├── guides ├── Index ├── the-civicwhitaker-anthology.pdf └── Brigade Organizer's Playbook 2017 (v2).md ├── brigadeleaderhandbook ├── image_0.png ├── image_1.png ├── image_2.png ├── index └── Brigade Handbook 2017.md ├── LICENSE ├── README.md └── brigade-websites-and-forms /guides/Index: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Index of all civic tech guides 2 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /brigadeleaderhandbook/image_0.png: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codeforamerica/brigade-knowledge/master/brigadeleaderhandbook/image_0.png -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /brigadeleaderhandbook/image_1.png: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codeforamerica/brigade-knowledge/master/brigadeleaderhandbook/image_1.png -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /brigadeleaderhandbook/image_2.png: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codeforamerica/brigade-knowledge/master/brigadeleaderhandbook/image_2.png -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /guides/the-civicwhitaker-anthology.pdf: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- https://raw.githubusercontent.com/codeforamerica/brigade-knowledge/master/guides/the-civicwhitaker-anthology.pdf -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /brigadeleaderhandbook/index: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Index of all resources for Brigade Core Team Members 2 | 3 | _This is differentiated from the guides. These documents are CfA-Brigade-Centric instead of civic tech in general_ 4 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /LICENSE: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | MIT License 2 | 3 | Copyright (c) 2017 Code for America 4 | 5 | Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy 6 | of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal 7 | in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights 8 | to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell 9 | copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is 10 | furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: 11 | 12 | The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all 13 | copies or substantial portions of the Software. 14 | 15 | THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR 16 | IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, 17 | FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE 18 | AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER 19 | LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, 20 | OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE 21 | SOFTWARE. 22 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /README.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Brigade Knowledge Base 2 | 3 | The Brigade Knowledge Base Project is an effort between Code for America Staff, the National Advisory Council, and the Knowledge Brigade Action Team. The goal is to develop a platform to showcase all the lessons learned by the greater civic technology movement. We'll also include all the resources needed by Brigade core team members to run a successful civic technology community. 4 | 5 | We're breaking out the work into three phases. 6 | 7 | ### Phase One: Gathering up what we have 8 | We'll gather up all the documents we currently have an simply drop them into organized folders. 9 | 10 | ### Phase Two: Transition everything we have into Markdown for easy editing. 11 | The rationale behind this is that several of our documents are pretty old. Converting them into Markdown and placing them on GitHub will enable us to accept pull requests on documents. 12 | 13 | ### Phase Three: Find & implement new knowledge base platform 14 | 15 | Ideally, we'd place our knowledge base into a platform that's easy for anyone to go in and propose an update to. It should also be easy to read and access for people new to the space. While GitHub is functional, it does take some getting used to. 16 | 17 | ## How you can contribute 18 | 19 | If you have a civic tech guide or document that might be useful; feel free to drop in into one of the folders. It doesn't need to be in markdown as we can convert it later. 20 | 21 | ## Contact 22 | 23 | For questions about this project, you can email christopher(at)codeforamerica(dot)org or knowledge-bat(at)codeforamerica(dot)org. 24 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /brigade-websites-and-forms: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | # Current Brigade Web Properites & Forms 2 | These are the current websites and forms owned by the Brigade program 3 | 4 | ## 'Old' Site - http://brigade.codeforamerica.org/brigade/ 5 | This was the old Brigade website that still retains some functionailty as the 'home' of the national network. It has three core functions 6 | * Help users find their Brigade (Currently broken) 7 | * Help users start a Brigade (Needs updating) 8 | * Help users find resources for their Brigade (Was removed) 9 | 10 | ## 'New' Site - https://www.codeforamerica.org/join-us/volunteer-with-us 11 | This is the 'new' volunteer page for Code for America. It has two core functions 12 | * Help users find their Brigade (Currently being done through a CatroDB map) 13 | * Help users start a Brigade (Currently being done through a typeform) 14 | 15 | ## NDoCH - https://www.codeforamerica.org/events/national-day-2016 / hackforchange.org 16 | This is the National Day of Civic Hacking website from last year. It is outdated and needs to be updated. However, the current CMS CfA uses doens't show where to change it. In 2016, it had the following functions. 17 | * Finding local events 18 | * Finding and participating in challenges (no longer need for 2017) 19 | 20 | ## Test Brigadehub site - https://brigade-nac.herokuapp.com/ 21 | This is a test version of the HQ Brigadehub site that @govintrenches proposes to replace this site with. 22 | 23 | ## Brigade Meetup Page - https://www.meetup.com/pro/brigade/ 24 | Used to help find Brigade meetup pages - but does not have Brigades on the site that don't use Meetup 25 | 26 | ## Brigade Code of Conduct - https://github.com/codeforamerica/codeofconduct 27 | 28 | ## Stories from the Commnuity Medium Channel - https://medium.com/code-for-america/tagged/civic-tech-network 29 | This is the part of our Medium channel used by Brigade members when we want them to post on our Medium page 30 | 31 | # Brigade Forms Currently in Use 32 | These are the forms currently used by the Brigade Program 33 | 34 | ## Slack form - https://cfa.typeform.com/to/RfZuFF 35 | This form is used by Brigade members looking to join Slack 36 | 37 | ## Interest in starting a Brigade - https://cfa.typeform.com/to/uxPQH6 38 | This form is used by people wanting to start a Brigade; sends email to Christopher for onboarding 39 | 40 | ## Brigade Action Team Signup Form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1L8EUy8mNP7kRtTT9o-BgWQhht9aVw1dAYL2EM7Rkdi8/viewform?edit_requested=true 41 | This forms is used to indicate interest in joining a Brigade Action Team 42 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /guides/Brigade Organizer's Playbook 2017 (v2).md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | Brigade Organizer’s Playbook 2 | 3 | **Version Two** 4 | 5 | **Updated December 15th, 2016** 6 | 7 | **Introduction** 8 | 9 | Over the past four years, Code for America Brigades have learned a lot about how to build sustainable, civic hacking groups and bring 21st century government practices and products to their cities. Based on these lessons, we’ve compiled this playbook to help Brigade organizers get started. 