Data from city governments can inform conversations about equity, police violence, public spending, traffic collisions, and neighborhood changes. These conversations are only possible, however, if that city data is open and publicly available online.

The U.S. City Open Data Census benchmarks which datasets cities make open. Earlier this month we relaunched the Census on a brand new platform. The Census currently includes 213 cities across the country, and we’re setting out to create a complete set of information about open data in each of them.

Join the Sunlight Foundation Open Cities team on Open Data Day 2018 (Saturday, March 3) to help assess open data in American cities. We’ll be filling out the City Open Data Census together and invite you to join us. We’ll give you an easy tutorial on how to search for open datasets and how to add that information to the Census. Then you’ll pick a city to focus on and complete its entry.

JOIN IN WASHINGTON DC

Our main event will be in person at Open Gov Hub in Washington DC. Open Gov Hub is located at 1110 Vermont Avenue NW, Suite #500, near the McPherson Square Metro station. We’ll be there on March 3 from 1-4 pm, and welcome you to stop by at any point that afternoon. We’ll have light snacks and laptops to share. You are also welcome to bring a laptop of your own.

JOIN IN NEW YORK CITY

That same afternoon other members of our team will join the #hackhall at NYC’s School of Data. That event will be located at Rise New York, 43 West 23rd Street, and we’ll be there from 1:30-4 pm. Purchase tickets for School of Data.

JOIN FROM ANYWHERE

Finally, both of our in-person events will come together on a Google Hangout and we welcome anyone, anywhere to join us there to fill out the Census together.

No previous experience with open data is required to join this event. City open data is supposed to be accessible for all residents, so we welcome anyone interested to join us, whether you’re a data beginner or a data expert.

Tracking open data in cities can encourage local governments to improve the quality and quantity of data that’s available online, and make it easier for residents to use that data to inform community needs and citywide change. Join us to help complete the 2018 U.S. City Open Data Census and be part of the movement advocating for better open data in cities across the country.