One Program, One Goal: The Coding it Forward Fellowship
Announcing the rebranding of the Civic Digital Fellowship and Civic Innovation Corps
Coding it Forward has always embraced change since our founding in 2017: from student volunteers to full-time staff and from a dorm room startup to a renowned nonprofit.
Today, we're excited to share our decision to merge our flagship fellowship programs, the Civic Digital Fellowship and the Civic Innovation Corps, into one brand with one goal:
The Coding it Forward Fellowship, America's leading summer internship for early-career technologists committed to public service.
Our continued commitment to creating new pathways for early-career technologists in public interest technology drove our decision-making. Keep reading to discover how we reached this decision.
A History of our Fellowship Program
In June 2017, we launched the Civic Digital Fellowship at the U.S. Census Bureau. At the time, it was the first internship for early-career technologists to work in the federal government. The program’s early success drove its growth, and since our inception, we’ve hosted hundreds of Fellows across dozens of federal agencies.
As the Civic Digital Fellowship flourished, it became apparent that the need for technical talent capacity extended beyond the federal government. In 2021, the team expanded by introducing the Civic Innovation Corps to collaborate with state and local government partners.
To date, both programs have placed over 600 early-career technologists in more than 60 government host offices across the nation.
Rethinking Our Program Delivery
The COVID-19 pandemic forced the team to transition to remote-only programming. To avoid redundant efforts, we ran both programs identically while keeping separate brands with the goal of transitioning back to in-person. Our intention was to operate the Civic Digital Fellowship in Washington, D.C., whereas the Civic Innovation Corps would serve as an unifier for Fellows working nationwide. However, we've learned that plans don't always unfold as expected.
Over the past three summers of operating both programs concurrently, it became clear that both offerings had nearly identical needs, regardless of the differences in host office size or location. A best-in-class program includes professional development programming, opportunities for personal mentorship and growth, and strong support for our host office partners and participants. A unified brand completes the transition that has already been underway.
What’s Next
As we enter this chapter with a new name—the Coding it Forward Fellowship—our commitment to creating new pathways for early-career technologists to serve in the public interest is stronger than ever. We are confident that this rebranding will enable us to more effectively serve our mission and create a lasting legacy for our Fellows.
Together, we will continue to code it forward and create a more equitable and efficient government for all. We invite you to be part of this journey by joining our community—sign up for our newsletter to be the first to hear about our 2024 Fellowship application announcement.
