Open Data to the Public (US0046)

Open Data fuels innovation that grows the economy and advances government transparency and accountability. Government data has been used by journalists to uncover variations in hospital billings, by citizens to learn more about the social services provided by charities in their communities, and by entrepreneurs building new software tools to help farmers plan and manage their crops. Building upon the successful implementation of open data commitments in the first NAP, the second NAP will include commitments to make government data more accessible and useful for the public. Through these commitments, the United States will:
-Manage Government Data as a Strategic Asset. In an effort to make U.S. Government data more accessible and useful, Federal agencies will develop an inventory of their data and publish a list of datasets that are public or can be made public. Agencies will also develop new mechanisms to solicit public feedback regarding open government data.
-Launch an Improved Data.gov. Data.gov allows the public to easily find, download, and use data collected or created by the Federal Government. The United States will launch a new version of Data.gov to make it even easier to discover, understand, and use open government data. The new Data.gov will index all Federal agency datasets in one easy-to-use catalog. This new website will help developers, researchers, journalists, and other stakeholders find data and will help the public more easily find tools and resources to access Government services.
-Open Agriculture and Nutrition Data. Global development, agriculture, and health have been a key focus of the Administration’s Open Data Initiatives. To expand these efforts internationally, the United States, in partnership with the United Kingdom, established the Global Open Data on Agriculture and Nutrition (GODAN). GODAN aims to increase the quality, quantity, and timeliness of available data to support agriculture and nutrition efforts — as well as to increase the number and diversity of stakeholders who are applying data-based solutions to improve agriculture and nutrition. This initiative will support public and private global efforts to make agriculture and nutrition data more available and easier to access. The United States will create an interagency group that will promote open data efforts in the public and private sectors and encourage new efforts to release agriculture and nutrition data.
- Open Natural Disaster-Related Data to Support Response and Recovery Efforts. Government data is used to help first responders and survivors make better-informed decisions during the chaos of a natural disaster. Expanding the amount of natural disaster-related open government data will increase awareness of the effects of natural disasters and improve disaster relief and recovery efforts. FEMA, through its OpenFEMA initiative, will release new disaster-related data in a machine-readable format and host workshops to build tools that support first responders, survivors, and impacted communities.