Citizen science and crowdsourcing

The Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act of 2016 (15 U.S.C. § 3724) encourages federal agencies to use citizen science and crowdsourcing to support innovative research projects. Running a citizen science or crowdsourcing program usually involves five key steps:

1. Scope your problem. Create a detailed overview of the problem you are trying to solve—why it matters, what your priorities are, who is interested, and what you hope to accomplish. Get buy-in from stakeholders and approval from your supervisor.
2. Design a project. Once you’ve found a project that is right for crowdsourcing or citizen science, take the time to design it. Outline your objectives and all the steps and resources you’ll need to meet them.
3. Build your community. Identify what types of people you’ll be working with. If possible, build on an existing community. Engage with your community and get them excited about your project. Acknowledge their contributions and efforts.
4. Manage your data. Prepare a data management plan. As you acquire and process data, you’ll want to capture it in a way that allows you to get the most out of it. Analyze your data and share your results. Have a plan for long-term data preservation.
5. Sustain and improve your project. Successful citizen science projects require sustained participation and funding. They also require regular evaluation of progress toward goals. Remember to ask for feedback from your participants.

Benefits of citizen science and crowdsourcing programs

Citizen science and crowdsourcing programs allow agencies to scale their research efforts. By increasing the number of people gathering and analyzing data, citizen science and crowdsourcing programs can:

• Make it faster to gather data
• Gather data from a wider geographic area
• Invite broad perspectives
• Identify findings that might otherwise go unnoticed
• Increase public awareness of research initiatives
• Encourage interest in science and STEM careers

The Federal Community of Practice for Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science, or FCPCCS, connects federal practitioners who share expertise, collaborate on projects, and discover innovative solutions. 

Join the community

We welcome all federal employees who work on, fund, or want to explore crowdsourcing and citizen science opportunities. To join our active listserv:

1. Send an email to FCPCCS-subscribe-request@listserv.gsa.gov.
2. Type “subscribe FCPCCS” in the subject line.
3. Include your name and agency in the email body.

Your communications are not private

We consider all communications on the CoP listserv to be public records. As a federal agency, we may release these communications under the Freedom of Information Act.

You can use a contractor or a facilitator to help design and implement a citizen science or crowdsourcing initiative.

Multiple Award Schedule

GSA maintains a list of vendors that provide marketing consulting services in GSA eLibrary under Special Item Number, or SIN, 541613. This list includes several providers who can assist you, including support for:

• Marketing and advertising
• Administering the program
• Managing communities

Policies and guidance

• Crowdsourcing and Citizen Science Act of 2016 (15 U.S.C. § 3724). This law grants U.S. federal science agencies the authority to use public participation to advance their missions.
• American Innovation and Competitiveness Act (January 2017). A federal law that focuses on boosting U.S. research and development and encouraging collaboration between government, universities, and industry.
• OMB Guide to the Paperwork Reduction Act. In-depth information on the Paperwork Reduction Act. The guide is maintained by the OMB Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs.
• Digital.gov guide: Public Participation playbook. An actionable guide to help the government build better services through public participation.

Citizen science authority reports

The American Innovation and Competitiveness Act requires the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy to produce a biennial report to Congress on the activities carried out under this authority. This report highlights how government agencies use crowdsourcing and citizen science activities to engage with members of the public to innovate, drive scientific discovery, and solve important problems. Reporting on related activities conducted under other authorities is voluntary and also included. 

Examples of crowdsourcing and citizen science initiatives

• Environmental Protection Agency — Air Sensor Toolbox
• National Archives — Citizen Archivist Dashboard
• U.S. Geological Survey — Did You Feel It?
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration — Disk Detective
• Federal Communications Commission — Measuring Broadband America
• U.S. Department of State — MapGive
• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — mPing: Crowdsourcing Weather Reports
• National Aeronautics and Space Administration — NASA S’COOL: Students’ Cloud Observations On-Line
• Smithsonian — Smithsonian Digital Volunteers: Transcription Center