10 | 11 | This playbook is a work in progress. We will continue to update the content, design, and format. Please email us at [brigade-info@codeforamerica.org](mailto:brigade-info@codeforamerica.org) with any questions or feedback. 12 | 13 | Thank you to the United States Digital Service for playbook [inspiration](https://playbook.cio.gov/). 14 | 15 | **Table of Contents** 16 | 17 | [[TOC]] 18 | 19 | ## ORGANIZE 20 | 21 | ### Host hack nights and days of action 22 | 23 | **Description** 24 | 25 | Hosting regular hack nights and days of action (CodeAcross, National Day of Civic Hacking, CityCamp) are primary activities for Brigades. These events provide consistent spaces for Brigade members and government and community partners to come together to conduct user research, build prototypes, and more. 26 | 27 | **Checklis****t:**Identify day/times for hack nights or larger events 28 | 29 | * Identify themes for hack night or events. Often hack nights are less theme-based but some Brigades do special activities once a month, such as hosting speakers or touring city departments 30 | 31 | * Lock down a venue for your event 32 | 33 | * Find sponsors for your event 34 | 35 | * Create an online invite for your event 36 | 37 | * Invite government and community partners to your hack nights and events 38 | 39 | * Recruit Brigade members from a diverse range of places to your events and hack nights 40 | 41 | * Get logistics in place for your event, such as food, AV, etc. 42 | 43 | **Key Questions** 44 | 45 | * What is our plan for recruiting and engaging a diverse group of people for our event? 46 | 47 | * What is our plan for welcoming new people to our Brigade hack nights and events? 48 | 49 | * How will our core team manage logistics for hack nights and events? 50 | 51 | * How will the work continue from hack night to hack night OR after a big event? 52 | 53 | * What research can be done to prepare attendees for the event? 54 | 55 | **Resources** 56 | 57 | * [How to run a civic hackathon](http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org/civic-innovation-toolkit-how-to-run-a-civic-hackathon/) (Smart Chicago) 58 | 59 | * [Projects for new Brigade members](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wo_skwazuom_Zkp7AmCSjy5JD8Z5WYSbhr2IUmqWdQ0/edit) 60 | 61 | * [How to welcome new coders to a hackathon](https://18f.gsa.gov/2015/04/03/how-to-welcome-new-coders-to-a-civic-hackathon/) (18F) 62 | 63 | * [How to start a CityCamp](http://www.citycamp.govfresh.com/start-a-camp/) (CityCamp) 64 | 65 | * [Lessons learned from organizing Chi Hack Night (Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7MDrILmMIk&list=PL65XgbSILalUbldgqtt8e03hN01L4Z978&index=13)[)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V7MDrILmMIk&list=PL65XgbSILalUbldgqtt8e03hN01L4Z978&index=13) (Derek Eder and Claire Micklin) 66 | 67 | * [Onboarding new members to projects (Video)](http://forum.codeforamerica.org/t/2015-february-5-brigade-discussion-onboarding-new-members-to-projects/140) 68 | 69 | * BONUS: [@CivicWhitaker Anthology: Three years of organizing, writing, and documenting in Chicago civic tech at the Smart Chicago Collaborative](http://www.slideshare.net/smartchicago/the-civicwhitaker-anthology-53351581) (Smart Chicago) 70 | 71 | ### Cultivate government partnerships 72 | 73 | **Description** 74 | 75 | Collaborating with government is the central tenet of Code for America’s theory of change, so building strong relationships with government partners is key to building a strong Brigade. Government partners bring subject matter expertise to a Brigade, skills around outreach, public administration, and valuable experience around solving the toughest problems in our cities. Brigades support local governments by working together on events and civic technology projects. 76 | 77 | **Checklist** 78 | 79 | * Start small. Identify a few departments or government partners your Brigade would like to work with. 80 | 81 | * Introduce yourself to these potential partners, or better yet, find someone who knows them to introduce you. 82 | 83 | * Get to know one another. This might mean introducing potential government partners to the idea of civic hacking and concepts like user-centered design. 84 | 85 | * [Host a workshop to help partners identify user needs](#heading=h.4vt81gxpuzke) and determine where your Brigade could use technology to make an impact for government partners and/or the people they serve 86 | 87 | * Invite government partners to hack nights 88 | 89 | * Start with small wins - experiment with a small project 90 | 91 | * Set up tours of government departments for your Brigade members to get a closer look at government in action 92 | 93 | * Acknowledge good work 94 | 95 | **Key Questions** 96 | 97 | * Do we have a point of contact at the city that can help guide us through city government? 98 | 99 | * How can we meet government partners where they are? 100 | 101 | * What can we do to make it easy for government partners to collaborate with our Brigade? 102 | 103 | * Is our space a learning environment where it’s easy to collaborate? 104 | 105 | **Resources** 106 | 107 | * [What is Civic Tech?](https://medium.com/@CivicWhitaker/what-is-civic-tech-b61a58c3eba8) 108 | 109 | * [10 Ways to Collaborate with Government](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WtoE_Kfqcu73MCUOIXujrzTfqrQAW3DGt0sC8iKJ6Rw/edit#) 110 | 111 | * [Collaborative Project Management](http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org/collaborative-project-management/) (Smart Chicago) 112 | 113 | * [A User-Centered approach to food stamps (Video)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqTFi2U2Ebc) 114 | 115 | * [Code for San Jose’s Guide to collaborating with Government](http://codeforsanjose.com/collaboration-guide-for-government/) 116 | 117 | ### Cultivate community partnerships 118 | 119 | **Description** 120 | 121 | Community organizations are an important part of the equation when tackling the biggest problems in our cities. Community organizations include foundations, social service nonprofits, and educational institutions. These partners bring subject matter expertise to a Brigade, skills around outreach, service delivery, and valuable experience around solving the toughest problems in our cities. Brigades support local community partners by working together on events and civic technology projects. 