One part hack-a-thon, one part lock-in, The Challenge brings together groups of passionate nerds with deserving nonprofits. A qualified web pro will:
- have experience in web design, programming, project management or other useful skill
- be willing to donate 24 hours of their time and talent
- have compassion for a cause and midnight oil to burn freely
- have the desire to do good work for the greater good
- have grace under pressure and the ability to stay up all night
http://kc2014.overnightwebsitechallenge.com/users/signup
About the Event
Registration for nonprofits and dev teams is open until March 17 for The Nerdery Overnight Website Challenge. On April 12-13, a few hundred web pros (nerds) will spend 24 hours – in a row – helping nonprofits create websites they couldn’t otherwise afford, all pro bono.
The Nerdery is committed to bringing its annual hackathon to all communities where its Nerds live and work. This year, that means simultaneous nerdy deeds in Chicago, Kansas City and the Twin Cities. Since the first Overnight Website Challenge in 2008, more than $4 million in professional services have been donated to 114 nonprofits.
Nerd Need-To-Knows
Volunteer teams must self-organize with 8-10 web pros by March 17. Team captains recruit their peers and cover these skill sets: front-end development; back-end development; project management; strategy; UX; graphic design; copywriting; QA. All team members must be present the entire 24 hours (no working from remote/undisclosed locations). Returning volunteers, please note that previous log-in credentials do not carry over year-to-year.
Nonprofit Need-To-Knows
Eligible nonprofits (501c3-registered organizations in the greater Kansas City area can apply by March 17 for this pro-bono opportunity by articulating their vision of how nerds could further their mission through better use of interactive technology. After completing their application, nonprofits direct their constituents/fans to post supporting testimonials to their online profiles; selection judges will favor nonprofits whose applications are endorsed by people served by the organization, donors, volunteers, staff, board members and other supporters. Org must provide proof of 501c3 nonprofit status by March 17 via email at
[email protected] (Missouri and Kansas nonprofits equally eligible – orgs in Kansas, please enter "Missouri" in your registration, totally believable)
Nerdy Deeds for Nonprofits
During this hackathon benefiting local nonprofits, volunteer dev teams show up not knowing what nonprofit they’ll serve, pro bono, for the next 24 hours. In the final hours, an independent panel of judges/thought leaders representing the nonprofit and interactive communities will begin assessing the work of development teams; this same panel of judges will have previously selected participating nonprofits from a larger pool of qualified applicants.
About The Nerdery
During its more normal working hours, The Nerdery (nerdery.com) is an interactive design and development company that partners with clients to engineer and execute their interactive projects, including websites, mobile and social media. Voted by its staff onto multiple top workplace lists, The Nerdery is the professional home of 470+ web developers, UX designers, QA engineers and other Nerds. The Nerdery marked its 10th anniversary in Oct. 2013 by launching a commemorative coin etched with its company core values into space.
The Nerdery established The Nerdery Foundation, a 501c3 nonprofit organization, to advance philanthropic initiatives like The Overnight Website Challenge. Like-minded companies/foundations interested in sponsorship opportunities or donations should contact
[email protected] or call 877-OMG-NERD.
- March 17
- Application deadline for nonprofits and nerds
- March 26
- Selected nonprofits and teams announced
- Week of March 31
- Needy/Nerdy mixer
- April 12-13
- Web Challenge weekend
- Week of April 28
- Judgement day, teams and nonprofits present their work at Web Challenge Awards
Pre-Challenge mixer (needy-meets-nerdy):
Shortly before Web Challenge weekend, The Nerdery convenes team captains and nonprofit reps for an orientation/speed-dating exercise to make best-possible matches between orgs and nerds – but neither the nonprofits nor teams know with whom they’ll be paired until the 24-hour countdown clock begins ticking at 9 a.m. on the Saturday of Web Challenge weekend.
Web Challenge Awards
Awards night happens two weeks after Web Challenge weekend. Top teams are recognized for Design/UX, Functionality, Impact and Best in Show. The People’s Choice award is a crowd-sourced vote via the Overnight Website Challenge Facebook page, including before/after screenshots, links to new websites and testimonials from nonprofit reps and web pros. Top prize remains bragging rights, and the gratification of nerdy deeds done in the name of community service.Think Big Partners
1800 Baltimore Ave., Kansas City MO 64108
- 7:00 a.m.
- Registration, set up work stations. Volunteers: please be there by at least 8:00.
- 8:45 a.m.
- Welcome, get ready to rumble, announce team assignments
- 9:00 a.m.
- Countdown begins. Nonprofits meet their team of volunteers and get to work.
- Noonish
- Lunch
- 6:00 p.m.
- Dinner
- Midnight
- Second dinner
- 6:00 a.m.
- The most important meal of the day.
- 9:00 a.m.
- Good night, and good luck.
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