The NORC Data Enclave is a secure environment that provides researchers access to microdata either remotely or onsite at NORC. It has three goals: to promote researcher access to sensitive microdata; to protect confidentiality; and to archive, index and curate microdata.
Researcher access to microdata serves the public good both by leveraging existing public investments in data collection and by ensuring high quality science through the replication of scientific analysis. The NORC Data Enclave provides authorized researchers with remote access to microdata using the most secure methods to protect confidentiality. This is achieved by implementing technological security, applying statistical protections, enforcing legal requirements, and training researchers. The NORC Data Enclave also ensures that valuable data are preserved for the long term by documenting the data using DDI-compliant metadata standards. In addition, the enclave engages the research community in developing a knowledge infrastructure around each dataset through its research collaboratory, which enables geographically dispersed researchers to collaborate and share information by means of wikis and blogs.
The NORC Data Enclave has been made possible by funding from the Technology Innovation Program at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), the Economic Research Service at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Kauffman Foundation, the Annie E. Casey Foundation, and the National Science Foundation (NSF).