BetaNYC is a civic organization dedicated to improving lives in New York through civic design, technology, and data.
We believe that access to information — and the ability to use it — is fundamental to democratic participation. Our work is organized around four freedoms: the freedom to connect, to learn, to innovate, and to collaborate. These aren’t aspirations. They are the conditions that make civic life possible.
Mission
We are a civic organization working at the intersection of government, community, and technology. We help New Yorkers access, understand, and use public data — and we advocate for systems that are open, accountable, and built for everyone.
History
BetaNYC began in 2008 as the NYC Open Government meetup — a gathering of residents, technologists, and civic reformers who believed government data should be public. We renamed ourselves BetaNYC in 2013 and have grown into a nationally recognized leader in civic technology and open data.
Our Team
We are a small staff with a large network. Our team includes technologists, designers, organizers, researchers, and educators — all focused on making public systems more accountable and accessible for New Yorkers.
Data is a collection of choices — choices about what gets counted, how things are defined, and what gets left out.
Naeema Haque, Development and Strategy Manager, BetaNYC
Support our work
BetaNYC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. Your donation directly funds School of Data, Mapping for Equity trainings, the weekly newsletter, and community programs across New York City.