On Saturday, March 3rd 2018 it is International Open Data Day, coordinated by Open Knowledge International. As last year, Hivos, ARTICLE 19 and Open Contracting Partnership (OCP) are funding a mini-grant scheme for local #ODD18 initiatives that focus on approaches, data and technology to ‘Follow the Money’ to track and analyse public money flows for transparency and accountability work in countries from the global south and in tricky environments.

We were impressed to see so many high quality proposals for #ODD18 events with a clear Open Contracting and Follow the Money focus, and it was really difficult to select 10 out of the total of 72. Therefore, Hivos, ARTICLE 19 and OCP decided to top-up the funding and support 17 events!

Below we present the supported events for this year and their organizers:

1. iWatch Africa in Ghana seeks to create awareness and train student journalist on the use of data journalism tools and new media to track government budget. Amount: $400
2. Iniciativa Social para la Democracia in El Salvador will organize an event to present the Diagnosis of transparency in procurement of the Salvadorian State. Amount: $400
3. Girolabs will show the uses of the Open Contracting Data Standard implemented in Paraguay, and two thesis degrees of students about OCDS. Amount: $400
4. Escueladedatos.org / SocialTic will organize an event to teach people about Open Contracting and Follow the Money by looking at the results of at least 4 projects supported last year in Guatemala and make it relatable for more people to understand the importance, get inspired to act on or to contribute with new projects on these topics. Amount: $300
5. SocialTIC’s ODD in Mexico City aims, like every year, to increase, diversity, showcase and strengthen the capacities of open data enthusiasts, specialists and newcomers in a fun, didactic and inspiring 200 person event. Amount: $400
6. Open Knowledge Bangladesh will look into the public money that is used in different government initiatives in Bangladesh. Amount: $370
7. Paradigm Leadership Support Initiative (PLSI) want to promote the use of open data in tracking audited funds for development projects in Nigerian local communities as a way to foster public accountability and improved service delivery. Amount: $350
8. EldoHub will organize an event to come up with data driven ideas which will disrupt corruption and ensure transparency and accountability in the use of public funds/resources in Kenya. Amount: $390
9. OrderPaper NG wants to create a community of empowered grassroots individuals to track implementation of constituency projects in Nigeria. Amount: $400
10. Transparency International – Initiative Madagascar will organize a conference at the French Institute of Madagascar regarding open data concerning the public finances in Madagascar. Amount: $220
11. Demos will continue with their event from last year and unify data from different sources in Argentina and Uruguay to tackle floodings in different cities in these countries.  Amount: $400
12. OpenStreetMap Foundation Colombia seeks to build  tools to fight against learned helplessness in Territorial Management in Colombia. Amount: $400
13. Transparency International – Cameroon seeks to raise awareness of stakeholders on Open Contracting Data Standard as a mean to reduce corruption in the public contracting sector in Cameroon. Amount: $400
14. Africa Freedom of Information Centre in Uganda wants to increase public access to and participation in public contracting through application of the portal askyourgov.ug. Amount: $400
15. Open Development Cambodia (ODC) will organize an event to increase transparency on land investment contracts and related Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in Cambodia, thereby decreasing knowledge gaps between perspective investors, government, and citizens (especially vulnerable groups). Amount: $400
16. Convoca in Peru wants to motivate the participants to develop initiatives that from analyzing the contracts of the works involved in the Lava Jato case, promote a legal, ethical and economically efficient public procurement in all areas from local to national management. Amount: $400
17. Open Knowledge Colombia will develop a hackathon, called Hackeando el PAE, focused on following and visualizing public money associated with School Feeding National Program of Colombia through a co-creation process where different social actors will be involved. Amount: $400

Why are we supporting this?

The Open Contracting program of Hivos and ARTICLE 19 works with local frontline organisations in civil society and media in seven focus countries (Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Indonesia, Philippines, Guatemala and Bolivia) to jointly develop capacities, tools, and approaches for effective lobby and advocacy aimed at change of policies and practices to reform public contracting processes that lead to tangible improvements for people’s lives, like access to improved delivery of public services and goods, quality healthcare and education, safe roads and clean drinking water.