122 | 123 | **Checklist** 124 | 125 | * Start small. Identify a few community partners your Brigade would like to work with. 126 | 127 | * Introduce yourself to these potential partners, or better yet, find someone who knows them to introduce you. 128 | 129 | * Get to know one another. Attend a community organization’s events and invite them to yours. 130 | 131 | * [Host a workshop to help partners identify user needs](#heading=h.4vt81gxpuzke) and determine where your Brigade could use technology to make an impact for community partners and/or the people they serve. 132 | 133 | * Start with small wins - experiment with a small project. 134 | 135 | * Acknowledge good work. 136 | 137 | **Key Questions** 138 | 139 | * How can we meet community partners where they are? 140 | 141 | * What can we do to make it easy for community partners to collaborate with our Brigade? 142 | 143 | * Is our space a learning environment where it’s easy to collaborate? 144 | 145 | **Resources** 146 | 147 | * [Q&A’s lead to more Q&A’s - and that’s OK!](http://blog.codeforboston.org/2015/09/30/qas-lead-to-more-qs-than-as-and-thats-ok/) (Code for Boston) 148 | 149 | * [Collaborative Project Management](http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org/collaborative-project-management/) (Smart Chicago) 150 | 151 | ## BUILD 152 | 153 | ### Host a workshop to help partners identify user needs 154 | 155 | **Description** 156 | 157 | One of the most common questions at hack nights is, what should we do? By researching and understanding user needs with government and community partners, Brigade members can get a better idea about what projects to take on and how they should be shaped. 158 | 159 | **Code for Boston’s User Needs Workshop Checklist** 160 | 161 | * Host a workshop for government and community partners. The goal of the workshop is to identify user needs that your Brigade can prototype at a hack night or upcoming event. 162 | 163 | * At the workshop, kickoff by explaining civic hacking concepts that it will be useful for your partners to know. This might include hack nights/hackathons; prototyping and lean development; user research. 164 | 165 | * Next, conduct an exercise where each person in the room writes down problems they are interested in solving for their organization or department. You can do this a few ways: 166 | 167 | * Use the prompt "how might we..." For example "How might we help youth in Codman Square to find jobs that they can get to without a car." 168 | 169 | * Use the prompt "As a ____, I want to ____, so that I can ______." For example, “As a parent, I want find out about public school enrollment so that I can get my child registered for kindergarten.” 170 | 171 | * Give the participants homework to A.) continue to refine their statement(s) for the hack night or event that they’ll be attending B.) gather any data or research they think might be useful. 172 | 173 | **Key Questions** 174 | 175 | * Do we understand the problem set the user faces? 176 | 177 | * Are we talking to real people that are facing the challenge? Are we in the trenches trying to help? 178 | 179 | * As we start to identify needs, what are the project ideas that are feasible for our Brigade to take on? 180 | 181 | **Resources** 182 | 183 | * [GDS Design Principles](https://www.gov.uk/design-principles) (UK Government Digital Service) 184 | 185 | * [Experimental Modes in Civic Technology](http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org/launch-experimental-modes-of-civic-engagement-in-civic-tech-meeting-people-where-they-are/) (Smart Chicago) 186 | 187 | * [Subject Matter Primers](http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org/category/primer/) (Smart Chicago) 188 | 189 | * [Building User-Friendly Tools: Lessons Learned from the City of Asheville](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3P_98VeTlDs) (Video) 190 | 191 | * Is this a good brigade project? Some guiding questions to determine of whether we can or should try a project [https://files.slack.com/files-tmb/T024F66L9-F07VCMHC3-15f0381db1/img_2282_720.jpg](https://files.slack.com/files-tmb/T024F66L9-F07VCMHC3-15f0381db1/img_2282_720.jpg) ) 192 | 193 | ### Practice lean software development 194 | 195 | **Description** 196 | 197 | There are a lot of resources out there about how to build software in a lean way. We won’t reinvent the wheel but here are some parts of the lean process that are particularly relevant to building Brigade projects. 198 | 199 | **Checklist** 200 | 201 | * Organize up front. Getting the right partners and members involved at the beginning of a project allows you to develop in a lean way and makes it easier to iterate faster 202 | 203 | * Experiment and have fun 204 | 205 | * Make the project accessible for others who want to help, have a clear README 206 | 207 | * Break down project into the smallest parts. Short cycles and deliverables are motivating for volunteers and also make it easier to bring new people in. 208 | 209 | * Design, build, test, repeat. 210 | 211 | * ID metrics to measure project impact 212 | 213 | 214 | 215 | **Key Questions** 216 | 217 | * What is the user need? 218 | 219 | * How can we break this project into small enough pieces so we’ll always be shipping? 220 | 221 | * How can our Brigade help non-technical members and partners understand lean software development? What infrastructure do we need to build around this (i.e. monthly Lean 101 Workshop)? 222 | 223 | **Resources** 224 | 225 | * [Minimum Viable Civic Tech Projects (Video)](http://forum.codeforamerica.org/t/2015-march-17-minimum-viable-civic-tech-projects/175) 226 | 227 | * [The Big Thing about Small Things (Video)](https://youtu.be/yViYA8IG36U) 228 | 229 | ### Conduct user testing 230 | 231 | **Description** 232 | 233 | User testing is vital to ensuring that your project both works and actually solves the problem it’s trying to address. 234 | 235 | **Cyd Harrell’s Usability Checklist** 236 | 237 | * Grab a human 238 | 239 | * Set up to see their screen and hear them talk 240 | 241 | * Ask what they need from your (process, website, app) 242 | 243 | * Have them actually try it and narrate for you 244 | 245 | * Zip your lip and take notes 246 | 247 | **Key Questions** 248 | 249 | * What infrastructure can our Brigade setup to ensure we are always testing our projects? (i.e. CUTGroup) 250 | 251 | * Does our project work like we designed it? 252 | 253 | * Does our project solve the problem? 254 | 255 | * Are there ways that we can improve the project to make it better suit user needs? 