Stories, ideas, and updates from DGers around the world

Through dozens of implementations across a variety of sectors, countries & contexts, DG has seen firsthand what makes data, technology & evidence effective, and what can contribute to dormant systems filled with incomplete and unused data. Based on our history, relationships, and perspectives, we realized that DG had a lot to say.

If an organization with an existing culture of learning and adaptation gets lucky, and an innovative funding opportunity appears, the result can be a perfect storm for changing everything. The Results Data Initiative was that perfect storm for DG. RDI confirmed that simply building technology and supplying data is not enough to ensure data is actually used. It also allowed us to test our assumptions and develop new solutions, methodologies & approaches to more effectively implement our work.

At the beginning of the year, we welcomed James Beresh as DG’s new Chair of the Finance Committee. He will be helping manage and oversee DG’s financial team with expertise and great care, to help ensure DG’s financial positioning into the future. Read more about his role.

15 years ago, AMP development was led by and co-designed with multiple partner country governments and international organizations. From a single implementation, AMP grew into 25 implementations globally. Through this growth, DG has learned crucial lessons about building systems that support the use of data for decision-making.

20 years is multiple lifetimes in technology. We have seen technologies, companies, and trends come and go – some leaving lasting impact, others unfulfilled promises. Here we reflect on our tech history and our efforts to constantly evolve, to stay ahead of the curve, and to maintain a focus on building tools that our partners can actually use, expand, and sustain.

As we celebrate our 20th anniversary, we recognize that in many ways the DG of today and the DG of 20 years ago are totally different, but what we have accomplished and learned on the journey has become part of our DNA. Our successes and challenges have fed into our ethos as the innovative, agile organization that we are today.

Twenty years ago, DG began as an idea, “How can we leverage the power of the internet to understand who is doing what, where, and to what effect?" This summer, we are celebrating DG’s 20th anniversary. We will take stock of where we have been, examine where we are now, and look to the future of DG.

This past March, DG launched an AMP module that helps the Ministry of Finance, Planning, and Economic Development in Uganda track aid disbursements in their existing Program Budgeting System. This blog examines DG’s technical process and the specific solutions used to overcome AMP-Program Budgeting System (PBS) integration challenges.

Since 2017, Development Gateway has been working with the Government of Uganda to build and update their Aid Management Platform (AMP). Uganda’s AMP houses over 1,300 on-budget projects directly from its national data management system. This year, DG built a module that interfaces with Uganda’s Program Budgeting System (PBS) to ensure that data is effectively transmitted between the two systems.

Several months ago, the Tobacco Control Data Initiative (TCDI) team completed an assessment in South Africa to understand the key priorities and data needs of those who work in tobacco control. During the assessment, the team talked to a variety of stakeholders within government agencies, civil society organizations, and academia who work on promoting, advocating, or evaluating tobacco control policies.