InfoOakland

Having long recognized the potential of online information technology to meet the data needs of a wide array of organizations in Oakland, in early 2002, the Urban Strategies Council joined with local non-profits, government agencies, and the University of California at Berkeley to found the Information Networking Forum of Oakland (InfoOakland). The mission of InfoOakland is to promote equity and empowerment of residents and organizations in low-income neighborhoods and communities of color in Oakland and the region through increased access to good data, assistance in gathering and analyzing data, and collaboration in using data as a tool for organizing and positive social change. Urban Strategies Council is a lead partner in InfoOakland and acts as the collaboration's fiscal and administrative agent.

InfoOakland manages a sophisticated online data warehouse and mapping service with thousands of data and maps available for agencies and non-profits to use in their planning, decision-making, outreach, fundraising, advocacy and evaluation. InfoOakland also offers “Information for Change” trainings for community-based organizations, residents, foundations and public agencies. InfoOakland's public, private, and non-profit member organizations meet monthly to pursue their mission of bringing the power of the information age to low-income communities working for change. InfoOakland recently developed a three-year plan to increase data in the warehouse, train more groups, coordinate community-based research projects, provide computer technology in low-income communities, and raise funds to expand their organization and services to the entire San Francisco Bay Area.

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