Case Summary

OpenCongress.org was created by the Sunlight Foundation as a tool to educate citizens about the congressional process and in turn facilitate a more transparent political process. The site has increased constituent awareness of congressional operations by serving as a vital gateway for official government data.

Business Challenge

The Sunlight Foundation sought to use technology in order to enable citizens to learn more about their elected representatives, to help reduce corruption, ensure greater transparency and accountability, and foster public trust in government institutions.

Approach Taken

The Sunlight Foundation created OpenCongress.org, which brings together official government data with news and blog coverage and providing behind the scenes information on each bill. Using RSS feeds, the site links voting history, bill sponsorship, and campaign contributions to the web pages of senators and representatives.

Results Achieved

The site has resulted in increased constituency awareness of their representatives' actions and helped create a greater amount of transparency in the federal political system.