Finding and funding organizations that generate public data
In 2003, the Hewlett Foundation approved the creation of the Global Development Program (GDP). GDP’s main objective was to create the right conditions for economic growth. With that in mind, the GDP began funding organisations that both guaranteed and promoted access to public information. In Mexico specifically, the program produced technical recommendations to extend the national rights under the access to public information federal law (Ley Federal de Acceso a la Información Pública) to sub-national entities.
Academics, legislators, and CSO leaders were worried about the low number of rigorous, independent research centers and think tanks specialized in generating public policy data. To address this need, the Hewlett Foundation financed organizations such as IMCO, Fundar, CIDAC, Transparencia Mexicana, and Sonora Ciudadana. Each of those institutions is an independent and rigorous research center, most of which focus on generating data on public policy.
