Field guide 001Built in Madison, WI
Starting a local hacker community is free. Building one that lasts costs time, trust, and a few hard-earned lessons. Here is what we learned growing DC608.
Independent community guide · Not an official DEF CON publication
Why bother?
More of life happens behind screens. Hacker communities have always grown another way: through shared curiosity, patient mentorship, and learning beside one another.
A meetup can change someone’s career, confidence, or life. The strongest groups are not built by one exhausted person. They are built by teams who create something that can outlast any one organizer.
Part 01 / Begin
The official team decides how a group becomes recognized. Your job is to assemble the humans and make the local plan real.
Look for an active or inactive group nearby. Reviving an existing chapter can preserve its name, history, and connections.
Open the official directoryRecruit two or three people who believe in the mission. Shared ownership prevents burnout and makes the group resilient.
Choose a predictable cadence, an accessible venue, a public home, and one reliable communication channel.
Send the official team your proposal, location, organizer details, and the kind of community you want to build.
Official contact pageYour first meetup can be small. A clear date and a welcoming room matter more than a famous speaker or perfect equipment.
Part 02 / Run it
A reliable way to find you, a place to talk, a place to meet, something to do together, and a schedule people can trust.
A simple website or social page with current dates and contact details. GitHub Pages can host a static site free from a public repository; paid GitHub plans that support private repositories start around $4 per month. A custom domain costs extra.
Discord, Slack, email, or another place members can reliably reach you.
Accessible, safe, permitted for your activities, and easy to explain.
Meet in person at least monthly so people have a date they can trust. Add weekly or biweekly online events if your organizers and community have the energy for them.
Programming
People return because of the community, not because every meetup has a keynote. Be ready to present yourself, cold-message interesting people, ask members to volunteer, and welcome virtual guests.
Part 03 / Sustain it
What follows is DC608’s experience. It is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Requirements vary by jurisdiction and change over time.
What worked for DC608
Starting recognition does not require a fee, but organizers may still encounter venue, platform, equipment, insurance, food, and accessibility costs. Track them before they become one person’s permanent burden.
What worked for DC608
Your community may want to support work it believes in. Explain the goal and the numbers, line up early supporters, and document how money is handled. DC608 uses Givebutter and PayPal for fundraising: PayPal is free to set up, while Givebutter offers a free, low-fee model depending on how you configure donor tips and fee coverage. Review current terms before choosing a platform.
What worked for DC608
Recruit for shared values, judgment, and follow-through. Learn your jurisdiction’s requirements, write governance before a crisis, hold regular meetings, and document decisions consistently.
Decision point
DC608 used trusted guides and paid roughly $700 for LegalZoom to help file its 501(c)(3) application. If we had to do it again, we would start by reading the IRS form ourselves and using today’s AI tools to explain unfamiliar terms and help us prepare better questions. AI is not a substitute for qualified legal advice, but it may help a group decide whether paid filing assistance is actually worth the cost. This route is not right for every group.
For taxes, DC608 used H&R Block tax software. Here too, a small group may be able to fumble through the forms itself with an LLM’s help—or simply RTFM—but verify every answer against the current instructions and get qualified tax advice when the stakes or complexity call for it.
Eligible organizations can also get Google Workspace for Nonprofits at no charge, including organizational email and collaboration tools.
IRS exemption applications“Don’t do this alone. Find partners who will share the work, challenge your assumptions, and carry the mission with you.”
Part 04 / Keep it safe
Community safety is not a document in the footer. It is preparation, consistent decisions, careful communication, and people willing to act.
Respect anonymity, boundaries, and photography preferences.
Tell people who receives reports and how concerns are escalated.
Use a board or trusted co-organizers for consequential decisions.
Be factual and careful. Assume messages may eventually become public.
The goal is not universal approval; it is a safe and fairly treated community.
Part 05 / Take it with you
Adapt these to your community and verify them against current local and official requirements. Nothing is stored or sent anywhere.
Align your co-organizers before you announce anything.
GROUP NAME / CITY:
WHY THIS GROUP SHOULD EXIST:
WHO IT IS FOR:
CO-ORGANIZERS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:
MEETING CADENCE:
VENUE PLAN:
PUBLIC WEBSITE OR SOCIAL PAGE:
PRIMARY COMMUNITY CHANNEL:
FIRST THREE MEETING IDEAS:
HOW MEMBERS CAN ASK FOR HELP OR REPORT A CONCERN:A starting point, not a substitute for the current official instructions.
Subject: Proposal for a DEF CON Group in [CITY / REGION]
Hello DEF CON Groups team,
We would like to start or revive a DEF CON Group serving [AREA]. We checked the official directory and found [WHAT YOU FOUND].
Our organizing team is [NAMES / HANDLES]. We plan to meet [CADENCE] at [VENUE OR VENUE APPROACH] and communicate through [CHANNELS]. Our goal is to create a welcoming, all-skill-level community focused on [MISSION / ACTIVITIES].
We have reviewed the current DEF CON Groups guidance and Code of Conduct. Please let us know the next steps and any additional information you need.
