Today, as digital public infrastructure gains popularity, trust is critical, as important information of all types is being stored – and shared – across national data exchange systems and beyond. Verifiable credentials, when well designed, implemented, and governed can ensure these data assets are being accessed and shared in a trusted, secure manner. To learn more about the power of verifiable credentials, read our primer piece here.| Digital Impact Alliance
Data, when effectively managed, can uncover incredible insights about us and the world around us. This is just as true for governments exploring better public service delivery as it is for environmental scientists studying avian food chains. In this piece, we focus on legacy and historical dark data, exploring how these datasets have been effectively harnessed by environmental researchers - and the lessons governments can take away.| Digital Impact Alliance
As the world becomes increasingly digitized, maps are a critical asset, connecting us with the information and insights that enable everyday life, aid in problem solving, and keep us safe. When implemented into the DPI approach, mapping data can promote outsized benefits across sectors, from climate resilience and disaster response to urban planning, agriculture, and public health. Read this piece to learn more about why geospatial data should be considered a key component of good DPI.| Digital Impact Alliance
If applied well and deployed carefully to minimize harms, artificial intelligence (AI) promises significant benefits to society. So, how can countries, especially low resource countries who lack compute, digital language resources, and technical capabilities, take advantage of AI? This expert comment outlines some of the key issues policymakers should consider in order to realize the development potential of AI.| Digital Impact Alliance
Since 2019, the global digital development community has increasingly rallied around the concept of digital public goods (DPGs). DPGs have gained traction based on recognition of the unique promise of deploying open-source solutions for public impact, emphasizing their potential to deliver broad, equitable value at scale. Given the increasing importance of this topic, we convened our Digital Donors Exchange community to unpack key questions around the use of DPGs today.| Digital Impact Alliance
Countries are at a crucial juncture in their green transition journeys. At the heart of this transition lies the role of decentralised energy and distributed energy resources (DERs), which are increasingly seen as a cornerstone for the green future. DERs are not just a source of electricity – they also promise cleaner sources of energy, lower costs, and fewer blackouts, making them the next leap for individuals who lack digital connectivity, energy access, and green growth. Read this piece ...| Digital Impact Alliance
Today, as governments explore artificial intelligence (AI) for public service delivery, much of the attention remains on regulation, privacy, computing power, and technical considerations. Yet, crucially, the role of design remains overlooked, as the ability of a government to design for the digital realm significantly influences the effectiveness of integrating AI into public services. In this piece, we explore how governments can implement successful design systems to help ensure AI tools a...| Digital Impact Alliance
While dark data - when properly managed - can provide enormous benefits, effective financing is needed. Two key areas - skills training and physical infrastructure - can help promote data management that ensures dark data is used to benefit people and communities. Read this piece to learn more.| Digital Impact Alliance
The Africa Data Leadership Initiative (ADLI) is a peer learning and exchange network designed by and for African policymakers, legislators, researchers, technologists, and digital rights advocates working on data governance and digital platforms and services.| Digital Impact Alliance
This is the second piece in a series of expert comments—and an upcoming white paper—meant to surface real-world insights from Latin America and the Caribbean on implementing open-source solutions for digital public infrastructure (DPI). It’s based on 15 interviews with policymakers, technologists, and implementers across the region who’ve lived these decisions. The goal: to uncover the actual gaps, tensions, and choices they’ve faced—in their own words.| Digital Impact Alliance
This piece explores the emerging dynamics of funding, power, and innovation in digital public infrastructure (DPI) and how early decisions by a few influential actors could define the rules of the game for years to come. Learn more.| Digital Impact Alliance
It is critical that financing is directed toward the non-technology aspects of DPI: the global, regional, and national ecosystems that support countries as they design, deploy, and govern digital systems and services. These ecosystems, which include civil society, academic, and advocacy organizations, are central to the sustainability, security, and utility of DPI.| Digital Impact Alliance
Today, over 65% of all collected data is “dark,” meaning that, despite having been collected and stored, it has never been used. These datasets, when responsibly explored and analyzed , and with the right safeguards in place, can uncover insights that save lives, improve services, strengthen economies, and restore public trust. Read this expert comment to learn more about how governments can leverage dark to data - safely - for the good of people and communities.| Digital Impact Alliance
Equitable data governance is not just about protection – it’s about enabling participation. Our Africa Data Leadership Initiative explores best practices.| Digital Impact Alliance
By bringing together these diverse stakeholders, the Africa Data Leadership Initiative fosters mutual learning and advances a shared understanding of data governance frameworks that are inclusive and responsive to the needs of the African people. In this expert comment, we dive into three of the many different ways ADLI is fostering collaboration and collective problem solving for the good of Africa's digital future.| Digital Impact Alliance
In the digital era, data is critical - with the power to meaningfully benefit people and communities across the world. However, to ensure this promise is realized, while also protecting against potential risks, robust, trustworthy data infrastructure is critical. With its mission-driven focus, philanthropy can play a pivotal role in this endeavor. To set this foundation, our call to action paper outlines several "big bets" for philanthropists which – together – can advance a positive digi...| Digital Impact Alliance
Today, data exchange fuels many facets of daily life, enabling things like digital payments, public service delivery, and GPS navigation. But what are the different models that enable this flow of information? In this article, we outline four common models - integrated national data systems, data trusts, personal data stores, and decentralized networks - providing insights, considerations, and examples for each.| Digital Impact Alliance
In many ways, the arc of digital inclusion mirrors that of the financial inclusion sector in its infancy. Like early proponents of microfinance, the digital development community is united by a shared belief that, when correctly implemented, technology can be uplifting, empowering, and liberating to people. In this expert comment, we outline key lessons from the financial inclusion sector, including how digital development actors can work together to reach ecosystem maturity. Read more here.| Digital Impact Alliance
