New York, NY | January 25, 2023 — data.org and Microsoft Philanthropies are partnering to narrow the digital divide between the private sector and social impact organizations (SIOs) by building an efficient, data-driven social sector that can apply new insights to solve some of the world’s most challenging problems.

On their digital platform, data.org provides a free Data Maturity Assessment (DMA) to give SIOs the ability to assess their current data implementation strategies, identify opportunities for growth, and apply positive change through curated resources and guides from their Resource Library. This suite of self-service tools helps organizations become “data-led” to better meet their missions. The DMA is a key tool supporting the Capacity Accelerator Network (CAN), a data.org initiative dedicated to developing one million purpose-driven data professionals across the globe over the next decade, and empowering organizations with the analytical skills needed to thrive in a data-driven landscape.

“Social impact organizations have historically lacked the resources, tools, and capability to harness the power of data,” said Danil Mikhailov, executive director at data.org. “Our Data Maturity Assessment helps organizations chart a path forward in their data journey and prepares them for the kind of transformative growth that drives lasting impact.”

Microsoft Philanthropies’ two-year partnership includes:

• the next phase of the DMA tool with an expanded assessment and improved analytics. Microsoft’s robust network of SIOs will engage with the DMA to assess their organizational data maturity and connect to resources.
• a cohort program for a subset of SIOs to focus on data maturity transformation over a 12-month period with additional in-kind resources from Microsoft such as computing and engineering support, access to Microsoft products, and related technical assistance. Insights from this cohort will help identify approaches and resources to support the social impact sector at scale.

This investment will help generate a collection of key learnings and case studies, as well as a playbook to identify transformational models that could enable organizational change, contributing to the CAN initiative’s suite of open-source resources for the wider DSI sector.

“data.org continues to leverage its comprehensive platform to bring together the experience of social impact organizations, the strength and capabilities of Microsoft Philanthropies, and the power of data to derive insights and inform future digital resources,” said Mikhailov. “These insights will allow data.org to continue building a community of data-led organizations and unlock potential solutions to address some of the world’s most complex challenges including health, climate, and financial inclusion.”

“Microsoft is committed to empowering organizations with the tools, skills, and resources needed to succeed in the digital world,” said Kate Behncken, Vice President Microsoft Philanthropies. “We’re proud to work with data.org to strengthen the power of data to drive social good.”

About data.org: 

data.org is committed to democratizing data, for good. Founded by The Rockefeller Foundation and the Mastercard Center for Inclusive Growth, data.org is a platform for partnerships, and works with organizations all over the world to increase the use of data science to tackle society’s most pressing challenges and improve the lives of millions of people. For more information, visit data.org and follow us on Twitter @datadotorg.

Media contacts: 

data.org: Emma Marty | emma@data.org