USAFacts

USAFacts was founded by former Microsoft CEO and owner of the Los Angeles Clippers,{{cite web |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2019/gobble-data-steve-ballmers-usafacts-table-topics-meant-help-thanksgiving-debates/ |title=Gobble up data from Steve Ballmer's USAFacts with 'table topics' meant to help Thanksgiving debates |publisher=GeekWire |date=November 27, 2019 |access-date=November 17, 2020 }} Steve Ballmer.{{Cite news|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/why-steve-ballmer-spent-10-million-on-usafactsorg-a-website-about-america-statistics-2017-6|author=Bort, Julie|date=June 10, 2017|title=Why billionaire Steve Ballmer spent $10 million to build a free — and strangely patriotic — website|work=Business Insider|access-date=2017-10-19|language=en}}{{Cite news|url=http://www.latimes.com/opinion/op-ed/la-ol-patt-morrison-steve-ballmer-20170524-htmlstory.html|author=Morrison, Patt|date=May 24, 2017|title=How Clippers' owner Steve Ballmer is trying to create the Wikipedia of government figures|work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=2017-10-19|language=en-US|issn=0458-3035}} Ballmer invested his own money in the project.{{cite web |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2017/steve-ballmer-launches-usafacts-using-business-principles-for-unprecedented-government-analysis/ |title=Steve Ballmer launches USAFacts, using business principles for an unprecedented government report |publisher=GeekWire |date=April 18, 2017 |access-date=November 19, 2020 }} 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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.geekwire.com/2018/former-microsoft-ceo-steve-ballmer-d-c-politicians-shame-ignore-data/|title=Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer to U.S. politicians: 'Shame on you' if you ignore data|author=Bishop, Todd|date=2018-04-26|work=GeekWire|access-date=2018-05-01|language=en-US}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.governing.com/topics/mgmt/gov-steve-ballmer-usafacts.html|author=Wogan, J.B.|date=April 30, 2018 |title=Microsoft's Former CEO on Using Data to Tell Government's Story|website=www.governing.com|language=en|access-date=2018-05-01}}{{cite web |url=https://riponsociety.org/article/facts-matter/ |title=Q&A with Poppy MacDonald |publisher=Ripon Society |date=September 2019 |access-date=November 19, 2020 }} It includes information about border apprehensions, climate, immigration, active shooters, medicare, education, military spending and opioids. It also helps entrepreneurs to figure out the best location to launch or invest in businesses.{{Secondary source needed|date=August 2024}}

At launch, the website gathered data from over 70 government agencies and pulls data from more than 130 US government statistical databases and reports.{{Cite web|url=https://usafacts.org/sources|title=Sources|website=usafacts.org|language=en|access-date=2017-10-19}}{{Secondary source needed|date=August 2024}} Only official government data is included in the site.{{Cite news|url=https://www.fedscoop.com/just-facts-governments-data-gets-clearer-window-usafacts/|title=Just the facts: The government's data gets a clearer window at USAFacts|author=Epper Hoffman, Karen |date=2017-06-12|work=Fedscoop|access-date=2017-10-19|language=en-US}}{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/17/business/dealbook/steve-ballmer-serves-up-a-fascinating-data-trove.html|title=Steve Ballmer Serves Up a Fascinating Data Trove|last=Sorkin|first=Andrew Ross|date=2017-04-17|work=The New York Times|access-date=2017-05-15|issn=0362-4331}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://www.geekwire.com/2018/steve-ballmers-usafacts-launches-new-voter-center-arm-americans-data-midterms/ |title=Steve Ballmer's USAFacts launches new Voter Center to arm Americans with data for midterms |publisher=GeekWire |date=September 27, 2018 |access-date=November 24, 2020 }}{{Secondary source needed|date=August 2024}}

In November 2018 USAFacts partnered with GeekWire, to produce the podcast Numbers Geek.{{cite web |url=https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/geekwire/numbers-geek-with-steve-ballmer |title=Numbers Geek with Steve Ballmer |publisher=Stitcher Radio |date=May 8, 2019 |access-date=November 30, 2020 }}{{Secondary source needed|date=August 2024}}

In October 2019, USAFacts linked up with U.S. News & World Report. This provided an outlet to share their data in visual form and in the context of the relevant daily matters to and at the same time increasing U.S. News' 2020 election coverage.{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/info/blogs/press-room/articles/2019-10-15/us-news-teams-up-with-usafacts-to-strengthen-non-partisan-reporting-of-the-2020-presidential-election |title=U.S. News Teams Up with USAFacts to Strengthen Non-Partisan Reporting of the 2020 Presidential Election |publisher=U.S. News & World Report |date=October 15, 2019 |access-date=July 28, 2021 }}{{Secondary source needed|date=August 2024}}

