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Maps 2.0 – Geospatial Tools for Nonprofits and Humanitarian Relief
Voting Summary (Elevator Pitch):
Maps 2.0, a collaboration already under way, will launch the first online resource for nonprofit and humanitarian organizations to share best practices in geographic information systems (GIS) and digital mapping tools.
Supporting organization:
HumaniNet
URL:
http://www.humaninet.org/index.html
City:
Portland
State/Region:
Oregon
Country:
USA
Give and Take: Describe your project's top three needs
Type of expertise needed:
Management Expertise Maps 2.0 needs:
- Staff to manage research, volunteers, and Web resources
- A Web ecosystem for content management and delivery
- A nonprofit GIS convening in late 2007
- Assistance with fundraising strategy
Type of expertise needed:
Marketing/Media Expertise
The Maps 2.0 team would benefit from assistance in e-marketing and outreach to the nonprofit community and building communities of practice within the three sectors: humanitarian, community nonprofit, and civic engagement. Media and strategic marketing support would also be valuable!
Type of expertise needed:
Other
The Maps 2.0 partners are seeking sponsors and planning assistance for a convening that will bring together GIS experts and practitioners, nonprofit users, and sponsors to reach more nonprofits, gain greater visibility, and stimulate vigorous dialogue and collaboration.
Project Vision Statement & Potential Social Impact:
Since the Asia tsunami disaster in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a growing number of nonprofit and humanitarian organizations have recognized the tremendous potential of Web-delivered maps and map-based analysis. Google Earth and other Web services have demonstrated the power of online mapping tools, often known as geographic information systems (GIS) or geospatial analysis.
The HumaniNet team and our nonprofit partners believe that this revolution in mapping tools will change the way we think about projects with social, environmental, and humanitarian purposes. Geospatial, map-based data management will improve program monitoring and evaluation, reporting, overall transparency with beneficiaries and donors, and the speed and effectiveness of humanitarian responses.
A growing number of nonprofit teams and initiatives have begun to use geospatial tools to create maps for disaster teams, study environmental and global warming trends, and analyze "layers" of data in community projects. While there are hundreds of examples and success stories, there is no single clearinghouse for sharing best practices, learning of new open source GIS tools, and connecting with others in the nonprofit community with common needs.
Maps 2.0 will establish the first nonprofit online resource for sharing best practices in GIS and digital maps. In partnership with Aspiration and Mercy Corps, HumaniNet has already formed an advisory team for creating a volunteer-based community of practice in GIS.
Using Aspiration's Social Source Commons and other Open Source collaborative tools, the Maps 2.0 team will review and post significant and promising GIS developments and facilitate networking with other GIS experts and users. HumaniNet's experience in leading collaborative communities and partnering with over 100 global organizations will be a key advantage.
The Maps 2.0 community will be a quantum boost to the nonprofit and humanitarian teams that are otherwise "on their own" to find, evaluate, and implement map-based tools in support of such projects as community action, affordable housing, preserving endangered species, water and agricultural development projects, and of course disaster response.
Sustainability (financial) model:
Maps 2.0 will have the benefit of a number of Open Source tools, donated services, and relevant experience to sustain the project over the long term:
- An already-formed team of expert advisors with experience in GIS and knowledge of field user needs
- HumaniNet's online Community Center for core team collaboration (Open Source software, minimal hosting costs).
- Aspiration's Social Source Commons, an open forum which will enable participants to share lists of GIS tools and data layers, exchange ideas, and discover new solutions (Open Source software, no hosting costs)
- Broad access to user organizations through existing networks and Web sites – HumaniNet in global humanitarian support, and Aspiration in a wide spectrum of nonprofit missions
- HumaniNet's five-year record of leading collaborative online communities, engaging technology volunteers, publishing best practices, and partnering with nonprofit and humanitarian teams.
Following launch, Maps 2.0 will be maintained on a sustainable basis at a funding level of approximately $500 per month, enabling new GIS projects and subcommunities to leverage the content and the active network of users, volunteers, and geospatial technology experts.
