The Social Sector is Contributing to the Broader OSS Ecosystem

Open source ecosystems are expanding in complexity and significance as they intersect with the social sector, where GitHub's Tech for Social Good program has identified unique challenges and opportunities. While most open source software (OSS) from corporate tech companies focuses on infrastructure like servers and APIs, the social sector emphasizes applications with graphic user interfaces, addressing needs often overlooked by private tech firms. For instance, Dimagi, a social sector organization, leverages its CommCare app for global health solutions, including COVID-19 contact tracing. As these organizations mature, they're contributing back to the broader OSS community, with Dimagi's team actively involved in projects like Ansible and CitusDB, driven by unique industry challenges and regulatory requirements. This dynamic highlights a growing trend of social sector solutions potentially influencing mainstream technology, spurred by the prioritization of social good over business opportunities.