I used to ride a very noisy dirt bike. Two-stroke engine, no complexity to hide behind, just an upstroke and a downstroke, working in rhythm, aggressively zipping me around town.

These simple mechanics came to mind recently as I attempted to explain civic innovation.

We’ve got this powerful “upstroke” of a million hackers, hustlers, and artists building new things and finding new ways. We’ve also got this grounding “downstroke” of institutions that build bridges, light the streets, and keep doors open to all. Our little engine is a little janky, but it gets the job done with a certain je ne se qoui. We can all agree Richmond produces.

Fast-forward to 2026, however. Things feel like they’re on fire both at home and abroad. To be honest, I need to prove to myself and my people that now is not the time for cynicism, that we can still get together on a Friday and fix a broken thing. That’s why we created Hack for RVA, a collaborative volunteer-run initiative dedicated to civic innovation. Our first target: a citywide civic hackathon on March 27-29 at VCU.

Unlike blue sky “performative innovation”, this civic hackathon is firmly rooted in Danny’s 7-pillar Mayoral Action Plan (MAP). For each pillar, we formed a committee of City Hall stakeholders, non-profit SME’s, and a few well-known entrepreneurs to define fine-grained “problem statements” and associated data. At Friday’s kick-off, teams will select a pillar and get 1 hour to interview each committee before they begin hacking. Demos are due Saturday night, with over $10k in awards the following day.

Registration costs $10 and includes a backpack, t-shirt, 3 meals, lots of powerful tech to use for free. You can bring a team, show up solo and hack alone in your hoodie, or get paired with a team that needs your skillset. A team of tech and design mentors will be onsite all weekend long to help you get unstuck. This is not an event for techies only.

Back to my dirtbike analogy.

For too long, our RVA civic innovation engine has been misfiring. Too much upstroke, not enough downstroke, i.e. lots of wild energy not tethered to enough real things. That’s why this weekend’s hackathon doesn’t “end” after demos on Sunday. First, we’re going to open the best ideas to the broader community, so that nonprofits, businesses, and residents can adopt what city hall can’t. Next, we’re going to connect every idea to real grants and existing programs so nothing dies for lack of resources. Last, we’ll be hosting a quarterly meetup out of Jackson Ward to keep the momentum alive and make sure everyone has the tools they need to follow through. 

The goal is not a flashy demo but a functioning flywheel. We’re kind of doing a new thing. 2-stroke engines are great, but what we’re building might look like a 4-stroke racecar by the end of 2026. Come build that racecar with us, starting this weekend.

For more, rvahacks.org.