2. NSDI Partnerships States

2.1. Summary

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), in close cooperation with the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) and other stakeholders in the geospatial community to advance SDI development at the State level.

2.2. Introduction

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), in close cooperation with the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) and other stakeholders in the geospatial community to advance SDI development at the State level. A core component of this NSDI partnership is to work with with NSGIC to establish more formal statewide geospatial coordination councils that will help to govern and complete the NSDI by enabling all stakeholders. The principal goals of this effort are to:

  • Encourage implementation of statewide spatial data infrastructures through effective strategic and business planning efforts

  • Provide guidance on planning activities

  • Encourage the formation of partnerships and alliances that will improve planning process

  • Provide a uniform national framework for strategic and business plans, for comparative analysis to reveal national trends

2.3. About the National States Geographic Information Council

NSGIC strives to be the premier state-led forum for developing, exchanging and endorsing geospatial technology and policy best practices. We share solutions to offer benefits across the geospatial ecosystem. We facilitate connections between people and organizations across multiple sectors β€” and the data and systems they use β€” resulting in greater returns from the efficient use of geospatial technology.

The National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) encourages effective and efficient government through the coordinated development of geographic information and technologies and strives to ensure that information may be appropriately integrated at all levels of government. State GIS Coordinators, who form the core membership of NSGIC, understand the significant cost savings that can be realized through coordination efforts and by actively employing NSGIC’s endorsed concept to β€œcollect data once and use it many times.” Individually and regionally state geographic information management organizations practice this concept daily with positive and tangible results. The concept of leveraging these efforts is woven into the fabric of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI).

2.4. NSDI Partnership Cooperation

FGDC has facilitated and fostered partnerships and alliances with states and among various public and private entities for over 30 years to assist in building the NSDI. These activities support NSDI development of policies, standards, agreements, and partnerships among a variety of sectors and disciplines that will promote more cost-effective production, ready availability, and greater use of high quality geospatial data. Partnership activities are intended to encourage resource-sharing projects, between and among the public and private sector through the use of technology, networking, and enhanced interagency coordination efforts. Activities initiated under this program will promote development and maintenance of and access to data sets that are needed for national, regional, State, and local analyses.

Contact fgdc@fgdc.gov for addtional information.