Open State Foundation is an independent non-profit organisation based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, that works on digital transparency by opening public information as open data and making it accessible for reuse. Its stated aim is to strengthen democracy and create public value by reducing barriers to access and reuse of government data.
The foundation’s work sits at the intersection of civic oversight, data journalism and public-sector reform. It focuses mainly on Dutch public data, including elections, finances, health, culture and municipal information. By collecting, cleaning and publishing datasets, it helps journalists, researchers, businesses and public authorities use information that would otherwise remain difficult to access. The organisation also acts as a watchdog, using open data to increase accountability in government.
Among its better-known projects are OpenGR, which opens up data on regional cooperations and sublocal arrangements, and initiatives around election results, polling stations and public spending. Its website also points to a range of tools, datasets and visualisations published through its GitHub presence. Open State Foundation regularly publishes articles, analyses and data releases linked to Dutch public administration and transparency issues.
The organisation is located at Marineterrein in Amsterdam, with a visiting address at Kattenburgerstraat 5, 1018 JA Amsterdam. Its executive director is Serv Wiemers. The foundation presents itself as a non-profit and independent actor working primarily at national level, with relevance for broader European open data discussions.