With the shutdown of its technical unit, Sunlight Labs, the Sunlight Foundation has provoked much speculation about its future. Labs Director Kat Duffy, Sunlight Foundation, September 21, 2016, says it’s a time for reflection on the purpose and future of technology in establishing sustainable models for transparency. She observes that the Labs’ work is open source and still available to the public.
In announcing the downsizing, Sunlight co-founder and chair Michael Klein said that advances in technology has reduced the need for the organization and that the Citizens United Supreme Court decision has made it more difficult to achieve its main goal of limiting the role of money in politics. Klein also cited the failure to find a new executive director to take Sunlight into the future with a renewed agenda. (Politico, September 20, 2016, by Kelsey Sutton)
It is possible that Sunlight will merge with another organization. A former employee said former staff members are trying to keep OpenStates operating. OpenStates provides access to every state bill on a daily basis. (The Poynter Institute, September 20, 2016, by Benjamin Mullin)
Robinson Meyer, The Atlantic, September 22, 2016, laments the failure of Sunlight to find new funding and vision given the dire need for transparency in the current presidential election.