In November 2019, USAFacts in cooperation with AP-Norc, conducted a poll which showed that more than 50% of Americans glean their government-related news from social media, while only 11% would trust its correctness and 64% saw it as untrustworthy information.{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/d1a6697451c9201d713bec91724a0205 |title=AP-NORC/USAFacts Poll: Facts missing from American democracy |publisher=Associated Press |date=November 20, 2019 |access-date=July 29, 2021 }}{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/article/cb267c9c0acf32dd40a64177b9c53136 |title=AP-NORC/USAFacts Poll: Social media a political news paradox |publisher=Associated Press |date=November 26, 2019 |access-date=July 29, 2021 }}{{Secondary source needed|date=August 2024}}

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.{{cite web |url=https://apnews.com/80e1a582a7f34202b9548237a06dbaa9 |title=The New USAFacts Coronavirus Impact and Recovery Hub Gives Americans a Free and Easy Way to Get Real-Time Facts They Can Count On |publisher=Associated Press |date=August 3, 2020 |access-date=December 8, 2020 }}{{cite web |url=https://www.wbur.org/hereandnow/2020/08/18/steve-ballmer-usa-facts-pandemic |title=How Former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer Is Tracking The Pandemic |publisher=WBUR-FM |date=August 19, 2020 |access-date=December 8, 2020 }} On March 20, 2020, USAFacts announced its Coronavirus Hub and Map which gives a frequently updated metrics on the daily spread and effect of COVID-19 throughout America.{{cite web |url=https://shortyawards.com/5th-socialgood/usafacts-coronavirus-facts-campaign-2020-ensuring-americans-have-facts-during-a-critical-time |title=USAFacts Coronavirus Facts Campaign 2020: Ensuring Americans Have Facts During a Critical Time |publisher=Shorty Awards |date= |access-date=July 26, 2021 }}

In 2020, USAFacts partnered with the global nonprofit Earth Day Network.{{cite web |url=https://finance.yahoo.com/news/usafacts-releases-state-earth-report-200800715.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIS01-l_PQHo7UqhPum-Ij9KPbsgE8nVC-drGlpRFFEhcW8s2tp7Vge8xnQpCfsG5YB9nTE90YE_rSwlmLvvLAzk8nevOwTOVII3JlXijufk9o3bYGHXy-janMHdZ1OcAtbBTF4rraEYE80jyUnZVSnkoxurFMIBNS_vcTArMXVc |title=USAFacts Releases the State of the Earth Report and Announces a Collaboration With Earth Day to Help Americans Access the Facts |publisher=Yahoo! |date=April 15, 2020 |access-date=December 4, 2020 }}{{Secondary source needed|date=August 2024}}

President Poppy MacDonald testified in front of the United States House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress in an October 2021 hearing called Strengthening the Lawmaking Process: How Data Can Inform and Improve Policy. She urged the government for datasets that are timely, contextual and relevant to Americans, and talked about the need for more cross-agency and cross-government collaboration.{{cite web |url=https://modernizecongress.house.gov/committee-activity/hearings/10/28/2021/strengthening-the-lawmaking-process-how-data-can-inform-and-improve-policy |title=Full Committee Hearing: Strengthening the Lawmaking Process: How Data Can Inform and Improve Policy |publisher=House Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress |date=October 27, 2021 |access-date=May 5, 2022 }}{{Secondary source needed|date=August 2024}}

In May 2020, USAFacts won the 2020 Webby Award for Government & Civil Innovation in the category Web.{{cite web |last=Kastrenakes |first=Jacob |last2=Peters |first2=Jay |date=May 20, 2020 |title=Here are all the winners of the 2020 Webby Awards |url=https://www.theverge.com/2020/5/20/21263445/2020-webby-awards-winners-lil-nas-x-nasa-jon-krasinski |access-date=December 8, 2020 |publisher=The Verge}}

In August 2021, Fast Company named USAFacts 14th on its third-annual Best Workplaces for Innovators list.{{cite web |date=August 4, 2021 |title=Best Workplaces for Innovators 2021 |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/best-workplaces-for-innovators/2021 |publisher=Fast Company}}

• Analytics.usa.gov
• Bureau of Justice Statistics
• Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Data.gov
• Data USA
• E-government
• Open data
• United States Census Bureau
• USA.gov

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://usafacts.org/}}
• [https://www.politico.com/live-events/2018/04/26/ceo-conversation-with-steve-ballmer-and-patrick-steel-557509 "CEO Conversation with Steve Ballmer and Patrick Steel"] by Politico (2018)

Category:Demography

Category:Organizations established in 2017

Category:American political websites

Category:Internet properties established in 2012

Category:Fact-checking websites