Founded by Executive Director, Drew Stephens in October, 2005, the GIS Institute is an environmental and educational organization dedicated putting mapping technologies into action for people trying to make the world a better place. We believe that understanding geographic information and harnessing the technology of GIS is key to making better-informed decisions about the places we all call home.

 

The GIS Institute believes that everyone deserves access to geographic information and tools so they too can make informed decisions about the places they love and call home, whether that place is a park, traditional land, a mountain range, a hemisphere or the planet. Too often, community leaders, environmental activists and conservationists in developing, often remote countries often lack access to computers, GIS software, geographic data, and the training necessary to take advantage of the benefits of GIS. The GIS Institute is committed to facilitating the acquisition of hardware and software, to teaching database design and technical GIS use to those who need it, no matter their location. The GIS Institute also helps communities identify issues and facilitate collaborative problem solving where needed.

 

To achieve its goals, The GIS Institute initiates programs such as Service at Sea.