Move at the Speed of Trust

Fast, lean, ethical civic technology for communities that deserve better.

Launch an affordable and maintainable GDPR-compliant community engagement website within a week.

Book Free 15-Min Consult

Why Civic Tech Fails

Too Slow

Most contractors take months. You get working prototypes in days.

Too Expensive

Big consulting firms charge enterprise prices. You get affordable mid-market efficiency.

Too Generic

Off-the-shelf tools ignore community context. You get custom solutions built with real user input.

13 Years Building Systems That Matter

Nikki Ricks headshot

I bridge worlds most consultants can't. With 5 years as a full-stack engineer (AWS, TypeScript, platform infrastructure), 4 years in civic service as an ADA Architectural Surveyor, and 4 years coaching startups, I bring technical depth AND community trust.

Tech 5 years Financial, EdTech, Cannabis platforms
Architecture 4 years City government and private auditing for ADA compliance. GIS Certified.
Startup Consulting 4 years Startup consulting & angel investing

Why Work With Me

  • Think like an entrepreneur, move at the speed of trust
  • Talk to unhoused neighbors and city councilors with equal fluency
  • Technical background + urban planning mindset + advocacy experience
  • Network spans academia, activism, technology, and legal

Three Ways to Work Together

Rapid Prototype Sprint

1 - 3 days $3,000 - $7,000

Perfect for: Proof-of-concepts, grant applications, stakeholder demos

Deliverables:

  • Working prototype (database + frontend)
  • GitHub repository with documentation
  • 1-hour technical handoff session
Start Here

Membership Portal

10 - 14 days $7,000 - $20,000

Perfect for: Community organizations, small city departments

Deliverables:

  • Everything in Tier 1
  • User authentication & membership system
  • Admin dashboard for content management
  • Basic deployment guide
Build Your Portal

Full Community Engagement Solution

60 days $20,000 - $55,000

Perfect for: City-wide initiatives, compliance-driven projects

Deliverables:

  • Everything in Tier 2
  • Community testing with real users (3-5 sessions)
  • Accessibility audit & compliance report
  • Stakeholder feedback integration
  • Staff training (2 sessions)
  • 30-day post-launch support
Let's Transform Engagement

Values-based pricing available for BIPOC-led organizations and grassroots nonprofits.

Proof: Real Tools for Real Organizing

While volunteering with Vernon Neighborhood Association in Portland, I built four technical systems to support housing justice work. Here's what worked.

Most Impactful

Vernon Landlord Database

Challenge:

Community organizers had no way to track patterns across landlord-owned properties—who's violating codes, who's displacing tenants, who's consolidating ownership.

Solution:

Built searchable database linking landlord entities to properties, violations, and tenant complaints. Made power structures visible through data.

Impact:

Gave organizers the evidence they needed for direct action and policy advocacy. Made displacement patterns undeniable.

PostgreSQL React Public Records API

PCRI Housing Analysis Dashboard

Challenge:

City councilor staff needed data visualization to understand PCRI housing displacement patterns in Portland, but had no time for lengthy development cycles.

Solution:

Built interactive data dashboard visualizing housing history, displacement trends, and community impact. Delivered in less than 24 hours.

Impact:

City councilor staff got immediate access to data-driven insights for policy decisions. Live at pcri-vernon-analysis.surge.sh

React Data Viz 24hr Build

Vernon Street Tree Bot

Challenge:

Residents needed accessible guidance on caring for neighborhood trees but lacked direct access to Portland's Street Tree Inventory and native plant databases.

Solution:

Built digital urban forestry assistant connecting residents to city data, providing property-specific tree identification, health assessments, and personalized native planting recommendations.

Impact:

Empowered homeowners with expert tree care guidance and climate-resilient planting options. Bridged gap between residents and urban forestry professionals.

Street Tree API Portland Plant List Chatbot

From First Call to Launch

1

Free 15-Min Consultation

We talk about your challenge. I share similar examples. No pressure.

2

Proposal (48 Hours)

Custom scope, timeline, and pricing. Clear deliverables.

3

Kickoff + $1k Deposit

We align on goals, users, and success metrics.

4

Build Sprint

Rapid prototyping with check-ins. You see progress in days, not months.

5

Community Testing (Tier 3 only)

Feedback implemented from real people to get impactful improvements.

6

Handoff + Training

Documentation, GitHub access, staff training. You own everything.

7

Support

30-day post-launch for Tier 3. Maintenance retainers available ($1,500-$3k/month).

Who This Is For

Ideal Client Profiles

  • City departments launching civic engagement initiatives
  • County agencies modernizing community input processes
  • Nonprofits with civic tech grants who need technical execution
  • Progressive government contractors needing community engagement depth
  • Organizations facing compliance lawsuits (ADA, WCAG, accessibility)

NOT For

  • Agencies wanting surveillance tools
  • Projects prioritizing optics over outcomes
  • Organizations unwilling to involve actual community members

Questions I Get Asked

Why so fast?

Because I don't have enterprise overhead. Solo consulting means I build, not manage. And civic work is urgent—communities can't wait for 6-month procurement cycles.

What if we need ongoing support?

Maintenance retainers start at $1,500/month. Or train your team to own it—I document everything for that reason.

Do you work outside Portland?

Yes. Remote-first, with on-site options if you cover travel, lodging, and food.

What about values-based pricing?

BIPOC-led organizations get 20% off. Grassroots nonprofits get sliding scale. Corporate civic projects pay premium rates. It's about alignment, not just money.

What's your stack?

AWS, TypeScript, whatever's best for your context. I'm tool-agnostic but opinionated about maintainability.

Let's Build Something That Works

No sales pressure. No corporate doublespeak. Just a 15-minute conversation about whether this is a good fit.

Book Your Free Consultation

Prefer email? → nikki.ricks@gmail.com