National Spatial Data Infrastructure

Strategic Plan 

2021–2024 

November 2020 
Federal Geographic Data Committee 

Federal Geographic Data Committee, Reston, Virginia: 2020 

For more information on the Federal Geographic Data Committee 

World Wide Web: http://www.fgdc.gov/ 

E-mail: fgdc@fgdc.gov 

Any use of trade, product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the 

U.S. Government. 

Although this report is in the public domain, permission must be secured from the individual copyright owners to 

reproduce any copyrighted materials contained within this report. 

Suggested citation: 

Federal Geographic Data Committee, 2020, National Spatial Data Infrastructure Strategic Plan 2021–2024: 

Reston, Virginia, USA, Federal Geographic Data Committee, 17 p., https://www.fgdc.gov/nsdi-plan/nsdi-strategicplan-2021-2024.pdf. 

Cover: Artist's depiction of global communications and digital connections. Courtesy of Blue Planet Studio/ 

Shutterstock.com; used with permission. 
Contents 

Executive Summary................................................................................................................................ 1 

Goal 1—Implement the National Geospatial Policy and Governance Framework as Defined 

Goal 2—Advance the Maturity of, Accelerate the Acquisition of, and Expand the Sources of 

National Geospatial Data Assets To Ensure That They Are Findable, Accessible, 

Goal 3—Ensure Open Standards-Based Interoperability To Enable Geospatial 

Goal 4—Enable and Promote Collaborative Governance and Partnerships To Meet National 

Introduction............................................................................................................................................. 3 

What Are Geospatial Data and Why Are These Data Important to the Nation? .............................. 3 

What Is the National Spatial Data Infrastructure? ........................................................................... 3 

How Is the NSDI Being Advanced? ................................................................................................. 4 

Purpose of the NSDI Strategic Plan................................................................................................ 4 

Shared Vision, Mission, and Guiding Principles ..................................................................................... 5 

Strategic Goals and Objectives .............................................................................................................. 6 

by the Geospatial Data Act and Related Statutes and Policies ......................................... 7 

Interoperable, and Reusable............................................................................................. 8 

Shared Services................................................................................................................ 9 

Needs, Priorities, and Circumstances ............................................................................. 10 

Implementation Approach......................................................................................................................11 

Implementation Framework............................................................................................................11 

Agency Responsibilities .................................................................................................................11 

Measuring Progress ...................................................................................................................... 12 

Initial Implementation Milestones .................................................................................................. 13 

Summary of Expected Results ............................................................................................................. 13 

References Cited.................................................................................................................................. 14 

Appendix............................................................................................................................................... 15 

FGDC Member Agencies .............................................................................................................. 15 

National Geospatial Advisory Committee ...................................................................................... 15 

List of Authorities ........................................................................................................................... 16 

Abbreviations................................................................................................................................. 17 

Acknowledgments ......................................................................................................................... 17 

Figure 

1. Overview of National Spatial Data Infrastructure planning ............................................................ 12 

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Executive Summary 

Executive Summary 

Geospatial data, technologies, and services have become critical components of our Nation’s digital infrastructure, enabling 

the integration of disparate information from many sources to drive economic growth and support decision making across 

broad sectors of the economy. The Geospatial Data Act of 2018 (GDA) directs the Federal Geographic Data Committee 

(FGDC) to develop a strategic plan for the National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) to provide strategic direction to 

support and leverage these advancements. 

The strategic plan for the NSDI for 2021 through 2024 describes the actions the FGDC community will take, in collaboration 

with partners, to develop and maintain the Nation’s critical geospatial infrastructure and to implement the requirements 

of the GDA. This strategic plan was developed during 2020 through extensive consultation with Federal agencies, the 

National Geospatial Advisory Committee, and partners and stakeholders across the geospatial community. This external 

input was instrumental in shaping the plan and in reflecting the perspectives of the broader geospatial community. 

This plan describes a shared national vision, mission, and guiding principles for the NSDI. 

NSDI Vision: Empowering a geo-enabled Nation and world for place-based decision making. 

NSDI Mission: The NSDI provides a national network of geospatial resources that seamlessly integrates location-based 

information to serve the needs of the Nation and wider global interests. 