256 | 257 | **Resources** 258 | 259 | * [User Research 101 Skillshare](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1XSsQB0RR3k5_Pn_eOzX9uC-jb_ULTz3I71Eze6TzEAI/edit#slide=id.p4) (Cyd Harrell) 260 | 261 | * [CUTgroup Book](http://www.cutgroupbook.org/) (Smart Chicago) 262 | 263 | ## INFRASTRUCTURE 264 | 265 | ### Implement a Code of Conduct 266 | 267 | **Description** 268 | 269 | An enforceable Code of Conduct is important in ensuring that your Brigade’s activities, events, and digital forums provide safe environments that allow for participation from a diverse set of people. The proper implementation of the Code of Conduct is required to become an Official Brigade or receive any resources from Code for America. 270 | 271 | **Checklist** 272 | 273 | * Adopt the [Code for America Code of Conduct](https://github.com/codeforamerica/codeofconduct) or fork it and create your own 274 | 275 | * Designate points of contact for concerns about breaches of the Code of Conduct 276 | 277 | * Publish the Code of Conduct on your website 278 | 279 | * Socialize the Code of Conduct regularly on your digital forums and at your events 280 | 281 | **Key Questions** 282 | 283 | * Who can Brigade members turn to if they have an issue? 284 | 285 | * What is our strategy for enforcing the Code of Conduct? 286 | 287 | * What is our strategy if someone contacts us with concerns? 288 | 289 | * How will we address individuals who do not respect the Code of Conduct? 290 | 291 | **Resources** 292 | 293 | * [Code for America’s Code of Conduct on GitHub](https://github.com/codeforamerica/codeofconduct) 294 | 295 | * [Ashe Dryden’s Code of Conduct 101](http://www.ashedryden.com/blog/codes-of-conduct-101-faq) 296 | 297 | * For Code of Conduct concerns at any Code for America event, please email [safespace@codeforamerica.org](mailto:safespace@codeforamerica.org) 298 | 299 | ### Build a core team 300 | 301 | **Description** 302 | 303 | Brigades with a diverse team of leaders are more sustainable and more effective than groups with just one leader. Because of this, it’s important to develop a core team early. By working collaboratively, the core team can manage your Brigade as it grows and takes on more projects and activities. 304 | 305 | **Checklist** 306 | 307 | * Identify what core roles you think are needed for your Brigade have to be successful. For an Official Brigade, Code for America requires a Brigade to have a Captain, Delivery Lead, Community Organizer and Storyteller 308 | 309 | * Recruit people to fill your core team roles 310 | 311 | * Meet regularly 312 | 313 | * Communicate consistently 314 | 315 | **Key Questions** 316 | 317 | * Is our core team representative of our city? 318 | 319 | * Does our team have a variety of skillsets? 320 | 321 | * How will our core team make decisions? 322 | 323 | * What methods of collaboration work well for us? 324 | 325 | **Resources** 326 | 327 | * [Roles within a Brigade](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1SAGXWKPqDXwHHSVxXv_rzJRCjLTSqgjyWN6vcGOvLcY/edit?usp=sharing) 328 | 329 | * [Suggestions for additional Core Team members](https://docs.google.com/a/codeforamerica.org/document/d/18euVp1WUDWz7Fd625lVuK4kUUqAwsa-BSsNbNEAqbyA/edit?usp=sharing) 330 | 331 | * [Recruiting for a Diverse Core Team](https://www.codeforamerica.org/brigade/tools/recruiting-diverse-leadership/) , Steve Spiker and Ellie Tumbuan from Open Oakland 332 | 333 | ### Draft a strategic plan 334 | 335 | **Description** 336 | 337 | A strategic plan will help your Brigade identify what you want to do in 2016. Use this as an opportunity to collectively decide what your Brigade will focus on and how you will get there. 338 | 339 | **Checklist** 340 | 341 | * Invite your core team (and government and community partners, if appropriate) to a planning meeting 342 | 343 | * Think about what you want to accomplish in the next year (small wins are ok!) 344 | 345 | * Document your vision 346 | 347 | * Articulate your tactics (the more specific the better!) 348 | 349 | * Submit your strategic plan to Code for America 350 | 351 | * Schedule time to revisit your strategic plan throughout the year 352 | 353 | **Key Questions** 354 | 355 | * What does our Brigade want to accomplish this year? 356 | 357 | * What partners would we like to work with in 2016? 358 | 359 | * What strategies and tactics will our Brigade use to meet our goals? 360 | 361 | * What outcomes do we envision for the end of 2016? Why is it worth it for our core team and the Brigade volunteers to do this work? 362 | 363 | **Resources ** 364 | 365 | * [201](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EB0Vv0yIkFQM_xpOaUS13loogYy0qtcnVxdo32mlCRA/edit#)[6 Strategic Plan Template](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EB0Vv0yIkFQM_xpOaUS13loogYy0qtcnVxdo32mlCRA/edit#) 366 | 367 | * [Advice from experienced Brigade leaders](http://forum.codeforamerica.org/t/brigade-pre-summit-storytelling-on-advice/287) 368 | 369 | ### Fundraise 370 | 371 | **Description** 372 | 373 | In order build sustainable Brigade chapters, groups should develop local partnerships to fundraise for food for hack nights and other costs associated with running regular Brigade meetings. Here are a few key strategies to help you fundraise for your Brigade. 374 | 375 | **Checklist** 376 | 377 | * Designate fundraising lead(s) 378 | 379 | * Understand the donor ecosystem in your community including individual, institutional, and corporate donors 380 | 381 | * Develop a fundraising strategy. Set S.M.A.R.T fundraising goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and timely 382 | 383 | * Set up a database or CRM to track prospects and donors. This could be as simple as a spreadsheet in Google docs 384 | 385 | * Identify fundraising prospects 386 | 387 | * Execute on your strategy through the donor cultivation cycle: qualification, cultivation, solicitation, stewardship 388 | 389 | **Key Questions** 390 | 391 | * What is our budget for the year? How much money is needed to balance our budget and promote growth? 392 | 393 | * Who are all the individual, institutional and corporate donors in our area and networks that would be interested in funding our work? 394 | 395 | * What narratives from our work would be compelling for these donors? 396 | 397 | **Resources** 398 | 399 | * [Brigade Fundraising Handbook](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1c9Jbtdj_wKP2dDwxslXhBQoobzpTwsxkrSjAlLQdkI0/edit#heading=h.c8bc7axfomwl) 400 | 401 | * [2016 Strategic Plan Template](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1EB0Vv0yIkFQM_xpOaUS13loogYy0qtcnVxdo32mlCRA/edit#) 402 | 403 | * [Expense Reimbursement Process](https://docs.google.com/document/d/1dD1hcMO5XbiHRQfMS-3rw1PLO0H8MAoOu1p_khLGdeQ/edit#) 404 | 405 | * [Getting Sponsors for Your Event](http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org/getting-sponsors-for-your-local-civic-hacking-event/) (Smart Chicago) 406 | 407 | ### Set up tools to manage your Brigade 408 | 409 | **Description** 410 | 411 | Your Brigade will need tools to communicate with one another and build projects. A tool is only useful, however, if people use it. Select and implement the tools your Brigade needs to do its work and add others as needed. 