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This website was created by the OECD Observatory of Public Sector Innovation (OPSI), part of the OECD Public Governance Directorate (GOV).

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U.S. Digital Response: matching data and tech experts with U.S. state and local governments to respond to covid 19.

Innovative response

The U.S. Digital Response launched March 16 to match data and digital experts with U.S. state and local government teams for rapid response to COVID-19. In two short weeks, more than 2,500 highly-skilled volunteers have signed up and dozens of governments have reached out for support.

We are an all-volunteer effort, and we are working to vet volunteers and match their skills and availability with projects to help governments continue delivering critical services such as social safety net benefits, unemployment benefits, and small business loans.

Learn more about our collaborations: https://www.usdigitalresponse.org/collaborations

Specific issues addressed and anticipated impact

"The U.S. Digital Response exists to provide urgent tech support to U.S. state and local governments as they respond to covid 19. We match volunteer technologists with government teams to develop solutions, strategies, and tools to address their needs. We work in the open and aim for our solutions to be open source, replicable, and scalable. We are already in talks with other countries to consider how to scale the entire effort to be adapted where they are.

Our goal is to help governments keep their websites and systems up and running so they can continue provide mission-critical services to residents, especially as some of their systems come under increased demand and strain. The impact is to allow governments to continue to serve the millions of people they need to serve, uninterrupted, allowing people to get the relief and support they need during this crisis."

Organisations/institutions involved

This is an all-volunteer effort supported in part by the Beeck Center for Social Impact + Innovation at Georgetown University and Code for America.

Level(s) of government:
  • National/Federal government
  • Regional/State government
  • Local government

Issues being addressed:

  • Resource management and mobilisation
  • Governance responses
  • Real-time data collection, sharing, and analysis
  • Public service delivery under new circumstances

Response contact:

[email protected]

Response tags:

Date Submitted:

30 March 2020