Digital Civil Society Lab

Archived Projects

Nonprofit Data Governance

Networked digital data has inspired an exciting era of innovation. But the reality for most civil society organizations is that governing these resources safely, ethically and effectively is an extreme challenge.

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Trusted Data Intermediaries

A key obstacle to unleashing the social benefits of digital data involves the development of trusted intermediaries for sharing and aggregating data. Many variations on “trusted data intermediaries” have emerged in the last decade.  

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Enabling Great Employee Engagement

How can companies engage their employees in smarter, more informed charitable giving? With new data sets, online volunteering and information sources, and ever-more networking tools, there are many opportunities to experiment with employee giving programs. 

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Philanthropy in Democratic Societies

This book project brought together expert philosophers, sociologists, political scientists, historians, and legal scholars to ask fundamental and pressing questions about philanthropy’s role in democratic societies.

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Ethical Data Review Processes

In an age when data and communications infrastructure undergird everything we do, many nonprofits and civil society organizations are seeking ways to responsibly govern the data they collect from, by, and of the communities they serve.

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Ethics of Data

Digital data – from remote sensors, research, communications tools, donated human tissue and other sources – are becoming a key resource for social change in a number of settings. Using data well and ethically requires new skills, new thinking, and new codes of practice. 

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Private Resources for Public Purpose

Individuals have at least four distinct ways to use their private financial resources for public purpose. We track these revenue flows separately and rarely consider the intersections and dynamics between them.

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