About Digital Impact

We are an initiative of the Digital Civil Society Lab at the Stanford Center on  Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS). Our work is made possible with the ongoing support of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the progressive financial firm Liquidnet, and Knight Foundation.

What We Do

A core capacity of nonprofits and foundations is managing and governing digital data in ways that advance their mission and respect the rights of the people they serve. To support this capacity, we:

• foster a robust online community dedicated to the exchange of practical data-related knowledge and expertise;
• host virtual and in-person events that support knowledge sharing, ideation, research, and cross-sector collaboration;
• cultivate innovation and original research through grants and mentorship to select practitioners and partners in the field; and
• develop and share ready-to-use tools, policies, and resources for digital data governance in the social sector.

As both assets and liabilities, digital data hold tremendous promise but also raise new challenges for civil society. It’s time to manage digital data safely, ethically, and effectively to help ensure a higher impact social sector.

Our Leadership Council

• Victoria Vrana – Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
• Brian Walsh – Liquidnet
• Mari Kuraishi – GlobalGiving
• Jacob Harold – GuideStar
• Mario Lugay – GuideStar
• Andrew Means – beyond.uptake

Stanford PACS & the Digital Civil Society Lab

The Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society (Stanford PACS) develops and shares knowledge to improve philanthropy, strengthen civil society, and effect social change. Stanford PACS connects students, scholars and practitioners, and publishes the preeminent journal, Stanford Social Innovation Review.

The Digital Civil Society Lab at Stanford PACS investigates the challenges and opportunities facing civil society organizations in the digital age, and develops resources to help organizations use digital data and infrastructure safely, ethically, and effectively. The Lab aims to shape the future of civil society globally by fostering the creation of new mechanisms for using, governing, and donating digital assets for public benefit.

In addition to advancing the work of social sector practitioners and policymakers through the Digital Impact program, the Lab supports scholars and academics through workshops, research and publications, university student networks, and postdoctoral and non-resident fellowships. The Digital Civil Society Lab is led by Lucy Bernholz, senior research scholar at Stanford PACS, and Rob Reich, faculty co-director of Stanford PACS.

Our Data Usage Policy

Read our full Data Usage Policy and learn more about how social sector organizations are navigating new data privacy regulations.