It has been said that all of us live in a global village. What one does in a village can, and often does, impact his or her neighbor. Dr. John Estes February 14, 1996 Tsukuba, Japan
Key to the application of GIS is a strong program for development of Spatial Data Infrastructure (SDI). SDI provides the important framework of standards, policies, data, procedures, and technology to support the effective coordination and dissemination of geographic information. GIS provides the platform for implementation of a SDI.
Technology for Implementing GSDI
For the past several years, ESRI has been creating a new GIS technology specially designed to support an Internet-based GIS network. This technology implements the vision of distributed data and Web services. This technology, together with Web-based portals such as the Geography Network and Conservation GeoPortal realizes the vision of implementing open and collaborative global resources of digital geographic information. ESRI feels strongly that a spatial data infrastructure is vital to sustainable economic and environmental development and is pleased to sponsor this Global Map/GSDI Grant program for assisting countries in implementing spatial data infrastructures at the national level.
This program is a $5,000,000 (U.S.) commitment by ESRI to support the building of national and global spatial data infrastructures and promote the sharing of geographic data through the Global Map and GSDI programs.
What Is the Global Map/GSDI Grant Program?
To help Global Map and GSDI become realities, ESRI will donate the following to support the technical backbone of national spatial data infrastructures:
One copy of the ArcGIS system, which includes the following:
One copy of ArcGIS Desktop (ArcInfo)—complete GIS for data creation, update, query, mapping, and analysis
One copy of ArcGIS Server (Standard Enterprise edition)—gateway for storing, managing, and sharing multiuser geodatabases stored in a database management system (DBMS) and for publishing geodata on the Internet
One copy of the Production Line Tool Set (Mapping Agency Solution)—extends ArcGIS for high-volume database production, maintenance, quality control (QC), cartographic product generation, and work flow management
Maintenance (technical support and upgrades) including the following:
The first year (12 months) of maintenance is provided at no cost.
E-mail, fax, and telephone technical support from ESRI Redlands, California, headquarters.
Any software updates on software donated during the first year.
After the first year, maintenance will be paid to a local ESRI distributor for continued technical support. Where there is no local ESRI office or distributor, technical support will continue with paid maintenance via ESRI's corporate office in Redlands, California.
One free Virtual Campus training for one student for the following classes:
Learning ArcGIS 9
Creating, Editing, and Managing Geodatabases for ArcGIS 9
One free pass for the annual ESRI International User Conference in San Diego, California, for the first year of the program. (Student is responsible for travel, meals, and housing costs. Thereafter, conference attendance is by fee or free with paid software maintenance.)
Grantees will agree to participate in global mapping and develop Global Map for their country, within their capacity.
Grantees will agree to publish and make available on the Web their national map data at a scale of 1:1,000,000 or better using ArcGIS Server to provide an OpenGIS Web Map Server interface to participate as a member of the Geography Network. Publishing includes the preparation of basic data descriptions, called metadata in ISO 19115 format, to facilitate search the Geography Network. The publishing of other appropriate data sets is encouraged. ESRI's technology includes native support for the OpenGIS Web Map Service specification and standardized metadata management capabilities.1
ESRI will temporarily host national data sets on their Geography Network server in Redlands without cost, where needed. This support will be determined on a case-by-case basis.
Who Is Eligible for the Global Map/GSDI Grant Program?
The national mapping organization or national spatial data development organization that is leading the effort to build the National Spatial Data Infrastructure within a country should apply. This organization or group of organizations is also expected to participate in the global mapping project if it has not participated yet and to develop Global Map as early as suitable if it has not completed development yet. Please consult with your colleagues to make one unified application. Grants are made to institutions, not to individuals.
One grant per country will be offered.
The value of each grant is $50,000 (U.S.).
Grantees will be asked to sign an ESRI software license agreement.
A committee of Global Map, GSDI, and ESRI staff will review the applications.
When Will the Global Map/GSDI Grant Program Start?
The grant program started April 30, 2002.
1 ESRI is an active supporter of standards including active participation in the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC). OGC's specifications for the Web Mapping Server are implemented in ArcGIS Server and the Geography Network.
Questions?
If you have any specific questions related to Global Map/GSDI Grant Program, please contact Elianne Lozano.