412 | 413 | **Checklist** 414 | 415 | * Set up a Meetup account for your Brigade. 416 | 417 | * Set up a free Github organization account for your Brigade. 418 | 419 | * Set up a Brigade website. The most popular templates are [Code for San Francisco](http://codeforsanfrancisco.org/) and [Code for Philly](https://codeforphilly.org/). 420 | 421 | * Add your Brigade to the [Code for America API](https://github.com/codeforamerica/cfapi#how-to-add-your-brigade-to-the-api). 422 | 423 | * Choose a project management tool for your core team to use. Brigades use a mix of Waffle.io, Trello, Github Issues, etc. Don’t spend much time debating what to use, just choose one and go. 424 | 425 | * If needed, choose a forum tool for your Brigade to share resources and have online discussions. Brigades use Discourse, Google Groups, Meetup, and GitHub Issues. 426 | 427 | * If needed, choose a tool for your Brigade to chat with one another. Most Brigades use Slack. 428 | 429 | **Key Questions** 430 | 431 | * What tools does our Brigade need to get its work done? 432 | 433 | * How will we socialize these tools across our Brigade? 434 | 435 | * How will we onboard new members to these tools? 436 | 437 | **Resources** 438 | 439 | * [Brigade Tools](http://wiki.codeforamerica.org/DTeam/inkinds.md) 440 | 441 | ### Develop a brand and media strategy 442 | 443 | **Description** 444 | 445 | Humanizing the theory behind your work and sharing a captivating narrative will help people understand what your Brigade does. Consistency in branding will help unify all the Brigades and clearly articulate the power of our interconnected network. 446 | 447 | **Checklist** 448 | 449 | * Know your Brigade, what is the character of your group and its relationship to your city? 450 | 451 | * Choose a couple events or projects you want to share. Decide why these represent your Brigade well 452 | 453 | * Use the Brigade logos, templates, fonts, and colors 454 | 455 | **Key Questions** 456 | 457 | * What is the story we’d like to tell about our Brigade? 458 | 459 | * What is our strategy for letting the community know about our work? 460 | 461 | * Do we have an ask at the end of each story? 462 | 463 | **Resources** 464 | 465 | * **Brand** 466 | 467 | * [Code for America Brigade Branding Guidelines](http://www.codeforamerica.org/blog/2015/07/29/code-for-america-brigade-branding-guidelines/) 468 | 469 | * [Code for America Logos](http://www.codeforamerica.org/logos/) 470 | 471 | * [How to make an Amazing Slide Deck](https://docs.google.com/a/codeforamerica.org/presentation/d/1g5U9XzxXoZ-iolBMejqu9LmP8Zf6D9aHIf8Vxcuv7vw/edit?usp=drive_web) 472 | 473 | * **Media** 474 | 475 | * [Brigade Media Tips](http://www.codeforamerica.org/blog/2015/07/28/brigade-media-tips/) 476 | 477 | * [Tools for interacting with the Press](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1V74_KGwtAxPejtOwputxtpP5We-lZ7xuMSJCk71_bag/edit#slide=id.g5b922e4c6_0_84) (Slide Deck) 478 | 479 | * [How to Blog](http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org/how-to-blog/) (Smart Chicago) 480 | 481 | * [Using Twitter to boost your event ](http://www.smartchicagocollaborative.org/using-twitter-to-boost-your-event/)(Smart Chicago) 482 | 483 | Have a play you want to add? Write it up at [http://forum.codeforamerica.org/](http://forum.codeforamerica.org/). 484 | 485 | Have a play you want us to add? Email us at [brigade-info@codeforamerica.org](mailto:brigade-info@codeforamerica.org). 486 | 487 | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- /brigadeleaderhandbook/Brigade Handbook 2017.md: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 | Brigade Handbook 2 | 3 | This handbook is a guide on how to access all the resources that the Brigade Network has to offer. 4 | 5 | [[TOC]] 6 | 7 | # Things you should read 8 | 9 | * [What is Civic Tech?, Christopher Whitaker](https://medium.com/@CivicWhitaker/what-is-civic-tech-b61a58c3eba8) 10 | 11 | * [Code for America National Advisory Council, Jill Bjers](https://medium.com/code-for-america/national-advisory-council-join-us-6641049e5094) 12 | 13 | * [So you want to reform democracy, Joshua Tauberer](https://medium.com/civic-tech-thoughts-from-joshdata/so-you-want-to-reform-democracy-7f3b1ef10597) 14 | 15 | * [Beyond Tech: Policymaking in a digital age, Jen Pahlka ](https://medium.com/code-for-america/beyond-tech-policymaking-in-a-digital-age-2776b9a17b69) 16 | 17 | # Organizing Resources 18 | 19 | ## Code of Conduct & Safe Spaces Contact 20 | 21 | ### Code of Conduct 22 | 23 | The Code for America community expects that Code for America network activities, events, and digital forums: 24 | 25 | 1. Are a safe and respectful environment for all participants. 26 | 27 | 2. Are a place where people are free to fully express their identities. 28 | 29 | 3. Presume the value of others. Everyone’s ideas, skills, and contributions have value. 30 | 31 | 4. Don’t assume everyone has the same context, and encourage questions. 32 | 33 | 5. Find a way for people to be productive with their skills (technical and not) and energy. Use language such as "yes/and", not “no/but.” 34 | 35 | 6. Encourage members and participants to listen as much as they speak. 36 | 37 | 7. Strive to build tools that are open and free technology for public use. Activities that aim to foster public use, not private gain, are prioritized. 38 | 39 | 8. Prioritize access for and input from those who are traditionally excluded from the civic process. 40 | 41 | 9. Work to ensure that the community is well-represented in the planning, design, and implementation of civic tech. This includes encouraging participation from women, minorities, and traditionally marginalized groups. 42 | 43 | 10. Actively involve community groups and those with subject matter expertise in the decision-making process. 44 | 45 | 11. Ensure that the relationships and conversations between community members, the local government staff and community partners remain respectful, participatory, and productive. 46 | 47 | 12. Provide an environment where people are free from discrimination or harassment. 48 | 49 | Code for America reserves the right to ask anyone in violation of these policies not to participate in Code for America network activities, events, and digital forums. 50 | 51 | ### Code for America's Anti-Harassment Policy 52 | 53 | This anti-harassment policy is based on [the example policy](http://geekfeminism.wikia.com/wiki/Conference_anti-harassment/Policy) from the Geek Feminism wiki, created by the Ada Initiative and other volunteers. 54 | 55 | This policy is based on several other policies, including the Ohio LinuxFest anti-harassment policy, written by Esther Filderman and Beth Lynn Eicher, and the Con Anti-Harassment Project. Mary Gardiner, Valerie Aurora, Sarah Smith, and Donna Benjamin generalized the policies and added supporting material. Many members of LinuxChix, Geek Feminism and other groups contributed to this work. 56 | 57 | * * * 58 | 59 | 60 | All Code for America network activities, events, and digital forums and their staff, presenters, and participants are held to an anti-harassment policy, included below. 