Why I started it
I spent seven years inside the court system as a Deputy Clerk of the Court in Palm Beach County. I saw how quickly ordinary people can get lost in forms, procedures, records, and systems that technically belong to the public but do not feel public at all.
Later, in classrooms, I saw the same problem from another direction. Students and families are surrounded by technology, but they are rarely taught how to understand it, question it, or build with it.
CivicOS is my answer to both experiences: build practical open-source tools, explain them clearly, and make civic technology less mysterious.
The work
What CivicOS is trying to make normal.
Public work should not require private black boxes. CivicOS focuses on software, standards, and learning resources that communities can inspect, adapt, and reuse.
Open Public Infrastructure
Government software should be easier to inspect, export from, and replace. CivicOS builds toward civic tools that do not trap public agencies in vendor lock-in.
Practical AI Literacy
AI should not feel like magic or a subscription trap. CivicOS teaches people how to use local and open tools with more confidence and less dependency.
Readable Civic Data
Contracts, records, budgets, meetings, and public documents should be searchable and understandable without a law degree or an insider contact.
Open Source by Default
When public money pays for public tools, the public should be able to see the code, learn from it, and improve it.
Current Focus
Procurement Observatory
A searchable surface for public contracts, vendor records, renewal terms, and procurement documents.
Open Civic Specs
Shared formats and API patterns that help civic tools work together instead of becoming isolated projects.
AI Learning Kit
Plain-language resources for students, families, and civic staff who want useful AI skills without vendor capture.
Founder's Note
I do not think civic technology has to be grand to matter. Sometimes the most useful public tool is the one that lets a resident find a contract, understand a meeting agenda, or see what their city actually bought.
That is the kind of work I want CivicOS to do: practical, inspectable, and grounded in real public needs.
- Nicholas A. Cerbone
Connect with CivicOS
Websites: civicos-institute.org | civicoslabs.com
GitHub: github.com/CivicOSInstitute
Founder: Nicholas A. Cerbone
Location: Palm Beach County, Florida
Status: 501(c)(3) pending