How citizens and local governments can advance data-driven policymaking together

As mistrust in government data grows nationwide, cities and municipal governments can play an important role in rebuilding public confidence. Their close connection to residents and role in delivering services place them in a strong position to model data governance that is transparent, participatory, and grounded in community priorities.

Over the past year, the Equitable Community Data Pathways project team has worked in support of this goal. We partnered with a wide group of community organizations, data experts, and city officials across 11 states to identify what conditions enable residents to meaningfully shape how data is collected and used. As described in a prior post, this work has mapped out concrete steps to move beyond traditional top-down data systems toward models of data-driven policymaking that share power with the community.  

The cities we studied have adopted strategies to engage residents in their data efforts, offering valuable lessons for other jurisdictions. We aim to highlight three of these cities that are exemplary in different aspects of community-led data infrastructure: Tempe, Arizona; Norfolk, Virginia; and Cleveland, Ohio.  

One of the key findings from our research is that many cities and municipal governments have developed public data dashboards that provide residents with information on a wide range of topics, from traffic accidents and other transportation trends to police activity and crisis intervention data. The purpose of this blog is to highlight data dashboards and the role they play in improving data access and transparency. Our previous work identified additional strategies for advancing well-being through community-led data, which we will build on as our research continues to evolve.

Provide training and access to data  

One of the most common tools cities and other municipal governments use to connect with their communities is data dashboards. Many dashboards include data collected by community members themselves, an important step in showing residents how their contributions inform policy. But simply building a dashboard does not guarantee public use. Too often, cities take an “if we build it, they will come” approach, leaving residents unclear about how the tools can help them. To address this gap, many of our city government partners now offer public trainings and workshops on how to engage with their data platforms. Cities that succeed in this space tend to take three key steps:

• Meet residents where they already are: Making training materials accessible allows residents to learn how to work with city-level data on their own schedules. The city of Tempe, for example, has created a Data Academy with resources on navigating its open data portal and creating custom maps. To further support public engagement, Tempe hosts a yearly “Tempe Loves Data” week, offering a free webinar on using the portal. Many agencies have moved trainings out of city hall into libraries, recreation centers, and neighborhood hubs, boosting attendance, engagement, and feedback from participants. This approach also addresses barriers to digital access, which can create inequities across age, geography, race, and income. In Norfolk, the Department of Neighborhood Services acts as a liaison between city hall and residents, presenting city data at community events to directly educate and engage the public. Both Tempe and Cleveland have found success through live neighborhood engagement, integrating data into easily digestible formats. Cities can also complement these efforts with focused events, such as Norfolk’s annual Datathon, which brings together community members, city staff, and local institutions to foster collaboration. Cleveland participates in Data Days Cleveland, a community-led initiative that shares civic data, best practices, and builds collaborative networks.

• Create user-friendly dashboards: Data dashboards should allow users to navigate and consult them without needing a background in data or software. Features like drop-down menus and customizable tables make dashboards more accessible and encourage frequent use. All three cities highlighted in our research offer interactive and intuitive functions on their data portals. Cleveland’s portal even includes a five-minute survey on the homepage to gauge who is using the portal and gather feedback for improvement.

• Train staff who can teach, not just build, data tools: Effective public engagement requires facilitators who can explain concepts clearly to lay audiences and answer questions patiently. Municipal staff noted that data experts who built dashboards are not always the best fit for working directly with residents. Some cities have found that small teams blending technical expertise with communication skills are far more effective. Norfolk’s approach has been particularly successful, with the creation of a Data Leadership Committee and Data Champions—cross-departmental leaders and professionals who promote data-informed decision-making while cultivating skill development and collaboration to strengthen the city’s data environment.

Build a culture of transparency in data governance 

While the cities we analyzed are at different stages in their data governance journey, nearly all emphasized that their ultimate goal is to foster a culture of data-driven policymaking grounded in transparency that strengthens citizens’ trust.

We have learned that cities with a What Works Cities Certification from Bloomberg Philanthropies are applying a similar standard to enhance processes that use data to inform policy, improve services, and engage communities.¹ We believe this program and its assessment offer valuable groundwork for cities learning how to establish an effective data network. Tempe is a nationally recognized leader in the program with a platinum certification, Norfolk has earned gold certification for multiple years, and Cleveland is currently pursuing certification, as its initiative launched in 2024.

A truly efficient and effective data-informed city is one that makes all data quickly available to residents, even when it does not reflect positively on local agencies or city leadership. While challenging, this approach has helped build public trust, as one city representative noted:

This is an important point, especially given the courage required of elected officials to reveal limitations and risk potential political fallout. Future research from our team may explore how cities navigate these political risks while sustaining a commitment to open data. 

To foster a culture of transparency, open data should be considered the bare minimum. Often, residents won’t realize a dataset is relevant until they see it. It is the city’s responsibility to ensure ample access and understanding of data, enabling greater community engagement. By offering data openly, the community can decide for itself what is important and where attention and resources should be directed.

Bring elected officials into the process early 

Creating a culture of community-led data governance requires support from political leaders, who often set the tone for how data is collected and used and may need to approve budgets that enable this work. We found that cities with strong backing from elected officials engage these leaders early and often, even before dashboards are built. A key lesson is that during the first phase of creating citywide data infrastructure, internal buy-in and institutional support are essential. Although this approach takes time, it can yield remarkable results.

Interest from Cleveland’s mayor jumpstarted the city’s data infrastructure, creating momentum to expand the data portal. Support directly from the mayor’s office can strengthen efforts across the city, maximizing both impact and reach.

Norfolk credits sponsorship from the city manager with advancing initiatives to the city council, which led to a resolution creating the city’s open data policy. The budget director also helped implement a project-based budget, directing funding to community priorities identified through the city’s data.

Similarly, Tempe’s city manager played a key role in advancing the city’s data initiatives and building trust with the city council. This allowed data derived from Tempe’s open data portal to directly inform the city council’s strategic planning. The city’s annual community survey, conducted before the start of city council meetings, helps shape the agenda and effectively kickstarts the policymaking process. A city representative said: 

It’s important to note that this is a multifaceted approach, and work within the first phase must complement the support of city leadership. Alongside rigorous research and technical work to develop an efficient data infrastructure, many cities established advisory boards that included community members, experts in fields like data science, and cross-department collaborators. These boards helped surface important perspectives and ensured accountability through regular meetings focused on a shared goal. Notably, Norfolk used communication specialists to highlight compelling data stories and encourage public engagement, creating a grassroots push for city leaders to follow suit.

Evaluate actual improvements in community well-being 

Commonly used measures, such as the number of community members accessing a dashboard or attending a training, are important but provide only a partial picture. If the ultimate goal is to improve community well-being, evaluation frameworks must capture both the effectiveness of initiatives and their impact on community outcomes.

Cities that involve residents, municipal staff, and elected officials at every stage are better positioned to build dashboards and data governance systems that are trusted, useful, and responsive to community needs. The resulting evaluation evidence is seen as reliable, and policies are more likely to address the real needs of residents.

Address the extractive risks of data collection 

Finally, it is important to recognize the extractive potential of community-focused data. Data security and ownership are especially critical for communities of color, who have been disproportionately harmed by data-driven algorithms in areas ranging from policing to mortgage approval. While organizations such as Project Liberty are helping communities protect their data and leverage its economic value, this aspect of data governance remains underexplored and warrants further attention.

Cities have both an opportunity and a responsibility to model data governance that shares power with residents. The strategies we outline, drawn from the experiences of cities across the country, provide a roadmap for others seeking to build data systems that genuinely reflect community priorities and improve well-being.