The Sunlight Network, the 501 c(4) partner to the Sunlight Foundation, was founded in January 2006 to create a networked community of citizens interested in taking action to demand greater government transparency.
The Sunlight Network, like the Sunlight Foundation, believes that the revolutionary power of the Internet can enable people to become active citizens and can create a government that is transparent and accountable. Its goal is to create a more responsive Congress, where elected officials deliberate openly and are genuinely responsive to the needs of the people they represent. .
People use the Internet to gather and share information efficiently and effectively. Harnessing the power of this new medium, the Sunlight Network and Foundation put government data online–at the fingertips of every person who wants it. With this in mind, the Sunlight Network actively spreads the word about new tools for accessing government data and also enables elected officials to find new ways to interact with their constituents, thereby making them better lawmakers.
We are constantly experimenting with tools to make it easier for people to meaningfully and positively affect their representatives’ behavior. For instance, the Sunlight Network ran the Punch Clock Campaign, to encourage members of Congress to post their daily schedules online and keep their constituents better informed of what they are doing everyday. The Sunlight Network also gives out mini-grants to help people start projects that extend our mission.
If you have any questions or suggestions about the Sunlight Network please contact Nicole here.
