The Biden-Harris Administration is committed to advancing technology that protects our safety, security, democratic values, and human rights. In his Executive Order on the Safe, Trustworthy, and Responsible Development and Use of AI, President Biden instructed the United States government to pull every lever to attract and hire highly skilled talent in AI and critical and emerging technologies.

Today, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) convened leaders across the technology ecosystem to celebrate the important role of government technologists, and to highlight efforts to build a robust, inclusive technology landscape that works for everyone in America.

The Biden-Harris Administration is also announcing actions from government, academia, and civil society that grow and enable the public interest technology ecosystem. These announcements support the education and career pathways necessary to ensure the governments have acess to diverse, expert, mission-oriented tech talent, including:

The National Science Foundation will provide at least $48 million to advance research, implementation, and learning opportunities. 

  • This includes $32 million to expand the Experiential Learning in Emerging and Novel Technologies (ExLENT) program, which supports inclusive experiential learning opportunities for diverse learners to succeed in emerging technology fields.
  • At least $16 million for a second round of funding for the Responsible Design, Development, and Deployment of Technologies (ReDDDoT) program, a joint effort with philanthropic partners, which aims to ensure ethical, legal, community, and societal considerations are embedded in the lifecycle of technology’s creation.

The Department of Defense, with support from the Office of Management and Budget and OSTP, will launch the Trusted Advisors Pilot this year. This program will create a pool of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) and AI experts that can be tapped by agencies to support implementation of the AI Executive Order, National Security Memorandum on Revitalizing America’s Foreign Policy and National Security Workforce, Institutions, and Partnerships (NSM-3), and other presidential priorities.

The Ford Foundation is dedicating more than $20 million to enhance the field of public interest technology. This includes up to $1.5 million for academic initiatives such as the Public Interest Technology University Network (PIT-UN), the establishment of a first-of-its kind public interest technology institute at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU), and support for academic experts focusing on artificial intelligence (AI) and civil rights.

The Siegel Family Endowment will invest $20 million in the public interest technology ecosystem over the next three years. This includes $10 million to develop a national infrastructure for technology talent and field coordination programs.

The Ford Foundation, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, Pivotal, and the Siegel Family Endowment, are jointly committing $7 million through 2025 to support organizations that develop public interest technologists, solutions, and infrastructure, including allocating $2.25 million in 2024 to support civil society efforts to strengthen technical pathways to public service. These initiatives include the following:

  • $550,000 for Coding it Forward and Govern for America to provide early career pathways into state and local government for emerging public interest technologists.
  • $500,000 for the Center for Inclusive Computing at Northeastern University to diversify the pipeline for public sector cyber careers.
  • $250,000 for #BlackTechFutures to build a national network of HBCUs, city-based researchers and practitioners, and community institutions focused on bolstering local Black tech ecosystems and tech talent.
  • $250,000 to expand the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)’s Science and Tech Policy AI fellowships.
  • $200,000 to support the Public Interest Technology New England, one of four public interest technology hubs. These hubs connect academia, business, government, and civil society to develop the public sector tech workforce, provide experiential learning, and bolster cross-sector, place-based tech capacity.  
  • $200,000 for Data & Society’s Public Technology Leadership Collaborative to connect experts and government leaders.
  • $200,000 for the Tech Talent Project to support diverse and expert public interest technologists.
  • $100,000 in additional funding for Break Through Tech, an AI workforce training program for college students, to recruit technology experts to serve as advisors to students.

The Kapor Foundation is committing nearly $1.5 million to promote responsible, equitable, and ethical AI systems for the public interest. This includes grants for K-12 responsible AI implementation, a new university program in Technology Policy and Society, a post-secondary AI coalition in California, and funding for fellowships within federal agencies.

PIT-UN Challenge will distribute $1 million in 2024 to support new projects that advance public interest technology. The projects will focus on climate and environment; state and local government partnerships; AI, quantum, and emerging technologies; and advancing public interest technology across curricula and experiential learning opportunities. PIT-UN and the Computing Research Association will also launch a yearlong collaboration to identify shared activitiesto develop a diverse, equitable, and socially responsible computing community.

Digital Public, with $250,000 in support from the Ford Foundation, will build clinics to equip medical and law schools with knowledge and capacity for professional training and engagement to support professional governance of digital tech.

Omidyar Network is committing $100,000 to New York University’s Tandon Center for Responsible AI to convene AI technical and policy experts to develop community-informed policies and best practices.

The NobleReach Foundation will launch and place its first cohort of scholars in federal government positions. This summer, the scholars will be placed across eight agencies, five of which will focus on AI. The NobleReach Foundation will also expand its Innovation for Public Service Certificate, launched in collaboration with Purdue University’s College of Engineering Certificate. The Foundation will also expand its Innovation for Impact curriculum to an additional 20 universities by the end of 2024.

The Aspen Institute will launch the Aspen Policy Academy, a new policy training initiative. The new academy will teach technology and other experts how to engage in policymaking in a practical and engaging way.  

U.S. Digital Response has committed to doubling the number of state and local governments they support with their pro bono technical assistance on tech talent, with a focus on under-resourced governments. They will also publish a Talent Toolkit as a tool for democratizing expertise and resources for modern technology talent management best practices.

San José State University (SJSU), in partnership with the Knight Foundation, will supply over 300 local, city, county, and state governments with materials for the AI Civic and Social Good initiative. Additionally, SJSU is collaborating with the City of San José to train city government staff on ethical AI applications and frameworks and to support the government AI coalition.

Spelman College will develop plans for a new center focused on public policy, democracy, and public interest technology, with support allocated by the Siegel Family Endowment and Ford Foundation. The center’s research, education and training will focus on key public policy issues, specifically including how technology can enable positive social change.

Georgetown University is announcing five new 2024 Tech & Public Policy Scholars at the McCourt School of Public Policy. They will provide tuition scholarships, paid research assistantships, programming, and mentorship for students.

The University of Michigan’s Science, Technology, and Public Policy Program’s Community Partnerships Initiative will develop a collaborative AI innovation process with social justice organizations and local governments in southeast Michigan. The Initiative aims to develop an equity-driven AI innovation process that can produce products that advance responsible AI design, development, and deployment by centering the knowledge and needs of underrepresented communities.

New York University’s Alliance for Public Interest Technology is launching a new collaboration with the OpEd Project. This will include a series of workshops to empower and connect faculty and graduate students across disciplines to advance public interest technology work and become influential public voices on technology policy in their respective fields.

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