61 | 62 | In addition to governing our own events by this policy, Code for America will only lend our brand and fund groups that offer an anti-harassment policy to their attendees. For information on how to offer an anti-harassment policy to your group, [see this guide](https://docs.google.com/a/codeforamerica.org/document/d/1Zg2FDt7awgfCmdcbzMwKHMb1A7KDOhs_z7ibCb3TLLQ/edit). 63 | 64 | Code for America is dedicated to providing a harassment-free experience for everyone regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, age, or religion. We do not tolerate harassment of staff, presenters, and participants in any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for any Code for America event or network activity, including talks. Anyone in violation of these policies may expelled from Code for America network activities, events, and digital forums, at the discretion of the event organizer or forum administrator. 65 | 66 | Harassment includes but is not limited to: offensive verbal or written comments related to gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, religion; sexual images in public spaces; deliberate intimidation; stalking; following; harassing photography or recording; sustained disruption of talks or other events; inappropriate physical contact; unwelcome sexual attention; unwarranted exclusion; and patronizing language or action. 67 | 68 | If a participant engages in harassing behavior, the organizers may take any action they deem appropriate, including warning the offender or expulsion from Code for America network activities, events, and digital forums. 69 | 70 | If you are being harassed, notice that someone else is being harassed, or have any other concerns, please contact a member of the event staff or forum administrator immediately. You can contact them at [EVENT ORGANIZER/FORUM ADMINISTRATOR EMAIL AND PHONE NUMBER]. Event staff or forum administrators will be happy to help participants contact hotel/venue security or local law enforcement, provide escorts, or otherwise assist those experiencing harassment to feel safe for the duration of the event. 71 | 72 | If you cannot reach an event organizer or forum administrator and/or it is an emergency, please call 911 and/or remove yourself from the situation. 73 | 74 | You can also contact Code for America about harassment at safespace@codeforamerica.org and feel free to use the email template below. Code for America staff acknowledge that we are not always in a position to evaluate a given situation due to the number of events and the fact that our team is not always present. However, we are hopeful that by providing these guidelines we are establishing a community that jointly adheres to these values and can provide an environment that is welcoming to all. 75 | 76 | We value your attendance and hope that by communicating these expectations widely we can all enjoy a harassment-free environment. 77 | 78 | ####Email Template for Anti-Harassment Reporting 79 | 80 | SUBJECT: Safe Space alert at [EVENT NAME] 81 | 82 | I am writing because of harassment at a Code for America Communities event, (NAME, PLACE, DATE OF EVENT). 83 | 84 | You can reach me at (CONTACT INFO). Thank you. 85 | 86 | ## Slack 87 | 88 | * To join Slack, fill this out [https://cfa.typeform.com/to/RfZuFF](https://cfa.typeform.com/to/RfZuFF) 89 | 90 | * You can also forward this link to other members of your Brigade 91 | 92 | * Slack Policy: [https://github.com/codeforamerica/slackpolicy](https://github.com/codeforamerica/slackpolicy) 93 | 94 | * Code for America has a code of conduct that applies to our spaces and events, including this the Code for America Slack channel.This [Code of Conduct can be found here.](https://github.com/codeforamerica/codeofconduct) 95 | 96 | * Please be aware that Code for America staff may remove users *at will for any reason* and *will* remove any user that Code for America staff deems to be violating the Code for Conduct or are being disruptive. 97 | 98 | * While Slack can be a great place to network, it should not be used to pitch companies or products without prompting. The expection to this is if people are looking for hire talent and are more than welcome to post in the #jobs-for-america channel. 99 | 100 | * Please note that there are several government staff here in the Slack and any conversations posted in public channels may be subject to a Freedom of Information Act Request. Combined with the size of our Slack, users should treat the Code for America Slack the same way you would a message on a public forum. 101 | 102 | * To keep pings down, the #announcements channel is admin-only channel. The @channel and @here commands have been disabled. 103 | 104 | * Feel free to create channels, but keep in mind that Slack channels that are not active for three consecutive months will be archived. 105 | 106 | * Please note that Code for America is a 501(c)3 non-partisan organization. This particular Slack should not be used for planning partisan activities. For examples of what Code for America considers partisan activity [please see these guidelines:](https://docs.google.com/a/codeforamerica.org/document/d/1MdAkYUV8CqI1szC0O8Erc6_7bHnoPLOPMDw9z_OdFTQ/edit?usp=sharing) 107 | 108 | * Only staff members of Code for America are allowed to integrate bots, if you would like to add a bot please DM @civicwhitaker. 109 | 110 | * New users are asked take a moment to update your profile with your first and last names, title, and organization so people have a better chance of knowing who you are: [https://cfa.slack.com/account/profile](https://cfa.slack.com/account/profile) 111 | 112 | * If you ever have any questions or issues, please feel free to ping @civicwhitaker who moderates our Slack forum. If you are being harassed on our Slack, you may also contact safespace@codeforamerica.org. 113 | 114 | ## Meetup 115 | 116 | We’ve got something new to offer you about Meetup. They just released a new product called Meetup Pro, here is ours: [http://www.meetup.com/pro/brigade/](http://www.meetup.com/pro/brigade/) 117 | 118 | Meetup Pro gets us a bunch of new cool data and options. Most important though, it makes it possible for us to pay for your Meetup bill. I don’t want to barge in on your accounts though. If you’d like us to pay for your account, please opt in by filling out this form: [http://goo.gl/forms/eG5cRZcEPS](http://goo.gl/forms/eG5cRZcEPS). 119 | 120 | What Meetup Pro gets you: 121 | 122 | * We’ll pay for your Meetup out of the Brigade operating budget, saving you $180 a year. 123 | 124 | * You’ll retain full control of your Meetup as a co-organizer. 125 | 126 | * You’ll lose the ability to charge dues and have them go to your own separate bank account. 