DataDotOrg

Data.Org is a non-profit organization dedicated to building the field of data science for social impact (DSI). The current iteration of the organization was launched in 2020 at the World Economic Forum as a partnership between The Rockefeller Foundation and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth. It inherited the name from the original DATA.org, an initiative co-founded in 2001 by Bono to alleviate debt, AIDS, and trade inequalities in Africa, which later evolved into the ONE Campaign. The President and CEO is Danil Mikhailov, a computer and social scientist.

The organization functions as a platform for partnerships, bringing together philanthropy, technology companies, academia, and social impact organizations to address significant global challenges through the application of data and AI. Its operational model is centered on three main pillars: proving the effectiveness of data science through targeted initiatives and innovation challenges, strengthening the capacity of the social sector, and transforming the data commons. One of its core initiatives is the Capacity Accelerator Network (CAN), which aims to train one million purpose-driven data professionals by 2032, with a focus on diversity and inclusion. Data.Org also launches global challenges, such as the $10 million Inclusive Growth and Recovery Challenge, to crowdsource and fund data science solutions for non-profit, civic, and government organizations.

As a non-profit, Data.Org operates on funding from philanthropic partners. Beyond its founding partners, it receives support from entities like Microsoft, Wellcome Trust, and The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation for specific programs. These programs include the Generative AI Skills Grant Challenge and Epiverse, an initiative creating open-source tools for pandemic response. The organization serves a broad audience, including social impact organizations, non-profits, philanthropic groups, and data practitioners who want to use their skills for social good. It provides a resource library with guides, tools, and assessments, such as the Data Maturity Assessment, to help organizations improve their data capabilities.

Keywords: data for social impact, DSI, data science for good, non-profit, philanthropy, capacity building, data literacy, social sector, data collaboration, innovation challenges, Rockefeller Foundation, Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, digital public goods, purpose-driven data practitioners, social impact organizations, global challenges, open-source tools