12th Annual Des Moines Charity Hackathon

dsmHack: Charity Hackathon Volunteer Position

Event: dsmHack 48-Hour Charity Hackathon

Location: West48, 1601 48th St #100, West Des Moines, IA 50266

Time Commitment: 48 hours (Thursday 6 PM – Saturday 8 PM) (flexibility for breaks as

needed)

Position Overview

dsmHack volunteers are hands-on collaborators who use their professional skills to help local

nonprofit organizations solve real-world challenges. Volunteers engage directly with nonprofit

leaders, identify needs, and work in cross-functional teams to design and build practical, usable

solutions within a 48-hour timeframe.

This is an immersive, fast-paced experience that combines innovation, community impact, and

teamwork.

Key Responsibilities

• Engage with nonprofit representatives to understand their mission, challenges, and
• operational needs
• Select a nonprofit project and join a multidisciplinary team
• Collaborate intensively over 48 hours to design, build, and deliver a functional solution
• Contribute your professional expertise to ensure the final product is practical,
• sustainable, and user-ready
• Participate in team discussions, problem-solving, and iterative development
• Help present or transition the completed solution to the nonprofit at event close

Volunteer Roles & Skill Areas

dsmHack welcomes a wide range of professional backgrounds, including:

• Agility Experts (Scrum Masters): Facilitate team workflows, remove blockers, and
• guide agile practices
• Business Analysts: Translate nonprofit needs into actionable requirements and
• strategic solutions
• Developers/Coders: Build web, mobile, or software solutions
• Database Administrators: Ensure data integrity, structure, and security
• Designers (UX/UI/Graphic): Create intuitive, user-centered experiences
• DevOps Engineers: Support deployment, infrastructure, and system scalability
• IT Professionals: Contribute across technical domains including security, networks, and
• systems
• Nonprofit Consultants: Provide subject-matter expertise in nonprofit operations and
• strategy
• Project Managers: Coordinate timelines, team efforts, and deliverables
• SEO Experts: Optimize solutions for visibility and digital reach
• Testers/QA Specialists: Ensure functionality, performance, and usability

Qualifications

• Interest in using your skills for community impact
• Ability to collaborate in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills
• Willingness to commit to the full 48-hour event (flexibility for breaks as needed)
• Relevant experience in one or more of the roles listed above or a desire and willingness
• to learn

What Volunteers Gain

• Direct, meaningful impact on local nonprofit organizations
• Hands-on experience solving real-challenges
• Opportunities to collaborate with diverse, talented professionals
• Skill development in a high-energy, agile environment
• Expanded professional network
• Event perks including meals, snacks, and a dsmHack participant t-shirt

Impact

dsmHack projects have delivered tangible results for nonprofits, including:

• Tools that connect donors with foster children in need
• Software that improves wildlife rescue response times
• Platforms that help individuals access housing and legal resources

Volunteers leave the event having created solutions that nonprofits can begin using immediately.

To Register

Please sign up on our eventbrite page at:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/dsmhack-des-moines-charity-hackathon-2025-tickets-1247617530619