USAFacts

USAFacts (c. 2017) is a non-profit organization and website that provides data and reports on the US population, its government's finances, and government's impact on society.[1][2]

USAFacts
TypeNonprofit organization
Founded2016
FounderSteve Ballmer
Websiteusafacts.org

History and background
USAFacts Design

USAFacts was founded by former Microsoft CEO and owner of the Los Angeles Clippers,[3] Steve Ballmer.[4][5] Ballmer invested his own money in the project.[6] USAFacts was launched on April 18, 2017 Tax Day, with the goal of making government data about tax revenues, expenditures, and outcomes more accessible and understandable. USAFacts's platform is designed to provide information to the public about government spending and impact at all levels, from federal to local.[7][8][9] It includes information about border apprehensions, climate, immigration, active shooters, medicare, education, military spending and opioids.[3] It also helps entrepreneurs to figure out the best location to launch or invest in businesses.[6]

At launch, the website gathered data from over 70 government agencies and pulls data from more than 130 US government statistical databases and reports.[10] Ballmer started with a team of 30 people, including lawyers and accountants who have also worked for Microsoft.[6] Only official government data is included in the site.[11][12][4]

On April 17, 2018 USAFacts held what it described as America's Shareholder Meeting, a live webcast where Ballmer discussed USAFacts' "2018 Annual Report and 10-K for the US Government".[13]

In September 2018, USAFacts launched a new Voter Center. This compares government data with the positions members of Congress state publicly and shares information about education, healthcare, tariffs, jobs, immigration, economy, guns etc. Partners of the Vote Center are Countable, BallotReady and TurboVote.[14][15]

In November 2018 USAFacts partnered with GeekWire, to produce the podcast Numbers Geek.[16]

Since 2020 USAFacts has partnered with the global nonprofit Earth Day Network.[15][17]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, USAFacts launched its USAFacts COVID-19 Impact and Recovery Hub. It uses information of government sources, the Bureau of Economic Analysis and the Department of Labor.[18][19]

Awards and recognition

In May 2020, USAFacts won the 2020 Webby Award for Government & Civil Innovation in the category Web.[20][21]

See also

References
  1. Stinson, Liz (April 18, 2017). "Steve Ballmer's USAFacts Uses Smart Design To Make Sense of Government Spending". WIRED. Retrieved May 1, 2017.
  2. The San Diego Union-Tribune Editorial Board (August 8, 2017). "Steve Ballmer has a website that could change government". The San Diego Tribune. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  3. "Gobble up data from Steve Ballmer's USAFacts with 'table topics' meant to help Thanksgiving debates". GeekWire. November 27, 2019. Retrieved November 17, 2020.
  4. Bort, Julie (June 10, 2017). "Why billionaire Steve Ballmer spent $10 million to build a free — and strangely patriotic — website". Business Insider. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  5. Morrison, Patt (May 24, 2017). "How Clippers' owner Steve Ballmer is trying to create the Wikipedia of government figures". Los Angeles Times. ISSN 0458-3035. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  6. "Steve Ballmer launches USAFacts, using business principles for an unprecedented government report". GeekWire. April 18, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  7. Bishop, Todd (April 26, 2018). "Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to U.S. politicians: 'Shame on you' if you ignore data". GeekWire. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  8. Wogan, J.B. (April 30, 2018). "Microsoft's Former CEO on Using Data to Tell Government's Story". www.governing.com. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
  9. "Q&A with Poppy MacDonald". Ripon Society. September 2019. Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  10. "Sources". usafacts.org. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  11. Epper Hoffman, Karen (June 12, 2017). "Just the facts: The government's data gets a clearer window at USAFacts". Fedscoop. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  12. Sorkin, Andrew Ross (April 17, 2017). "Steve Ballmer Serves Up a Fascinating Data Trove". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved May 15, 2017.
  13. Stewart, Ashley (April 5, 2018). "Steve Ballmer's latest act: 'Evangelist of facts'". Puget Sound Business Journal. Retrieved April 12, 2018.
  14. "Steve Ballmer's USAFacts launches new Voter Center to arm Americans with data for midterms". GeekWire. September 27, 2018. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  15. "Steve Ballmer Combats Government Misinformation With USA Facts—Covid-19, Race, Jobs, Environment". Forbes. June 24, 2020. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  16. "Numbers Geek with Steve Ballmer". Stitcher Radio. May 8, 2019. Retrieved November 30, 2020.
  17. "USAFacts Releases the State of the Earth Report and Announces a Collaboration With Earth Day to Help Americans Access the Facts". Yahoo!. April 15, 2020. Retrieved December 4, 2020.
  18. "The New USAFacts Coronavirus Impact and Recovery Hub Gives Americans a Free and Easy Way to Get Real-Time Facts They Can Count On". Associated Press. August 3, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  19. "How Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Is Tracking The Pandemic". WBUR-FM. August 19, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  20. "Here are all the winners of the 2020 Webby Awards". The Verge. May 20, 2020. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
  21. "Is Usafacts.org Nonpartisan?". Market Realist. Retrieved December 8, 2020.
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