Increasing Data Connectivity
Serving Complementary and Overlapping Data Needs
Our work addresses the challenge that, often, environmental data simply isn't flowing from where it’s gathered to where it’s needed – nor is the capacity in place to steward it.
Data Intermediaries: Data Blockage “Plumbers”
At EPIC, we often hear two fundamental problems from environmental decision-makers: I need more information! or, I’m drowning in data!—sometimes both.
Data intermediaries are collaboration roles or tools deliberately formed and structured to enhance the supply, flow, or use of data among specific partners. While the tools and formality of the intermediaries may vary, the work is all in the name of strengthening trust between those that create, use or are impacted by the data. Environmental data intermediaries are already playing pivotal roles in fixing data “plumbing” in a variety of areas, including air, water, and biodiversity. Yet, we see nearly limitless opportunities for more.
Behind-the-Scenes with Tech Leaders
A central goal of our team is to build capacity in tech leadership to accelerate the use of timely and high-quality information in environmental decision-making. Much of this work is behind the scenes, through convenings and collaboratives.
We facilitate meetings between key people inside and outside of government to generate a community of practice, uncover shared challenges, and find collective solutions.
As a nimble organization, we are able to quickly bring people together across agencies and play a connector role, merging those with similar goals and progress targets, and, where there’s need, matchmaking needs to resources (think: data! Talent! Vendors!).
The goals and outcomes of this are to identify critical data gaps; clarify different roles and actors in the ecosystem for faster, more effective collaboration; and support partnership overall, for more efficient environmental progress.