THE DEMOCRATIZATION OF DATA - BRIDGING THE GAP FOR COMMUNITY GROUPS

Community groups from low-income neighborhoods have the most to gain f rom full access to data, yet the least capability to achieve that acce ssor make use of the data once they have it. The gap is being filed by intermediaries providing access to data and assistance with analysis and policy development. These efforts are empowering community groups, allowing them to participate fully in planning and policy discussions that affect their neighborhoods. This paper explores the nature of th e information providers, the services they provide to community organi zations, and the challenges they face in doing so. Combining their exp eriences with our view of the coming technical and societal issues all ows us to forecast what the future might look like. We conclude that c ommunity groups will become more self-sufficient, but will continue to need outside expertise. Since not all community groups now have acces s to such intermediaries, more research and development should be unde rtaken to support the movement.