Richmond Civic Hackathon

The Richmond Civic Hackathon brings together technologists, designers, artists, students, and community leaders to build solutions for real challenges facing the City of Richmond. This community-first event connects hackers with city leaders, nonprofits, and industry mentors to prototype tools that support the Mayor’s vision for a Thriving Richmond. The hackathon is organized around seven challenge tracks aligned with the Mayor’s Action Plan, which focuses on building thriving neighborhoods, families, economic opportunity, and sustainable infrastructure across the city. Unlike many hackathons, this event is designed to produce ideas that can continue beyond the weekend. Participants will work on real civic challenges, collaborate with domain experts, and present solutions that could inform future city initiatives. Projects should align with one of the following tracks: 1. Thriving City HallImprove how city government serves residents through better tools, data transparency, and service delivery. 2. Thriving NeighborhoodsSupport housing access, safer communities, and stronger neighborhood amenities. 3. Thriving FamiliesBuild tools that support children, families, and educational opportunity. 4. Thriving EconomyStrengthen pathways to jobs, entrepreneurship, and economic mobility. 5. Thriving and Inclusive CommunitiesSupport immigrant communities, accessibility, and equitable access to services. 6. Sustainable Built EnvironmentAddress climate resilience, infrastructure, transit, and sustainability. 7. A City That Tells Its StoriesUse technology and creative tools to help Richmond tell its history and cultural stories. Friday – Kickoff • Opening remarks and challenge overview• Track briefings and team formation• Teams begin working on projects Saturday – Hack Day • Full day of building, prototyping, and collaboration• Mentors available throughout the day• Workshops and support sessions Sunday – Demo Day • Final project submissions• Project demos and judging• Awards and closing ceremony The Richmond Civic Hackathon is open to anyone interested in solving real civic challenges. Participants may include: • Developers• Designers• Data scientists• Artists and storytellers• Students• Entrepreneurs• Community organizers• Policy and civic leaders No prior civic tech experience is required.