IATI data is recognised as a Digital Public Good

IATI data has been formally recognised as a Digital Public Good (DPG) by the Digital Public Goods Alliance (DPGA). The news marks an important milestone in strengthening the role of open data as core digital public infrastructure for sustainable development.

A Recognition Based on Global Standards

The Digital Public Goods Alliance was established in 2019 following a recommendation from the UN Secretary-General’s High-level Panel on Digital Cooperation. The Alliance aims to address a critical global challenge: too many essential digital tools and datasets remain closed, costly or inaccessible to low- and middle-income countries.

As the UN Secretary-General noted, expanding access to safe, open and interoperable digital systems is essential to prevent deepening global inequalities.

To be recognised, a digital resource must meet the global Digital Public Goods Standard — a rigorous set of criteria that evaluates high-quality open digital solutions.

A Digital Public Good must demonstrate:

• Clear relevance to the Sustainable Development Goals
• Use of an approved open licence
• Transparent ownership and governance
• Platform independence
• Strong supporting documentation
• Ability for data to be reused
• Robust privacy, safety and do-no-harm safeguards

The DPGA has now confirmed that IATI Data meets all required elements of the Standard, and has been added to the official Digital Public Goods Registry.

What DPG Status Means for IATI Data

Digital Public Good recognition applies specifically to IATI data, the core dataset and infrastructure reviewed as part of the application. The recognition demonstrates that IATI Data meets the highest global expectations for safe, open, reusable digital public infrastructure—and reinforces our long-standing commitment to transparency and open development data.

As a recognised Digital Public Good, IATI Data will:

• Join the DPG Product Owner Community
• Gain increased visibility among governments, implementers, multilateral actors and funders
• Become eligible for future expert assessments, mentorship, and potential technical or financial support available through the DPGA network.

A Milestone for the IATI Community

This achievement reflects the collective effort of the IATI membership and community. More than 1,800 organisations including governments, UN agencies, civil society organisations and philanthropy publish IATI data. Their commitment to transparency and collaboration has made this recognition possible.

IATI looks forward to sharing updates on our future engagement with the Digital Public Goods Alliance and ultimately to strengthening global digital ecosystems through open data.

Find us on DPG Registry: IATI Profile on DPG Registry