About Digital Commons Cooperative

The Digital Commons Cooperative is a community tech cooperative.

We use GIS, mapping, linked data and other tools to empower communities and help social justice and solidarity economy organisations leverage the power of data for regenerative change.

Solidarity Economy Association and Shared Assets formed Digital Commons in 2021 as a joint umbrella organisation for their respective mapping and data sharing projects. These technologies unlock the scaling potential of collaborative, member-owned mapping technology.

Our mission

  • To give people doing frontline social justice and community work access to data mapping and sharing tools that can amplify their everyday impact and help them to trigger wider societal change.
  • To create spaces for people and organisations working for the common good to share their data in a way that produces genuine value for communities.
  • To make more ethical and secure ways of governing and sharing data the norm, in turn, tackling data injustices and data abuse by big corporations.
  • To uncover data that’s currently hidden - for example information about land - and make it intelligible and accessible to everyone.

Our vision

We envision a world where the (digital) power balance has shifted.

Where the people making change from the ground up can use cutting edge data sharing and mapping tools to create more sustainable, equitable societies where people and nature can thrive.

Where local communities and change-making organisations have the same ability to access and use data as big tech companies - but for the common good.

And where social justice organisations, cooperatives, and community groups can use data to defend the planet and create the economy we need for a better future.