127 | 128 | What Meetup Pro get us: 129 | 130 | * [http://www.meetup.com/pro/brigade/](http://www.meetup.com/pro/brigade/) 131 | 132 | * New data! Historical membership numbers! Avg rsvps counts, etc. 133 | 134 | * The ability to message all Brigade 50,000 volunteers … 135 | 136 | We’d like to use the messaging ability to send the occasional messages to your membership. These will be limited to things like "Announcing National Day of Civic Hacking" and a one a quarter reminder about signing up for the Code for America email list to get the latest updates. 137 | 138 | Instructions: 139 | 140 | 1. Opt in by telling us your Meetup url at: [http://goo.gl/forms/eG5cRZcEPS](http://goo.gl/forms/eG5cRZcEPS). 141 | 142 | 2. We’ll then join your group with our [brigade-info@codeforamerica.org](mailto:brigade-info@codeforamerica.org) account. 143 | 144 | 3. You’ll promote us to be the main Organizer, while you remain a co-Organizer. 145 | 146 | 4. We’ll click some buttons on our end and then you’ll show up at [http://www.meetup.com/pro/brigade/](http://www.meetup.com/pro/brigade/) and your bill will start to be paid by us. 147 | 148 | Meetup Pro costs us per group, so we can only add Official Brigades. Also, if you have already paid for your Meetup, then you’ve already paid, we can’t get you a refund, sorry. 149 | 150 | ## Playbook 151 | 152 | The Code for America Brigade organizers playbook is a collection of guides that can help you organize your brigade. [It can be found here.](http://brigade.codeforamerica.org/brigade/organize/playbook/) 153 | 154 | ## National Advisory Council 155 | 156 | The National Advisory Council is an elected group of Brigade members that represents the community to Code for America staff. They are: 157 | 158 | * Jill Bjers, Code for Charlotte 159 | 160 | * Jason Hibbets, Code for Raleigh 161 | 162 | * Chris Alfano, Code for Philly 163 | 164 | * Noel Hidalgo, BetaNYC 165 | 166 | * Vyki Englert, Hack for LA 167 | 168 | * Luigi Ray-Montanez, Code for Atlanta 169 | 170 | * Harlan Weber, Code for Boston 171 | 172 | * Neil Planchon, OpenOakland 173 | 174 | * Andrew Kozlik, Code for Orlando 175 | 176 | You can reach the NAC by emailing [NAC@codeforamerica.org](mailto:NAC@codeforamerica.org) 177 | 178 | ## Brigade Action Teams 179 | 180 | One of the primary NAC goals is to determine ways all Brigade members can connect with the national community and its efforts. 181 | 182 | **How it works:** 183 | 184 | Each Brigade Action Team will be led by one member of the National Advisory Council with other NAC members and a Code for America staff member providing support. The action team will be comprised of individual brigade members. 185 | 186 | For example, the Knowledge Sharing BAT will be lead by me, Luigi and Neil will be supporting NAC members, Nicole will be our CFA staff member. However, the team will mostly be comprised of brigade members interested in helping work on creating, curating and maintaining a shared knowledge base. 187 | 188 | It’s important to note, the Brigade Action Teams will not just be open to captains but to all brigade members. In preparation for this, Code for America will be opening up their Slack instance so that we can better coordinate efforts. This effort will be ramping up over the next few weeks starting with existing Brigade members and city partners before opening it up further. This will also enable Brigade Members to participate directly in the national network. Not all BATs are ready for roll out. However, we want to give you a heads up on the areas that we feel need specific focus. Our intent is to pilot the idea with the first three or four listed below and then scale: 189 | 190 | * Trust: Fostering a more intentionally inclusive and diverse network this team will create best practices, tips for heading off conflict and be the the point person Code of Conduct concerns. 191 | 192 | * Days of Action: Spearheading Brigade national days of action, such as Open Data Day and Hack for Change, and a possible Brigade Summit in 2017. 193 | 194 | * Badges & Recognition Team: Expanding the Brigade Awards (introduced at last Summit) and start awarding badges for both Brigades and individual contributors quantifying brigades and their team members’ impact. 195 | 196 | * Knowledge Sharing: Gathering and curating our knowledge across the network into a useable database of best practices, tips & tricks, and ways to learn from each other. 197 | 198 | * Fundraising: Identifying and tracking sources of funding and in-kind donations for the Brigade Network and work with Code for America to develop a way to support brigades. 199 | 200 | * Marketing Plan: Developing a marketing plan for recruitment and highlight the impact brigades are having at the local level. 201 | 202 | * Cross Brigade Collaboration: Increasing project delivery and management by developing standards for re-deployable apps and project management tools. 203 | 204 | * Mentorship and Training: Connecting brigades with leadership mentors, government partnerships and training. 205 | 206 | [Now that you’ve read through them, show your interest in a BAT here.](https://docs.google.com/a/codeforamerica.org/forms/d/1L8EUy8mNP7kRtTT9o-BgWQhht9aVw1dAYL2EM7Rkdi8/edit) This isn’t a commitment, but rather a starting point. We’ll be reaching out as they are launched. 207 | 208 | # Technical Resources 209 | 210 | ## In-kind donations 211 | 212 | For brigades please contact brigade-info@codeforamerica.org to request access or if your a staff member than ask your team lead or email inkinds@codeforamerica.org. Once you have stopped using a service, please alert **Cloud Hosting** *AWS* If you're in a brigade or a CFA staff member you can get free AWS usage, a cloud hosting service that provides a lot of customizable services and tools. Brigades have access to [AWS Activate](https://aws.amazon.com/activate/), a program that AWS administers themselves, and can host indefinitely for free. *Heroku* Heroku is a simple, easy-to-use cloud hosting service and we are giving access on a case by case basis for non-staff members. Contact [brigade-info@codeforamerica.org](mailto:brigade-info@codeforamerica.org) if you're interested. **Mapping Software** Carto (Formerly CartoDB) Carto is a web application which helps people visualize and work with GIS data. Access is unlimited. Email santiagogiraldo@carto.com with your access request tell them "CfA sent you" cc'ing inkinds@codeforamerica.org. **Design, UI, UX** *InVision* InVision is a web application that helps teams prototype and share frontend UI's. CfA has access to a shared account for staff, and can grant access to individual staff and Brigade members. Contact us for access. **Github** CfA has access to unlimited private repositories for staff. We can create a private repository for any brigade member who requests it. 213 | 214 | # Financial Resources 215 | 216 | ## Donate Page 217 | 218 | Code for America’s Donate Page (codeforamerica.org/donate) can be used for people to donate funds to your Brigade. We will notify you automatically if we receive a donation for your Brigade. The donate page will take about 10% of your donation for processing fees. 219 | 220 | ## Brigade Finance Spreadsheet 221 | 222 | The Brigade Finance Spreadsheet is the canonical source for seeing how much funds your Brigade has access to. [You can find that spreadsheet here](https://docs.google.com/a/codeforamerica.org/spreadsheets/d/1ORwvp9rPOidH-bhTAfzSmUGWpi7AHOKyhrgCKZmkGKQ/edit?usp=drive_web). It’s updated every 1st and 15th. 223 | 224 | ## Expensify 225 | 226 | If Code for America is intaking funds for your Brigade, you can use this process to get reimbursed. 