The problem

In an ever-changing world, the data we rely on to make informed decisions is at risk. Recent shifts in government policies have created significant uncertainty, leading to the sudden deletion of historical data and the premature termination of crucial federal data collection efforts. These changes impact everyone who uses data to understand our society, coordinate aid, and drive progress. The consequences of these actions are being felt now and will only continue to worsen.

Without a coordinated infrastructure, individual organizations, states, & funders are forced to build fragmented, one-off data systems with no clear mechanism for data access and harmonization. This disjointed approach wastes valuable capital and time, creates critical blind spots, and ultimately damages the ability of social ecosystems to make meaningful progress. The data volatility space is vast and affects all social sector areas.

The solution

The Digital Public Goods Network's (DPGN) Data Volatility Mitigation Initiative connects organizations with deep expertise to create a more resilient data-driven society by addressing the sudden deletion and termination of critical federal data.

We are working to connect existing data preservation and access efforts that need bandwidth and resources, and identify and support new initiatives to fill critical gaps by securing, hosting, and supplementing at-risk public data. Furthermore, we are actively mobilizing and educating the philanthropic community on a sector-by sector basis to cultivate a coordinated investment framework, ensuring that durable, state-led data products are permanently resourced. The goal is to reimagine solutions to pressing data needs, not just recreate old structures.

What it does for individual organizations

Eliminates Redundant System Building: Organizations no longer have to spend restricted funding to independently scrape, rescue, or host the federal datasets they rely on.

Secures Access to Foundational Data: Ensures continuous access to vital data streams—such as foundational benchmarks (e.g. 990 infrastructure), climate tracking, and public health metrics—without fear of sudden deletion.

Provides AI-Ready Infrastructure: Delivers open-source, cloud-native hosting environments equipped with advanced access tools and automated metadata generation, giving smaller organizations equal footing in technological advancement.

What it does for the sector

Drives Systemic Resilience: Unifies siloed actors across academia, civil society, and the private sector into a synchronized data network.

Prioritizes interventions that correspond to specific domain needs (e.g., Health, Climate, or Justice) according to their needs, e.g. storage, access tools, or piloting and scaling, so support can be directed where it is required most.

Establishes a Funding Framework: Translates broad digital concepts into actionable, domain-specific strategies that allow specialized donors to act as force multipliers for the public good.