-year fellowship placing mid-to-senior technologists as senior advisors across federal agencies.
United States — State & Local
- San Francisco Digital & Data Services — Redesigns city services with a digital-first, equity-centered approach. Builders of SF.gov.
- NYC Office of Technology & Innovation (OTI) — NYC's central tech agency, overseeing 311, MyCity, broadband, cybersecurity, and data analytics.
- Philadelphia Office of Innovation & Technology — City digital services, software engineering, and digital equity programs including the Digital Navigator Network.
- New Jersey Innovation Authority — First state innovation office codified into law (January 2026). Uses human-centered design and AI to modernize state services.
- Colorado Digital Service — Cross-functional team of product managers, designers, engineers, and procurement specialists within the Governor's Office of IT. Founded by USDS alumni.
- Digital Services Georgia — Manages 86+ state websites through the GovHub platform and the Orchard design system.
International
- UK Government Digital Service (GDS) — The original model for government digital transformation. Runs GOV.UK, the GOV.UK Design System, and GOV.UK One Login (13M+ users). Published its 2026 roadmap for modern digital government.
- Singapore GovTech — Drives Singapore's Smart Nation initiative and public sector digital transformation. Capability centres in digital services, smart city tech, data science & AI, and cybersecurity.
- Canadian Digital Service — Builds digital products for the Government of Canada. Part of the Treasury Board Secretariat.
- Australia Digital Transformation Agency — Leads Australia's government digital strategy. Ranked in the global top 5 on the World Bank's 2025 GovTech Maturity Index.
Civic Tech Firms & Government Contractors
Companies (many structured as public benefit corporations or B Corps) that partner with government agencies to deliver modern digital services.
- Nava PBC — Public benefit corporation building transformative digital services for government. Key projects include Healthcare.gov, VA.gov benefits, and Grants.gov modernization.
- Ad Hoc — Led the rebuilding of Healthcare.gov and built VA.gov. Specializes in human-centered digital experiences and systems modernization.
- Skylight — Digital government consultancy focused on making government work in a digital world. Founding member of the Digital Services Coalition.
- Bloom Works — Women-owned public interest technology company working with government on digital service delivery.
- CivicActions — Agile digital services for government, with clients including the FCC, DOD, and DOJ.
Academic Programs & Training
University programs, certificates, and centers focused on public interest technology, AI governance, and civic tech.
- Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation, Georgetown — Connects government and the civic tech ecosystem through research, training, and community-building. Runs the Digital Service Collaborative.
- AI Center for Government, Partnership for Public Service — AI leadership training and talent development for federal, state, and local government executives. Free program, supported by a $10M Google.org grant.
- Bloomberg Center for Government Excellence (GovEx), Johns Hopkins — Helps governments use data to improve quality of life. Runs the Bloomberg Philanthropies City Data Alliance.
- Bloomberg Center for Public Innovation, Johns Hopkins — Training and research hub for creative problem-solving in local government. Works with 216+ cities globally.
- LexLab Law & AI Certificate, UC Law San Francisco — Intensive certificate program on AI and the law for lawyers, technologists, government officials, and academics.
- USF AI & Emerging Technology Law Certificate — JD certificate program covering AI regulation, data protection, and algorithmic accountability.
- Society-Centered AI Initiative (SCAI), Duke — Research initiative on the co-evolution of AI and human behavior, with implications for government, business, and the nonprofit sector.
Fellowships & Pipelines
Programs that place technologists into government roles.
- Coding it Forward — Paid 10-week fellowship placing early-career technologists in federal, state, and local government. Tracks in software engineering, data, design, product, and cybersecurity.
- U.S. Digital Corps — Two-year fellowship for early-career technologists in five tracks, with a path to conversion to full-time federal employment.
- TechCongress — Places technologists on Capitol Hill for one year to shape technology policy. Congressional Innovation Fellowship (early-career) and Senior Fellowship (mid-career) tracks.
- Presidential Innovation Fellows — One-year, GS-15 level fellowship embedding senior technologists as advisors in federal agencies.
- Beeck Center Innovation & Incubation Fellowship — 12–24 month fellowship at Georgetown for experimenting at the boundaries of civic technology.
Job Boards & Career Resources
Where to find technology roles in government and civic tech.
- #PublicSectorJobBoard — Biweekly newsletter by Rebecca Heywood listing tech and innovation jobs across government. The go-to resource.
- Careers.sf.gov — City and County of San Francisco job portal.
- NYC Government Jobs — Job listings across 80+ NYC agencies, including technology and data roles.
- NYC OTI Careers — Technology roles at New York City's Office of Technology & Innovation.
- USAJOBS — The federal government's official job board. Filter by "Information Technology" or "2210" series for tech roles.
- Technologists for the Public Good Community — Job postings, events, and networking for public interest technologists.
- Code for America Job Board — Civic tech and government technology job listings.
Reform & Advocacy Initiatives
Efforts to reshape how government builds and buys technology.
- Tech Viaduct — Initiative by former USDS leaders (including first USDS administrator Mikey Dickerson) to produce a master plan for remaking government digital services, with signature-ready executive orders and legislative drafts targeted for 2029.
- Digital Government Hub — Directory and resource hub tracking government digital service teams and civic tech organizations worldwide.
This page is a work in progress. If you know of an organization that should be listed here, get in touch.