Allies in Advancing Transparency: How Indicator Projects Relate to the Open Data Movement

This presentation was given at the Community Indicators Consortium Impact 2013 conference.

The National Neighborhood Indicators Partnership (NNIP) is collaboration of the Urban Institute and local partners in 37 cities to further the development and use of neighborhood-level information systems for community building and local decision-making.  All help community organizations and government agencies use indicators to improve their work - whether advocacy, program planning or policymaking.

Operating since 1995, the NNIP model was based on negotiating with local agencies one-on-one for access to administrative data.   The data environment has changed dramatically since the origin of NNIP, and the open data movement is gaining strength at the local, state, and federal level.   For the past three years, the NNIP network and local partners have explored the overlap between the principles and practices of the indicator and the open data movements.   We have forged new connections locally and nationally, including with such groups as the Sunlight Foundation and Code for America.    This presentation will describe the goals shared by indicators and open data practioners, suggest ways that the two groups benefit each other, and give examples of local groups working together to increase transparency and engage communities.