More Work, Fewer Hands, Tighter Budgets
10.5Bhours
a year on federal paperwork: the work of 5 million full-time people.
OMB, Information Collection Budget, FY2023
Gatherings
The right people at one table, before the work begins.
Public leaders and industry meet as peers on the problems that matter most. No pitches. Every design is published.
Budget‑Making Briefings in 10 States
6 Fellowship Retreats in 2027
The Problems We Gather to Solve
Old Systems Eat the Budget
79¢
of every federal IT dollar planned for 2025 keeps old systems running.
GAO-25-107795, July 2025
Read why →Trust Wears Thin
29%
of 104 million IRS calls reached a person, after waits of more than 14 minutes.
National Taxpayer Advocate, FY2025
Two Ways to Gather
A day on the budget, or two retreats on one design. The two communities overlap.
The Budget-Making Briefings
Every public-sector partnership starts as a budget request.
An AI tool can summarize a state budget in minutes. It can’t explain how it was made, or teach you how to be a part of it.
Government runs on one fiscal year, not four sales quarters.
- PlowListenAgencies are working out what they need. Help them define the problem, not the product.New money starts here
PlantInformAppropriations are requested and budgets are made. Share what the work really costs, and what it returns.·
HarvestDeliverThe money is released and agencies buy. Compete on results, and put them in the contract.Most vendors arrive here
RestAccountResults are reviewed and next year is planned. Show what worked, own what didn’t, and plan together.·
Every Year
Revenue LeadersNext year’s opportunities, while they’re still requests.
Account TeamsWho decides what, and when, in each state.
Government LeadersHow to get your roadmap and priorities funded.
One Method, Fitted to Each State
- Florida
- Texas
- New York
- California
- + 6 being finalized now
Every state is the same, and every state is different. The method covers what they share. State research and local experts cover what’s unique.
The First Workshop
- 60+in the room
- 130+joined online
- 8speakers who held the roles
“The dialogue was truly unlike anything I’ve experienced before.”
Industry partner
- A masterclass, not a showcase. No pitches, no paid slots.
- Speakers who held the roles and know how the process actually works.
- Leave with a map of how the next budget is made.
The Fellowship Retreats
A design lab purpose-built for the public sector.
Public leaders and industry work one hard problem as peers. Every design is published.
Where the Retreats Work: Steps 1 and 2
- 1Define the OutcomeThe problem and its value
- 2DesignThe work, then the architecture
- 3FundA request built on the design
- 4BuyOpen competition
- 5Hold AccountableResults in the contract
- 6GovernReport and improve
Retreat 1Design
Problem statements, user stories, and how the work flows today.
Between RetreatsSet the Stage
Requirements by function, and a buying approach that keeps competition open.
Retreat 2Build and Refine
Vendor-neutral designs, tested on the hardest paths, and published.
Eleven Functions Every Government Workflow Shares
Intake
Unify
Decide
Route
Notify
Sign
Pay
Keep the Record
Exchange
Report
Scale, Security, and Uptime
Three 2027 Cohorts, and Why Now
Healthcare
Medicaid community-engagement requirements take effect in 43 states and DC by January 1, 2027.
Government Efficiencies
Public websites and apps must meet the federal accessibility standard by April 2027 in governments serving 50,000 or more.
Public Safety and Emergency Management
A May 2026 federal review recommends shifting more disaster response and recovery to states and localities.
The Rules of the Room
- We decide every invitation. Partners may suggest names.
- Government outnumbers industry in every room.
- Zero selling. Peers, not pitches.
- Purchases are competed. Same terms for every vendor.
- Travel scholarships for public servants, within ethics rules.
“Probably the most useful week I’ve had in state government.”
Public-sector attendee
Gatherings So Far
-
August 25–27, 2026Williamsburg, Virginia
Healthcare IT Leadership Retreat
Health and human services leaders on H.R. 1 eligibility and rural health funding.
-
March 31 – April 2, 2026Asheville, North Carolina
Healthcare IT Retreat
Our first retreat. Leaders from about eight states on eligibility rules, data sharing, and rural health funding.
-
September 17–18, 2024Dallas, Texas
Strategic CIO and AI in Education Convening
Our first convening. About 25 K-12 superintendents and district technology chiefs on strong school IT teams.