Thank you,
[CONTACT DETAILS]Make the ask specific, friendly, and easy to decline.
Subject: Invitation to share [TOPIC] with [GROUP NAME]
Hi [NAME],
I help organize [GROUP], a local, all-skill-level security community in [CITY]. We would love to invite you to share [TOPIC] at one of our [IN-PERSON / VIRTUAL] meetups.
Our usual format is [LENGTH / FORMAT], followed by friendly Q&A. Possible dates are [DATES]. We can provide [EQUIPMENT / RECORDING POLICY / TRAVEL SUPPORT, IF ANY].
No pressure if the timing is not right. If you are interested, I would be happy to share more details.
Thanks,
[NAME AND CONTACT]A repeatable rhythm gives newcomers confidence and organizers breathing room.
ONE WEEK BEFORE
[ ] Confirm venue access and accessibility
[ ] Confirm speaker or activity lead
[ ] Send the event reminder and Code of Conduct link
DAY OF
[ ] Test presentation equipment, Wi-Fi, and power
[ ] Identify the organizer handling safety concerns
MEETING
00:00 | Welcome, Code of Conduct, and announcements
00:10 | Newcomer-friendly introductions
00:20 | Main talk, workshop, or activity
01:05 | Break and informal conversation
01:20 | Questions, project sharing, or open discussion
01:45 | Next meeting date and ways to help
02:00 | CloseA useful room is safe, reachable, and comfortable. It does not need to be expensive.
[ ] Accessible entrance, room, and restroom
[ ] Transit, parking, and clear arrival instructions
[ ] Enough capacity without feeling cavernous
[ ] Venue explicitly permits the planned activities
[ ] Power, Wi-Fi, display, audio, and adapters
[ ] Food and drink policy
[ ] Quiet option or lower-stimulation area when possible
[ ] Clear emergency exits and venue contact
[ ] Photography and recording expectations
[ ] Reliable opening, closing, and key-holder planA few deliberate sentences can turn an intimidating room into a community.
Welcome to [GROUP NAME]. We are glad you are here.
This community is open to every experience level; curiosity is enough. Tonight we will [FORMAT]. Questions are encouraged, and it is always okay to listen without introducing yourself publicly.
Our Code of Conduct applies to everyone. If anything makes you uncomfortable, you can speak privately with [ORGANIZER / REPORTING METHOD].
If this is your first time, an organizer can introduce you to a couple of regulars or help you find what you need.Make recurring costs visible before they surprise your organizers.
EXPECTED COSTS
Venue: $
Food / non-alcoholic drinks: $
Speaker support or travel: $
Equipment / supplies: $
Insurance / permits: $
Platform and payment fees: $
Accessibility needs: $
Contingency: $
TOTAL: $
EXPECTED SUPPORT
Donations: $
Sponsorship: $
Organizer contribution: $
Other: $
TOTAL: $
OWNER OF FUNDS / REIMBURSEMENT PROCESS:
NOTES AND RECEIPT LOCATION:Record facts carefully and restrict access. For immediate danger, contact local emergency services.
DATE, TIME, AND LOCATION:
PERSON RECEIVING THE REPORT:
WHAT WAS REPORTED (USE THE REPORTER'S WORDS WHERE PRACTICAL):
PEOPLE INVOLVED AND WITNESSES:
AVAILABLE EVIDENCE OR LINKS:
IMMEDIATE SAFETY STEPS TAKEN:
REPORTER'S REQUESTED CONTACT METHOD AND DESIRED OUTCOME:
FOLLOW-UP OWNER AND DATE:
ACCESS RESTRICTIONS / SECURE STORAGE LOCATION:
Do not promise confidentiality you cannot guarantee. Share only with people responsible for handling the report and follow the current official escalation guidance.Your next move
Someone near you is looking for a place to learn, contribute, and belong. Your first meetup does not need to be perfect. It needs to exist.
The talk behind the guide
Presented by Ryan Zagrodnik and Allie Zagrodnik of DC608 at DEF CON 34.
DEF CON 30 sent us home with an idea: our city needed a hacker community.
Three years later, that idea has grown into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, a thriving monthly meetup, a network that helped us launch a regional conference (wiscon.io), and a long-term vision for a brick-and-mortar hackerspace. Along the way, we've learned a lot, made our share of mistakes, and discovered what it really takes to build a sustainable community from the ground up.
This talk is a practical guide to starting and growing a DEF CON Group without burning yourself out in the process. We'll cover getting approved by DEF CON Groups, incorporating as a nonprofit, raising money from your community, building a board that works well together, writing bylaws that set you up for success, handling Code of Conduct issues, and planning for long-term growth beyond monthly meetups.
We'll also talk about something that doesn't get enough attention, building a community as a team. The strongest groups aren't built by one person doing everything, they're built by people who share the workload, support one another, and create something that can outlast any single organizer.
Expect honest lessons learned, practical advice, real numbers, and plenty of war stories. We'll also provide a companion website packed with all the details that you can adapt for your own community.
If you've ever thought about starting a DEF CON Group, building a local hacker community, or creating something that brings people together, this talk is for you!