Case Study: IATI Connect achieves greater community engagement and data transparency with Open Social

Making developmental funding more transparent

IATI Connect, a global online community run by the International Aid Transparency Initiative, needed to build engagement around developmental and humanitarian spending data and make its community more accessible. To address this challenge they migrated from Discuss to the Open Social platform, launching "IATI Connect for Communities of Practice" to create an inviting space for stakeholders to explore data, exchange knowledge and form networks.

Open Social delivered a modern, user-friendly community platform with onboarding guides, dedicated CoP group spaces, a Resource Library and Discussions tools (plus ongoing feature development like cross-posting). The move drove measurable impact: over 750 stakeholders connected, 14 community groups created and 300% member growth in six months, demonstrating Open Social’s role in boosting engagement and knowledge-sharing.

IATI Connect

Sander Hees

Community Facilitator Secretariat