The relevance of the research topic is conditioned by the rapid development of information and communication technologies, which transforms the methods and tools of public administration. Implementing the principles of openness and transparency in the work of local governments is a key factor for the development of democracy and government accountability. Introduction of the open data concept is one of the vectors of this transformation, which opens up new opportunities for the development of civil society and strengthening of citizens’ participation in public decision-making. The article aims to study the problems and prospects of training personnel to work with open data in local governments in the context of civil society development. The state of publication of datasets on the open data portal after a full-scale invasion is analyzed, which shows a significant decrease in the quantity and quality of published data. The article examines the existing problems that affect the preparation of high-quality datasets by local governments through the prism of recruitment and training of personnel to work with open data. The author suggests particular steps that can be taken by the community to efficiently build an open data ecosystem. The article proves that the efficient implementation of the open data policy in local governments requires qualified personnel. This implies having responsible persons who will qualitatively organize the collection and work with open data, as well as ensuring a basic understanding of the principles and practices of working with open data for all employees. Open data specialists should have a solid background in information technology and public administration and undergo regular training. Local governments should cooperate with civil society organizations to promote the use of open data, which will ultimately help ensure that open data is used efficiently to address community needs. 

open data, personnel training, local governance, civil society, civic participation, public administration decisions