Since 2010, the Software Sustainability Institute (SSI) has facilitated the advancement of software in research by cultivating better, more sustainable, research software to enable world-class research (“Better software, better research”). To achieve this, the SSI has engaged a community of researchers; Research Software Engineers and developers; instructors and trainers that deliver research software training; research policymakers; and groups that provide services that support research software development. We will present an overview of the Institute’s main activities to engage the research software community, such as the Fellowship Programme, annual Collaborations Workshop, and Research Software Camps, and how you can get involved. We will also talk about resources that we have made available (e.g. the SSI Event Organisation Guide and other templates) that people are free to adapt and use to ease their own organisation of activities. Expected prior knowledge / intended audience: No prior knowledge is required for this talk. The intended audience includes all developers and users of open tools and technologies used in a research/investigation context who are interested in joining and collaborating within an inspiring and supportive research software community.