About the platform
Enterprise infrastructure for civic New York.
CodeNOW NYC runs the CodeNOW platform — the same governed, ISO/IEC 27001 certified software-delivery environment that regulated EU banks and Deutsche Post DHL ship production on — donated to the civic commons and running on community-owned infrastructure, free for NYC.
The civic-build program you see here — connecting nonprofits and agencies with volunteer developers — is the first application we built on the platform. The infrastructure underneath is the offering.
Powered by
CodeNOW®
You don't have to keep the lights on — you just build.
CodeNOW sponsors a half-time administrator to run the platform for the city. The cluster runs on four enterprise-grade Dell R730 servers — 64 threads, 192 GB of RAM, and at least 4 TB each — donated personally to the cause. Connectivity comes through the volunteer-run NYC Mesh network.
No hosting bill. No cloud invoice. No minimum spend. A five-person nonprofit gets the same platform a bank's engineering team relies on, with someone else responsible for the infrastructure.
Learn about CodeNOWExample program on the platform
The civic-build program.
This website is the first thing we built on the platform — a program that connects NYC nonprofits and government agencies with volunteer developers. Every project follows four structured phases, all running on the CodeNOW platform.
Ideation
Describe the problem you want to solve. Use the built-in whiteboard to brainstorm, sketch, and refine your idea with collaborators. AI helps structure your rough concept into a clear project brief.
Planning
Break down requirements into milestones and deliverables. Define the scope, timeline, and tech stack. Match your project with volunteer developers who bring the right skills.
Governance
Track progress with built-in approvals, reviews, and transparent decision-making. Vote on key decisions, review code deliverables, and keep stakeholders informed at every step.
Handoff
Deliver production-ready software with complete documentation, training materials, and a plan for ongoing support. Your code, your repository, your ownership.
Made for
Who is this for?
Whether you need software built or want to help build it, there's a place for you.
Nonprofits
Turn mission-critical ideas into working software without hiring a tech team. From intake systems to donor portals, get the tools your organization needs.
Government agencies
Modernize public services with transparent, collaborative development. Engage citizens and improve operations with custom software built in the open.
Volunteer developers
Contribute your skills to projects that make a real difference in New York City. Build your portfolio while building your community.
Vibe coders
Bring creative energy and rapid prototyping to civic tech challenges. Experiment with new approaches and turn ideas into working demos fast.
Ready to build something that matters?
Join the community of NYC organizations and developers building real civic software on enterprise-grade infrastructure — free.