Government Drives Drupal: Why Public Sector Involvement Matters in Open Source

speaker: ednark The public sector is one of Drupal's largest stakeholders, yet agency teams and contractors often face unique barriers to giving back to the open source ecosystem that powers their missions. This panel discussion brings together public sector developers, contributors, and community leaders to discuss: The often invisible ways government needs shape Drupal’s evolution Practical strategies for contributing agency solutions upstream while ensuring compliance Making the business case for contribution—how to win over procurement and leadership Proven models for resource allocation, policy, and incentivizing teams Navigating real barriers: procurement rules, security, and IP ownership Success stories and hard lessons from government–open source collaborations Understanding the two-way impact of government and Drupal’s ecosystem Building strategies to advocate for contribution as both good stewardship and effective resource management