Rhode Island

Rhode Island GIS, or RIGIS, monitors, coordinates, and provides leadership for activities related to the use of GIS technology within Rhode Island, to support initiatives to implement or use the technology, and to manage and provide access to a common database of geographically referenced information.

RIGIS was established by legislation in 1990 that, among other things, stated that the University was authorized and empowered to establish a GIS laboratory to develop and maintain expertise in the use of computer technology in the management of land-related natural resources and providing access to government agencies and the public.

RIGIS has 2 part-time staff members an annual budget of $75,000 and used to be more. Decreased budget has lead to decreased services.

Rhode Island used to have a GIS Coordinator whose role was to, well, coordinate state GIS activities. The individual left and the position was not refilled. Now GIS activity is becoming distributed.   

Things to Emulate

1. University/state partnership. 
2. A GIS coordinator at the state level.
3. State agencies contribute data which saves other agencies the huge expensive of creating layers themselves.