Social & Fundraising Kick-off
Join The Upskilling Labs for an evening of conversation, community, and a look at what's ahead.
Five months ago, we launched a new kind of civic institution in DC. One built around the belief that people don't need to wait for permission to learn, build, and lead through a period of massive technological change. Since then, we've run two Build Cycles, brought together dozens of Upskillers in collaborative pods, and partnered with DC Public Library to make it happen.
On May 20, we're gathering at La Cosecha to celebrate where we are, activate our community around where we're going — and to kick off our first fundraising campaign to sustain the work through the rest of the year. We've got a goal of raising $18,000 by the end of our second cycle (July 14th), and we need your help getting there.
What to expect: A fireside chat with leaders driving AI transformation at major DC-area employers about how work is changing and where the opportunity is. Plus a brief update from our board on what we've built and what's next.
Details Wednesday, May 20 | 6:15–8:00 PM | La Cosecha, Union Market | Bites & beverages included | Tickets start at $15.
This event is for our community: Upskillers, mentors, speakers, volunteers, donors, sponsors, and anyone curious about what we're building.
How can you help? Invite someone who should know about us and would be interested in supporting our work, and help us grow the movement. To keep what we're doing going, we need to raise the money to power our programs: name tags, happy hours, Claude, Mailchimp, Squarespace — it adds up!
What does your donation support?
Your support powers every layer of The Upskilling Labs — from the technology we're building to the communities we're bringing together. The first $18,000 we raise will go directly to:
Platform & Technology (~35%): We're building Open Labs OS, an open-source operating system purpose-built for community-driven AI learning programs. This platform powers our own Build Cycles and is designed to be adopted by libraries, workforce organizations, and community groups nationwide — turning every dollar invested in software into scalable infrastructure for AI upskilling beyond DC.
Events & Programming (~35%): Our Build Cycles and Summits are where the real learning happens: small teams tackling real-world problems in health systems, climate, and beyond, guided by mentors and culminating in public showcases. These funds cover venue costs, facilitator support, and the materials that make collaborative, in-person learning possible.
Outreach & Awareness (~10%): Signage, printed materials, and branded resources help us reach new Upskillers — particularly residents navigating workforce disruption who may not yet know this community exists for them.
Operations (~20%): Accounting, insurance, licensing, and the organizational infrastructure that keeps The Upskilling Labs alive, compliant, and ready to grow.
Can’t join but still want to donate? You can do so here.
Thank you to La Cosecha for being our venue sponsor for this event!
The Upskilling Labs is a fiscally sponsored project of Superbloom Design, a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.