What is the Open Government Data Initiative?
The Open Government Data Initiative (OGDI) is a cloud-based collection of software assets that enables publicly available government data to be easily accessible. Using open standards and application programming interfaces (API), developers and government agencies can retrieve the data programmatically for use in new and innovative online applications, or mashups that can help:
- Improve citizen services
- Enhance collaboration between government agencies and private organizations
- Increase government transparency
- And more…
OGDI promotes the use of this data by capturing and publishing re-usable software assets, patterns, and practices. The data repository already holds over 60 different government datasets that are readily available for use in new applications, and is continuously updated with additional government datasets.
Get Involved!
Do you embrace the idea of a transparent, participatory and collaborative government? Do you believe technological advancements such as web 2.0, social computing and cloud computing lie at the core of making these ideas a reality? Do you wish to be actively involved in this transformation? If so, the Open Government Data Initiative is for you!
Developers
As a citizen developer, you can use this data to build innovative applications, visualizations and mash-ups that empower citizens with improved access to government information. Exhibit your creativity and talent by working with leading-edge cloud computing technologies.
If you are a government developer, you may be able to make your data-based applications more relevant to citizens, agency staff, and partners by combining cross-agency data in new and compelling ways.
Government agencies and organizations
As a federal, state, or local government agency, you can submit your data to the OGDI repository for use by external developers, government or civilian. Contributing to OGDI increases citizen access to your data, putting data in citizens’ hands in new, convenient, and helpful ways. Submissions from all government agencies and organizations are welcomed!
OGDI data is hosted in Windows Azure. It is accessible through open, standards-based web services from a variety of development environments, including Microsoft .NET, JavaScript, Adobe Flash, PHP, Ruby, Python, and others. Check out the Community for more information.