Ep. 5: Unpacking New America's Paper on Financing DPIs

Talking Digital Public Infrastructure

In this episode, we discuss the financing models of DPIs and the challenges with the same. Our focus today is the paper “Financing Digital Public Infrastructures” published by New America.

We have all four authors of the paper on the episode discussing the current state of financing in the DPI ecosystem, the gaps and issues with the same, and proposing alternative models that could benefit the sustainability of the ecosystem.
We have Jeffrey Saviano. Jeff is the EY Global Tax Innovation Leader, and leader of the EY Cambridge Advanced Technology Lab. He is a Principal with EY and a member of the EY global innovation and Tax leadership teams. Jeff is also a Lecturer at the Boston University School of Law, where he teaches Innovation, Technology, and the Law.
Silvana Rodriguez is a fellow with the Digital Impact and Governance Initiative (DIGI) at New America. She was the Director for Strategic Partnerships in the Americas at ConsenSys, a global blockchain company. Prior to that she served as a U.S. diplomat with the State Department from 2006 to 2018.
Fernando Morera is a senior manager at the EY Cambridge Advanced Technology Lab, focusing on technology policy and governance. As a Stanford Transatlantic Technology Law Fellow, he conducts research on the governance of open-source software innovation and the regulation of digital assets in the United States and Europe. He served as an NYU Fellow at the International Monetary Fund, where he contributed to legal policymaking in the area of public finance.
Jordan Sandman is an associate at Co-Develop and a former senior program coordinator with the Digital Impact and Governance Initiative (DIGI) at New America. Prior to joining New America, Sandman completed a year of service as an AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC) team leader.
Readings suggested by the authors (full list can be found in the paper linked above) -

Development Cooperation Report 2021: Shaping a Just Digital Transformation. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. December 2021.

Digital Public Goods: Guidance for Development, Governance, and Stewardship. Jeff Behrends, Joshua Simons, Kevin Troy, and Harshita Gupta | Justice, Health and Democracy Impact Initiative. July 2021.

Exploring digital public goods. Richard Pope. May 2021.

Financing the Digital Public Goods Ecosystem. Digital Public Goods Alliance. March 2021.

Government as a Platform: How Policy Makers Should Think about the Foundations of Digital Public Infrastructure. David Eaves, Richard Pope, and Ben McGuire | Kennedy School Review. January 2020.

How Can Digital Public Technologies Accelerate Progress on the Sustainable Development Goals? George Ingram, John W. McArthur, and Priya Vora | Brookings. May 2022.

What is Digital Public Infrastructure