ABSTRACT
The use of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) can be very successful in single organizations and for individual projects. However, many important processes, from social service provision to public safety to natural resource management, require multiple organizations across jurisdictions and levels of government, and often including non-governmental organizations, to work closely together. The Coalition of Geospatial Organizations is an example of a collaborative governance structure at the national level related to GIS. The coalition includes such organizations as the American Association of Geographers, the International Association of Assessing Officers, the National Society of Professional Surveyors, and the American Society of Civil Engineers. Habitat protection measures have been developed collaboratively across the region, focusing on core areas that are the highest priorities for the majority of the bird’s population. Children from homes torn apart by drug abuse often enter the foster care system at a very young age.
