Published on Aug 26th, 2019
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Principles
USAFacts believes that facts deserve to be heard. Democracy is only successful when it’s grounded in truth. We’re here to provide that grounding with trusted government data that’s both easy to access and understand. We standardize data straight from government agencies and present it in plain language with helpful visualizations so you can understand the history of programs and policies. Americans deserve unbiased facts straight from the government to have serious, reasoned, and informed debate.
As the largest source for standardized US government data, USAFacts offers something unique. We exclusively use publicly available government data presenting a vast array of reports on US spending, revenue, population and demographics, and policy outcomes. We don’t make judgments or prescribe policies. Whether government money is spent wisely or not, whether the quality of life is improving or getting worse — that’s for you to decide.
USAFacts presents metrics on all US governments, from federal records to a growing collection of state and county data, including coronavirus data. We also produce a 10-K modeled on the document that public companies must submit annually to the SEC for transparency and accountability to their investors.
We offer a complete view of government impact and finances, from the federal level to the county where you live. We’re always collecting and adding metrics from the nation’s more than 90,000 government entities.
We gather metrics from government sources and standardize them so they’re easy to grasp. That means detailed reports and clear, vibrant visualizations illustrating the data.
We rely only on figures from government agencies and present them without bias. You can use the data to judge the country’s direction for yourself. We don’t answer to a board or political group. We have no agenda other than improving debates — and, by extension, American democracy — with government facts that every American deserves to see.
USAFacts uses government data from many different sources, allowing you to see the big picture all in one place. Each metric is presented with historical context so you can make your own comparisons. Our visualizations are simple to navigate so that you can measure changes over time.
We include detail on different races and ethnicities and use a statistical matching process with government surveys whenever possible to provide details for various incomes and family structures.
USAFacts got its start from a conversation Steve Ballmer had with his wife, Connie, about becoming more involved in philanthropy. To determine the best way to make an impact, he wanted first to see what governments do with the money it raises and who it helps. Where does the money come from, and where is it spent? Whom does it serve? Most importantly, what are the outcomes?
With his business background, Steve searched for solid, reliable, impartial numbers to tell the story. It turned out those numbers weren’t even available. He decided to assemble a small team of economists, writers, and researchers and started a search for the data.
The result was a first-of-its-kind report he felt the rest of the American public deserved to see. After all, Americans are shareholders in the nation’s democracy. They pay taxes for these programs and government departments; they should also see how their money is spent—the result of that is this civic initiative.
United States citizens need access to the facts to fully understand actions our government takes and how they impact the country. Watch this video to see how Steve Ballmer and USAFacts are using data to hold our government accountable.