2016 Projects

City of Roanoke Library – Storytelling App

This project will involve allowing people to share their stories and have them archived into the library’s digital library. It will build on the library’s efforts to build its oral history archive. The software would ideally provide a platform for people to record stories, for these stories to be geotagged and for them to be input into the library’s database. Additional steps may include providing a map to see the stories geolocated.

Renovation Alliance, TAP and Habitat for Humanity, and others – Database/Map of HUD Expenditures in NW Roanoke

This project will help the City of Roanoke and the Roanoke Neighborhood Revitalization Partnership (RRNP) to analyze and show the work they have done. As the HUD money goes into a new neighborhood, this will allow for better tracking of progress and for people to understand where our government dollars are going. It would consist of a database that would allow the partner organizations to input data about work done or needed and this to then populate on a map. Additional steps may include providing a way for people to interact with it or to layer it on the City’s GIS.

Hiking App: Roanoke Outside/Appalachian Trail

This project would be just like last year, but a little more vague. It would revolve around putting trail maps in a database and tagging them with information about how long they take to complete and what you need to know. It will build on the efforts to keep people safe as we become more of an outdoor destination. It will consist of a database of facts about various trails and a number of safety checks before people embark. Additional steps may include some kind of way to insure that people do not veer off the trail.

Noke Votes – Searchable City Council/Appointed Board Minutes

This project will make the minutes and agendas from City Council and other public boards more broadly available and searchable. At the moment, they are available, but not searchable. So there is no way to see what was discussed about a particular topic over time. It will consist of a way to scrape an RSS feed of PDFs and make them searchable. Additional steps may include connecting it with the Code for the City of Roanoke.

Big Brothers Big Sisters – Volunteer Check-in/Connectivity System

This project will help BBBS track their volunteers. Right now it revolves around a staff member checking in over the phone. This system would allow this process to be automated. It will consist of a check-in system for volunteers that is geotagged with a clock-in and out function. Essentially it will allow BBBS to see when and where volunteers are connecting with their littles. Additional steps may include gamifying it in some way or allowing Bigs to see where other Bigs go and what they recommend.

Science Museum of Western Virginia – Gamification of the Museum

This project could take many forms, but it is essentially focused on helping the museum gamify its contents. This may be done through the use of people’s smartphones. However, the exact form it will take will require some creativity. It will consist of taking the museum’s contents and developing a game around them. Additional steps are endless.

Odds & Ends

This groups will focus on simple projects that make sense for area nonprofits. For instance, adding a calendar to their website or a sign-up form. This group will be targeted towards less experienced programmers who are looking to learn.