“Reporting Commitment” opens up grants data

The W.K. Kellogg Foundation is one of 15 of the largest U.S. foundations that have formally committed to release their grant information in a consistent, open and frequent manner, in an effort to more effectively address the issues facing our communities and our world. Partnering with the Foundation Center, each foundation has agreed to open up their grantmaking data in this initiative known as the “Reporting Commitment.”

Grant information, which will be reported at least quarterly by each foundation, is available on the Foundation Center’s transparency-centered web site, Glasspockets.org.

Data from the participating foundations is in a machine-readable open format and coded to an open geographic standard, developed by the Foundation Center known as GeoTree.

An interactive map of the data — also available on Glasspockets.org — allows people to see at a glance the national and global reach of America’s largest foundations.

“By making their grants information available in open format and in near-real time, these foundations are helping philanthropy join the era of Big Data,” said Bradford Smith, president of the Foundation Center. “This brings us one step closer to being able to see how foundation grants, government spending and private investments are coming together to address the issues of our time.”

The participating foundations made this commitment to each other and the field based on the belief that accurate and accessible information is critical to effective collaboration, strategic decision making and a more engaged philanthropy sector.

Foundations around the world — large and small — are encouraged to join the Reporting Commitment, increasing their own transparency and contributing to the knowledge resources that drive philanthropic impact.

Additional information and resources for foundations interested in participating are available on Glasspockets.org.