Technology Vision:
A revolution in Web-delivered digital maps and map-based analysis is under way and will change the way nonprofits solve social, environmental, and humanitarian problems. It is vital that nonprofit and humanitarian teams leverage these proven and powerful technologies.
Potential obstacles:
Maps 2.0 is a small project that has enormous leverage as an enabler for nonprofit and humanitarian organizations. It is feasible in every way, using established Open Source platforms, a proven model of collaboration, and already-identified expert volunteers.
The only significant risk is that the project team may receive more inputs than can be processed by the team, both before and after the launch. There are many GIS technologies that are in use or development, and the team will depend upon users to identify the most promising.
Resource Needs:
The participating partners seek $10,000 of funding for project management, hosting, and expenses to launch the online GIS community resource over a six-month period. The cost of launch includes:
- Project management
- GIS technology team and research leadership
- Hosting, conferencing, and incidental expenses
A follow-on project, with larger scope, is also being planned that would expand the Maps 2.0 project to include a "help desk" function, leadership of GIS subcommunities, expanded content, and Webcasts and full case studies of success stories.
Key Milestones:
HumaniNet, Aspiration, and Mercy Corps have outlined the following project plan:
Phase 1, Project Plan – under way; detailed plan complete by May 15. A GIS community will also be set up on Social Source Commons by that date, with announcements to the HumaniNet and Aspiration networks. Advisory Team and Research Team identified to lead the community of practice, which will utilize an online discussion group for cross-fertilization and reporting.
The Advisory Team and Research Team will hold a monthly review by Webcast or conference call.
Phase 2, Research and Review (Months 1-3) – to begin when funding is secured. The Research Team will invite nonprofit users and GIS practitioners to submit known tools and available data sets for evaluation and enter them in Social Source Commons. The invitation will be sent to a number of nonprofit and humanitarian networks. The Research Team will create and maintain a list of best practices in the HumaniNet Community Center and evaluate the entries based on user experience, performance, and maturity of the GIS tools.
Phase 3, Publicize (Months 4-5) – publication of results, on Web sites (including NetSquared), in e-newsletters, and through other Web media.
Phase 4, Project Review (Month 6) – project review and evaluation of success. Measures of success will include:
- Number of opt-in members to community of practice
- Number of GIS tools and data sets submitted, reviewed, and posted
- Feedback and testimonials from nonprofit and humanitarian members
Based on the Month 6 final project report from the Research Team, the Advisory Team will conduct a final review and document their conclusions and recommendations.
Project Summary:
Since the Asia tsunami disaster in 2004 and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, a growing number of nonprofit and humanitarian organizations have recognized the tremendous potential of Web-delivered maps and map-based analysis. Google Earth and other Web services have demonstrated the power of online mapping tools, often known as geographic information systems (GIS) or geospatial analysis.
The HumaniNet team and our nonprofit partners believe that this revolution in mapping tools will change the way we think about – and manage - programs with social, environmental, and humanitarian purposes. Geospatial, map-based data management will improve program monitoring and evaluation, reporting, overall transparency with beneficiaries and donors, and the speed and effectiveness of humanitarian responses.
Maps 2.0 will establish the first nonprofit online resource for sharing best practices in GIS and digital maps. In partnership with Aspiration and Mercy Corps, HumaniNet has already formed an advisory team for creating a volunteer-based community of practice in GIS.
Using Aspiration's Social Source Commons, a proven Open Source platform, the Maps 2.0 team will review and post significant and promising GIS developments and facilitate networking with other GIS experts and users. HumaniNet's experience in leading collaborative communities and partnering with over 100 global organizations will be a key advantage.
The Maps 2.0 online community will be an energetic, volunteer-driven initiative that will change the way many nonprofits present information and collaborate to solve difficult problems, using the power of GIS.
For an example of maps used by relief teams, see the UNOSAT map of the Solomon Islands (1MB pdf file) following the April 2 tsunami.
