Aspecial thanks is due to Alanna Shaikh for introducing me to AidData. AidData, currently in beta, offers financial data on organizations in the development sector.
The core of the AidData database currently encompasses multilateral and bilateral donor projects spanning the years 1945-2009. It contains information from traditional aid sources such as the OECD’s Creditor Reporting System (CRS) as well as donors not captured by the CRS and activities that do not fit the OECD definition of Official Development Assistance (ODA). AidData augments existing data by publishing more complete project descriptions and more detailed aid project purpose codes. In particular, AidData is dedicated to collecting project-level data from all multilateral donors and non-DAC bilateral donors (NDBs) to provide a more complete picture of development finance flows and activities. This resource will allow donor organizations, citizens in donor countries, researchers, NGOs, recipient governments, and, ultimately, the beneficiaries on the ground in developing countries to gain a more detailed understanding of past and present trends in aid.
The hoarding of data, especially financial data, by NGOs is a huge problem in the development world. Despite all the hype over openness, many NGOs continue to keep their data closed to outsiders for little reason. Hopefully projects like AidData will give us a peak inside these organizations and their activities.
Christopher R. Albon is a Ph.D. candidate specializing in armed conflict, public health, human security, and health diplomacy.
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