U.S. Digital Response

U.S. Digital Response (USDR) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organisation founded in 2020 that mobilises skilled technology volunteers and government experts to work alongside state, local and tribal governments in the United States. Its stated aim is to build lasting technology capacity within public institutions rather than dependency on outside vendors. Work is organised as pro bono partnerships in which technical professionals join government teams to address specific technology challenges; the organisation reports a community of more than 11,000 volunteers, whose contributions amount to roughly 90 full-time employees.

The engagement model is designed for skilled practitioners who can contribute expertise on a flexible, project-by-project basis across more than 700 projects delivered with over 650 government and nonprofit partners. Nearly 45% of partners return for further work, and USDR states that every government it has worked with would recommend it to peers. Its projects have reached more than half of Americans.

Technical focus areas include generative AI, procurement modernization, talent support, language access, user experience, benefits administration, election administration, crisis response technology and broader government technology modernization. Volunteers work in fields spanning the public sector, nonprofit organisations, elections, benefits administration, procurement and public health response.

USDR describes its operating values as serving at the "speed of need", delivering "demos, not memos" and avoiding "tech saviorism" - an approach in which teams roll up their sleeves alongside public servants rather than acting as traditional consultants. Further information is available at usdigitalresponse.org.