How to Balance Confidentiality with Transparency

A lot has happened since our open call for applications for NPC’s three Political “Mutual Funds” in August. Overall, the response from organizations about our PROI™ methodology (used as part of the selection process) and the application process has been incredibly positive.

• 124 organizations submitted the initial application for the funds.
• Of these, 102 attended web-based orientation sessions hosted by NPC and partner SVT.
• More than 80 organizations have expressed their intention to officially go through the PROI™ analysis (see below).

The question of confidentiality and security has emerged as a key concern for some organizations. Organizations have cited concerns involving competition, opposing groups, or potential investors seeing their data. Two organizations have decided not to go forward because of confidentiality concerns. Understandably, they don’t want the display of their information to hurt them.

Although the actual data will not be immediately visible to the public, we will be adding the ability to display our PROI™ analysis to the Progressive Directory in the near future. We understand the hesitancy to share this type of information and are taking confidentiality concerns very seriously. At the same time, though, donors have consistently told us that the lack of transparency is one of the key issues that prevents them from being active investors in organizations.

Our Working Group came back with a suggestion:
Once we add the ability to display our PROI™ analysis, organizations will be allowed to opt-out of publicly displaying detailed PROI™ information. NPC will simply communicate that these organizations chose to not release their information.

So, what do you think?

1. Should organizations be able to hide all or parts of their data or analysis?
2. Does allowing organizations to withhold certain information hurt the goal of creating a more transparent process when we know that lack of transparency is one of the key barriers to entry for investors?

Keep the feedback coming.



Organizations participating in PROI™ for the Political "Mutual Fund":
ActBlue
America Votes
American Medical Women's Association
Arizona League of Conservation Voters
Ballot Initiative Strategy Center
Bus Project
Campaign for America's Future
Campus Climate Challenge
Center for Rural Strategies
Citizen Action of Wisconsin
Colorado Conservation Voters
Commonweal Institute
Conservation Council of North Carolina
Conservation Voters New Mexico
Consumers for an Affordable Health Care
Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund
Democracy: A Journal of Ideas
Democratic GAIN
Drum Major Institute for Public Policy
Energize America
FairVote
Faithful Democrats
Forward Montana
Health Action New Mexico
Healthcare for All Pennsylvania
Herndon Alliance
Institute for America's Future
Into the Blue
Justice Through Music
League of Conservation Voters
League of Conservation Voters (WA)
League of Conservation Voters Education Fund
League of Young Voters
Mainstreet Moms
Map the Vote, LLC
MAPLight.org
Media Consortium
Montana Conservation Voters Inc.
My Rural America Action Fund
Netroots Nation
New Leaders Council
New Voice of Business
Non-Profit Voter Engagement Network
Northwest Health Law Advocates
Ohio League of Conservation Voters
Oil Change International
OMB Watch
Party2Win
Progressive America Fund/Open Ballot Project
Progressive Majority
Progressive States Network
ProgressiveU.org
ProgressOhioEducation, Inc.
PTP: Progressive Technology Project
Rainforest Action Network (RAN)
Science & Environmental Health Network
Secretary of State Project
Sierra Student Coalition
Small Business Majority
Speak Out California
Students for a New American Politics PAC (SNAP PAC)
Take Back Red California
Tennessee Health Care Campaign
Tennessee Justice Center
Traction
Twenty-First Century Democrats
U.S. Student Association Foundation (USSAF)
UHCAN Ohio
Universal Health Care Action Network
USAction
VelvetRevolution.us
Verified Voting Foundation
Vote Solar Initiative
Voter Action
We Are America Alliance
Wellstone Action
Western Organization of Resource Councils (WORC)
Women's Campaign Forum
Women's Campaign Forum Foundation