Data rescue is one of the greatest Data for Good success stories of the past year. A team of volunteers and individuals have come together to save data across the US federal system from deletion and dilution, as well as lessen the diminishment of staff, resources, and impact. This outstanding effort continues today with an emphasis on state and local data affected by federal actions. This is why rescuing local data has been named a Data for Good Top Challenge for 2026.
Federal data resources are used every day in myriad ways by state and local businesses and government to serve the people in their communities. Public health and safety data is needed to protect us. Environmental data is needed to protect the world around us and our future. Economic data is needed for economic growth and security.
As a data scientist working in the utility industry modeling weather damage, I have seen first hand what happens when vital data gets thinned out. It’s true across the information spectrum: The greatest impacts of federal data loss are felt locally, in peoples’ communities, schools, jobs, and homes.
Getting Involved
This month, consider planning a project for Earth Day on April 22. Start by identifying a particular environmental need and collect the data required for the analysis. Then find a sponsor to provide a site and start recruiting teams.
Also plan for the ASA DataFest, running from March 13 to May 3. The 2026 lineup of local events is now complete, so you can find an event nearby you can support.
All this makes today’s challenges to data systems a call to action to preserve and protect data we use to care for others in so many ways. In recent months, these concerns have grown to extend beyond nationwide platforms and situations. Some states are making reductions in funding and staffing cuts, mirroring what we have seen at the federal level. The Southern Poverty Law Center is monitoring impacts to safety net programs due to federal cuts. All these areas need statisticians and data scientists to archive existing data and work with new partners to carry on the mission of programs that have been affected.
A particular area of concern at the state and local levels is DEI sources going dark. A good example is state programs for Historically Underutilized Businesses. North Carolina has continued its program, accurately describing it as an effort “to increase the number and type of businesses competing for state contracts, which helps government get the best value for taxpayer dollars.” Other states, however, have discontinued their program and scrubbed the data. Surveys by civic organizations and public advocacy groups can help meet this need for social advocacy with Data for Good.
Local action is also needed when a reduction in federal support results in the shuttering of programs affecting a group of states. For example, federal staffing and funding cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration severely affected the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory, raising concerns such as algae blooms and the quality of drinking water in multiple states in the region. Reduced support for the Alaska Earthquake Center’s seismic monitoring means less data to direct the response to tsunami threats on the West Coast. Plans to dismantle the National Center for Atmospheric Research threaten many regional programs, including those that produce data needed to predict wildfires. In cases such as these, local partnerships with universities, citizen-science organizations, and state-funded agencies can work together to save data that will literally save lives.
There are many channels for taking local action to address needs and concerns. A great place to start is the American Statistical Association’s landmark report, The Nation’s Data at Risk, documenting the threats to the federal statistical system and recommending actions needed to address them. The Civic Hacker Network supports analytics for community service in many cities and metro areas across the country. Universities can support student capstone projects in data preservation, collection, and analysis to meet a need in your area. Both teams and individuals can work with local advocacy organizations that see the needs and often have data, but not the scientific staff, needed to analyze it. In the social sciences, one highly effective tool I have seen is establishing a clearing house for local safety net agencies. One local agency highly trusted by others receives data from the other agencies documenting people and families in need. This allows it to function as a clearing house with the other agencies, sharing data in a discreet and secure manner.
All these actions and more require our expertise in data collection, curation, and analysis to be successful.
David Corliss
With a PhD in statistical astrophysics, David Corliss works as a data scientist in industry. He serves on the ASA Board as a Council of Chapters representative and is the founder of Peace-Work, a data for good nongovernmental organization.
Leave a Reply