Beginning to understand how cities purchase goods and services is the tip of the iceberg but it's the only way to get that money back into communities.
1

May 2022

Data from citizen reporting platforms like 311 has biases that could create disparities in how local governments distribute public resources. So why are…
1

March 2022

While communities might need better governance and data tools to coordinate social services, entrenched power dynamics make it hard for data reforms to…

February 2022

A short update on the first few months of Civic Source and some reflections on public service.

January 2022

When so many data dashboards offer few satisfying answers, we might wonder why local leaders default to building them again, and again, and again. Is it…
2
Better local climate data could help governments get stronger results while giving people a chance to get involved, but most climate action plans leave…

December 2021

Local governments are responsible for protecting people's personal information. But in the system of support for survivors of domestic violence, stakes…

November 2021

Most people might not think of local governments as a link in the chain of food insecurity. But they buy food to serve people in their hardest moments…
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People working in local government can be cagey when it comes to sharing information. But hiding information in silos means governments struggle to…

October 2021

Data and technology have become the tools local governments use to govern, but most people don't have a say in how those systems are run. Here's why it…

September 2021

This is Civic Source, a newsletter about how local governments use data and technology to shape our communities.