USAFacts

USAFacts is a not-for-profit organization and website that provides data and reports on the United States population, its government's finances, and government's impact on society.[1][2] It was launched in 2017.

USAFacts
TypeNot-for-profit organization
Founded2016 (2016)
FounderSteve Ballmer
Websiteusafacts.org

History and background
USAFacts Design

USAFacts was founded by former Microsoft CEO and owner of the Los Angeles Clippers,[3] Steve Ballmer.[4][5] Ballmer invested his own money in the project.[6] USAFacts was launched on April 18, 2017 Tax Day, with the goal of making government data about tax revenues, expenditures, and outcomes more accessible and understandable. USAFacts's platform is designed to provide information to the public about government spending and impact at all levels, from federal to local.[7][8][9] It includes information about border apprehensions, climate, immigration, active shooters, medicare, education, military spending and opioids.[3] It also helps entrepreneurs to figure out the best location to launch or invest in businesses.[6]

At launch, the website gathered data from over 70 government agencies and pulls data from more than 130 US government statistical databases and reports.[10] Only official government data is included in the site.[11][12][4]

In September 2018, USAFacts launched a new Voter Center. This compares government data with the positions members of Congress state publicly and shares information about education, healthcare, tariffs, jobs, immigration, economy, guns, etc. Partners of the Vote Center are Countable, BallotReady and TurboVote.[13]

In November 2018 USAFacts partnered with GeekWire, to produce the podcast Numbers Geek.[14]

In October 2019, USAFacts linked up with U.S. News & World Report. This provided an outlet to share their data in visual form and in the context of the relevant daily matters to and at the same time increasing U.S. News' 2020 election coverage.[15]

In November 2019, USAFacts in cooperation with AP-Norc, conducted a poll which showed that more than 50% of Americans glean their government-related news from social media, while only 11% would trust its correctness and 64% saw it as untrustworthy information.[16][17]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, USAFacts launched its USAFacts COVID-19 impact and Recovery Hub. It uses information of government sources, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Department of Labor.[18][19] On March 20, 2020, USAFacts announced its Coronavirus Hub and Map which gives a frequently updated metrics on the daily spread and effect of COVID-19 throughout America.[20]

In 2020, USAFacts partnered with the global nonprofit Earth Day Network.[21]

President Poppy MacDonald testified in front of the United States House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress in an October 2021 hearing called Strengthening the Lawmaking Process: How Data Can Inform and Improve Policy. She urged the government for more datasets are timely, contextual and relevant to Americans, and the need for more cross-agency and cross-government collaboration.[22]

Awards and recognition

In May 2020, USAFacts won the 2020 Webby Award for Government & Civil Innovation in the category Web.[23][24]

In August 2021, Fast Company named USAFacts 14th on its third-annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list.[25]

Organizational overview

USAFacts is privately funded by Steve Ballmer and does not accept any contributions from external donors. It is described as nonpartisan and does not have a board of directors as it is not a 501(c)(3) organization.

See also

References
  1. Stinson, Liz (April 18, 2017). "Steve Ballmer's USAFacts Uses Smart Design To Make Sense of Government Spending". WIRED. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  2. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board (August 8, 2017). "Steve Ballmer has a website that could change government". The San Diego Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  3. "Gobble up data from Steve Ballmer's USAFacts with 'table topics' meant to help Thanksgiving debates". GeekWire. November 27, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  4. Bort, Julie (June 10, 2017). "Why billionaire Steve Ballmer spent $10 million to build a free — and strangely patriotic — website". Business Insider. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  5. Morrison, Patt (May 24, 2017). "How Clippers' owner Steve Ballmer is trying to create the Wikipedia of government figures". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  6. "Steve Ballmer launches USAFacts, using business principles for an unprecedented government report". GeekWire. April 18, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  7. Bishop, Todd (April 26, 2018). "Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to U.S. politicians: 'Shame on you' if you ignore data". GeekWire. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  8. Wogan, J.B. (April 30, 2018). "Microsoft's Former CEO on Using Data to Tell Government's Story". www.governing.com. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  9. "Q&A with Poppy MacDonald". Ripon Society. September 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  10. "Sources". usafacts.org. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  11. Epper Hoffman, Karen (June 12, 2017). "Just the facts: The government's data gets a clearer window at USAFacts". Fedscoop. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  12. Sorkin, Andrew Ross (April 17, 2017). "Steve Ballmer Serves Up a Fascinating Data Trove". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
  13. "Steve Ballmer's USAFacts launches new Voter Center to arm Americans with data for midterms". GeekWire. September 27, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  14. "Numbers Geek with Steve Ballmer". Stitcher Radio. May 8, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  15. "U.S. News Teams Up with USAFacts to Strengthen Non-Partisan Reporting of the 2020 Presidential Election". U.S. News & World Report. October 15, 2019. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
  16. "AP-NORC/USAFacts Poll: Facts missing from American democracy". Associated Press. November 20, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  17. "AP-NORC/USAFacts Poll: Social media a political news paradox". Associated Press. November 26, 2019. Retrieved July 29, 2021.
  18. "The New USAFacts Coronavirus Impact and Recovery Hub Gives Americans a Free and Easy Way to Get Real-Time Facts They Can Count On". Associated Press. August 3, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  19. "How Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Is Tracking The Pandemic". WBUR-FM. August 19, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  20. "USAFacts Coronavirus Facts Campaign 2020: Ensuring Americans Have Facts During a Critical Time". Shorty Awards. Retrieved July 26, 2021.
  21. "USAFacts Releases the State of the Earth Report and Announces a Collaboration With Earth Day to Help Americans Access the Facts". Yahoo!. April 15, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  22. "Full Committee Hearing: Strengthening the Lawmaking Process: How Data Can Inform and Improve Policy". House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress. October 27, 2021. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
  23. "Here are all the winners of the 2020 Webby Awards". The Verge. May 20, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  24. "Is Usafacts.org Nonpartisan?". Market Realist. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  25. "Best Workplaces for Innovators 2021f | Fast Company". Fast Company. August 4, 2021.
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