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Data-driven sustainable development
Better data. Better lives.
CSF aims to increase people’s choices through innovations that harness the power of data to benefit communities economically, socially, and environmentally, in support of the 2030 Agenda.
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Forward Looking
Our vision is to increase opportunity and equity for those most in need through information technology solutions that protect and promote well-being in every community.
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A Not For Profit on a Mission
Our mission is to improve quality of life through applied research and technical assistance to communities by pioneering technological solutions that yield measurable results, and that leave no one behind.
Who we are
CSF is a non-profit organization established in the USA in 1963, dedicated to advancing data-driven development through open and collaborative solutions. Governed by a Board of Trustees and led by our President, Treasurer, and Secretary, we operate with a strong commitment to transparency and global impact.
Our network includes over 120 senior advisors, along with a wide range of implementation and technology partners working across regions. Supported by specialized software labs based in New Delhi, India, we bring together expertise, innovation, and community engagement to deliver sustainable, scalable solutions worldwide.
What we do
- CSF uses a collaborative, open source software approach to design, develop, test, deploy and support data systems.
- We aim to build products that are highly configurable and can be deployed in many settings.
- We work in close consultation with national government, development partners and international experts in all that we do.
- CSF strengthens the capacity of data systems to regularly produce and use a comprehensive set of reliable and relevant development data to guide policymakers in monitoring priorities.
- CSF works across sectors, but we have developed unique expertise through extensive experience in health, nutrition, education, child protection, environment, gender and strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation.
- CSF also provides assistance in policy development, programme design, programme monitoring and evaluation and institutional capacity building, management training and data analytics.
- The CSF Annual Report captures a summary of our work: CSF 2024 Annual Report
CSF by the numbers
800+
Projects
In the past 15 years, CSF has delivered over 800 data-driven projects at global, regional, national and community levels.
120+
Country/Community Engagement
CSF advisers have direct experience in working with counterparts from over 120 countries and communities in all regions of the world. We deliver our support in Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Hindi, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.
10+
Technical Partners
We believe we are most effective when working together. CSF maintains long term technical partnerships and short term project partners to deliver better results.
700+
Data Systems
CSF delivered open source, integrated data solutions that enable evidence-based planning, monitoring, and decision-making.
20
Long Term Agreements
As a means to deliver our services efficiently, when and where it is needed most, CSF seeks to establish long term agreements with our UN partners.
100,000+
People Trained
CSF trainers delivered data literacy and technical capacity across governments, UN agencies, and development partners worldwide in the last 20 years.
UN engagement
CSF's special consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council (UN ECOSOC) calls on us to actively engage with the UN Secretariat, Programmes, Funds and Agencies to promote our mission and the 2030 Agenda around the world. We conduct research and development projects ?with more than 25 public and private institutions. We collaborate with a broad spectrum of stakeholders at global, regional, and national levels to implement development projects. Our primary stakeholders are government institutions and civil society organisations ?working with us to implement solutions at the community level.
CSF is committed to a principles-based approach to doing our work. Our values hold us accountable to our fundamental responsibilities in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anticorruption. We have incorporated the Ten Principles of the UN Global Compact into our strategies, policies and procedures. We have created a culture of integrity that not only upholds our basic responsibilities to people and planet, but also sets the stage for long-term success.
Recent contributions to UN deliberations
Where we work
CSF operates globally, partnering with governments, multilateral organizations, and research institutions to deliver data-driven development solutions wherever they are needed. Over the years, we have successfully implemented more than 1,650 projects across 130 countries, addressing diverse social, economic, and environmental challenges.
Our work spans regions and sectors, adapting to local contexts while maintaining international standards of quality and impact. Through collaboration and innovation, we continue to strengthen global capacities for evidence-based decision-making.