227 | 228 | *Process for Reimbursement through Expensify* 229 | 230 | * You need to be invited to join Expensify on the CfA Policy. Please email [christopher@codeforamerica.org](mailto:christopher@codeforamerica.org) and request an invite. 231 | 232 | * Add your bank account information (under settings). Expensify will reimburse you directly 233 | 234 | * For more help, visit: **[http://help**.](http://help.expensify.com/direct_deposit/)**[expensif**y](http://help.expensify.com/direct_deposit/)**[.com/direct_deposit**/](http://help.expensify.com/direct_deposit/) 235 | 236 | * Create an expense report, upload picture of receipt and tag expenses appropriately 237 | 238 | * Submit your expense report to Christopher Whitaker [christopher@codeforamerica.org](mailto:christopher@codeforamerica.org) Cc [brigade-info@codeforamerica.org](mailto:brigade-info@codeforamerica.org) 239 | 240 | *Tagging your expense reports appropriately * 241 | 242 | *if you are submitting expense reports for Summit travel reimbursement, please scroll down for Summit travel guidelines* 243 | 244 | Instructions for "Class" and the “Category” pull down menus: 245 | 246 | The CLASS will now be Programs\BRIGADE\Brigades 247 | 248 | The CATEGORY will now be your Brigade Expense\Brigade city 249 | 250 | Example: Atlanta Brigade, Boston Brigade, Albuquerque Brigade….etc 251 | 252 | * Please do not chose categories such as non staff travel, meeting & events.* 253 | 254 | *Tagging your expense reports appropriately for **2016 Summit Travel** Reimbursement: * 255 | 256 | If you have been approved for travel reimbursement for Summit 2016, please follow these instructions 257 | 258 | Please write: "**2016Summit**" in both the report heading and comment fields 259 | 260 | Instructions for "Class" and the “Category” pull down menus: 261 | 262 | The CLASS will be Programs\BRIGADE\Brigade Management 263 | 264 | The CATEGORY will be your Travel and Events\Non-Staff Travel 265 | 266 | NOTES: 267 | 268 | * For airline tickets: expense reports need to show method of payment (credit card) and will **not **get reimbursed for any non-cash (air miles, vouchers, discounts) payments 269 | 270 | * Other airline ticket reminders: 271 | 272 | * Receipts should show: 273 | 274 | * Name of person claiming reimbursement 275 | 276 | * Date of charge 277 | 278 | * Amount 279 | 280 | * Payment backup (as opposed to an invoice copy) 281 | 282 | * Method of payment (cash/check VISA/AMEX etc.) 283 | 284 | * If you apply discounts such as air miles, gift cards, we will reimburse you for the net charges, after discounts 285 | 286 | * For airline tickets. Attach email that shows the itinerary (& name, date of charge, amount) 287 | 288 | *Timeline for submitting expense reports: * 289 | 290 | Expense reports must be submitted **by the last day** of the expense month. 291 | 292 | For example: A purchase made on January 18th, must be submitted **by January 31st**. A purchase made on January 31st, must be submitted **by January 31st**. 293 | 294 | *Detailed step by step process for submitting expense reports * 295 | 296 | 1. You need to be invited to join Expensify on the CfA Policy. Please email [christopher@codeforamerica.org](mailto:christopher@codeforamerica.org) and request an invite. If you’ve already been invited, log into your account at [Expensify.com](https://www.expensify.com/). 297 | 298 | ![image alt text](image_0.png) 299 | 300 | 2. Create a New Report 301 | 302 | 3. Fill in the report 303 | 304 | 1. Name of Report should be [Your City/Brigade; Month] 305 | 306 | 1. i.e. "Code for San Francisco: April 2014" 307 | 308 | ![image alt text](image_1.png) 309 | 310 | 4. Upload receipts and attach them to the report. Expensify has a mobile app that makes it easy to take photos of your receipts and upload them to Expensify. 311 | 312 | ![image alt text](image_2.png) 313 | 314 | **Note: ****the REIMBURSABLE button needs to be checked to receive reimbursement** 315 | 316 | 5. The CLASS will now be Programs\BRIGADE\Brigades 317 | 318 | 6. The CATEGORY will now be your Brigade Expense\Brigade city 319 | 320 | 2. Example: Atlanta Brigade, Boston Brigade, Albuquerque Brigade….etc 321 | 322 | 3. *Please do not chose categories such as non staff travel, meeting & events.* 323 | 324 | 7. Each month should have a separate expense report. For example, expenses from January 2015 should be separate from February 2015 expenses. 325 | 326 | 8. Submit the report 327 | 328 | 4. To: [christopher@codeforamerica.org](mailto:christopher@codeforamerica.org) 329 | 330 | 5. CC: [brigade-info@codeforamerica.org](mailto:brigade-info@codeforamerica.org) 331 | 332 | 9. Brigade Support Team will either approve. When approved the expense report goes to Code for America Ops Team for fulfillment. 333 | 334 | *Process for Code for America Paying Vendor Directly on a Brigade's Behalf * 335 | 336 | We understand that the cost of Brigade events and meetups can add up. Code for America can help by paying a vendor directly on your Brigade's behalf. 337 | 338 | Here's how it works: 339 | 340 | 1. Brigade Captain checks in with Code for America by emailing [christopher@codeforamerica.org](mailto:christopher@codeforamerica.org) at least three weeks ahead of payment due date to confirm that Code for America will pay the expense. 341 | 342 | 1. Email should contain price quote from the vendor. Christopher will check this against your available budget. 343 | 344 | 2. If approved, vendors must prepare a final invoice and send the invoice **via email** to [codeforamerica@bill.com](mailto:codeforamerica@bill.com) CC: [vishal@codeforamerica.org](mailto:vishal@codeforamerica.org) and [brigade-info@codeforamerica.org](mailto:brigade-info@codeforamerica.org) 345 | 346 | 3. Please also have the vendor supply a completed W9 with the invoice. [www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf](http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf) 347 | 348 | NOTES: 349 | 350 | * Code for America pays invoices every Wednesday morning. Please keep that in mind as you coordinate this process. 351 | 352 | Questions? Let us know at [brigade-info@codeforamerica.org](mailto:brigade-info@codeforamerica.org) 353 | 354 | --------------------------------------------------------------------------------