The plan also includes goals, objectives, and anticipated outcomes in areas of critical importance to the sustainable 

development of the NSDI. The goals and objectives are as follows: 

Goal 1—Implement the National Geospatial Policy and Governance Framework as Defined by the Geospatial Data 

Act and Related Statutes and Policies 

• Objective 1.1. Align FGDC policies with the GDA, the Federal Data Strategy, the Evidence Act, and 

Office of Management and Budget Circular A–16. 

• Objective 1.2. Develop FGDC guidance for agencies to implement GDA requirements. 

• Objective 1.3. Identify common approaches and tools to meet GDA and related planning and 

reporting requirements. 

• Objective 1.4. Review and update FGDC structure and governance processes to incorporate best practices and 

to align with the GDA and related statutes and policies. 

Goal 2—Advance the Maturity of, Accelerate the Acquisition of, and Expand the Sources of National Geospatial 

Data Assets (NGDA) To Ensure That They Are Findable, Accessible, Interoperable, and Reusable 

• Objective 2.1. Update, validate, and streamline NGDA portfolio management practices and establish standards 

for NGDA data themes and associated datasets. 

• Objective 2.2. Implement data acquisition and lifecycle management strategies through collaboration and 

ongoing outreach. 

• Objective 2.3. Advance the practice of integrating government and nongovernment data into national datasets. 

• Objective 2.4. Identify, validate, and advance best practices to ensure that geospatial and other meaningful data 

can be easily integrated and used. 

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Goal 3—Ensure Open Standards-Based Interoperability To Enable Geospatial Shared Services 

• Objective 3.1. Increase awareness and broaden the use of national shared services, including the GeoPlatform, 

to publish, discover, integrate, promote, visualize, analyze, and disseminate national geospatial data. Apply open 

standards to ensure that shared services can be improved and expanded at minimal effort and cost. 

• Objective 3.2. Identify and test innovative information sources and technologies—including real-time data from 

fixed and mobile sensors, social media, and the Internet of Things—to improve national geospatial shared 

services capabilities. 

• Objective 3.3. Update shared services policies and practices to improve the ability of users to discover, qualify, 

access, combine, and use geospatial services with geospatial data, spatial analytics, and nonspatial data. 

• Objective 3.4. Engage with international standards organizations to ensure the continued development of a robust 

and effective level of interoperability to enhance geospatial data sharing, integration, and technology adoption. 

Goal 4—Enable and Promote Collaborative Governance and Partnerships To Meet National Needs, Priorities, and 

Circumstances 

• Objective 4.1. Collaboratively define priorities, roles, and responsibilities for the development of the NSDI as 

described in the GDA. 

• Objective 4.2. Develop processes and tools, in collaboration with partners, to promote eff ective communication 

and knowledge exchange about the benefits and uses of geospatial data, technology, and the NSDI. 

• Objective 4.3. Develop innovative partnerships across sectors to pilot-test scalable and replicable approaches to 

improving geospatial data creation and maintenance for national use. 

• Objective 4.4. Promote partnerships among academia, the private sector, professional organizations, and 

government to ensure that the emerging workforce has the skills needed to meet the growing needs of the 

geospatial community. 

• Objective 4.5. Partner with international organizations to ensure the continued development of a robust, 

interoperable, global spatial data infrastructure in accordance with requirements in the GDA. 

The strategic plan also describes the steps the FGDC community will take to implement these goals and objectives, 

including development of implementation plans in collaboration with partners and stakeholders. For more information, visit 

www.fgdc.gov/nsdi-plan. 

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Introduction 

Introduction 

What Are Geospatial Data and Why Are These Data Important to the Nation? 

Everything happens somewhere. In today’s knowledge-driven society Geospatial Data and economy, people and organizations benefit on a daily basis, often The Geospatial Data Act of 2018 (GDA) unknowingly, from location-based information and services. Critical 

capabilities that depend on geospatial information include weather defines geospatial data as—

forecasting, flood early warnings, land titling and administration, “(A) means information that is tied to transportation network analysis, water resources management, food a location on the Earth, including by production, supply chain management, urban service delivery, economic identifying the geographic location and growth, and response to disease outbreaks. characteristics of natural or constructed 

features and boundaries on the Earth, Today’s mapping technologies and data can illuminate the connection and that is generally represented in between places, people, and their activities and illustrate where, when, vector datasets by points, lines, polygons, how, and why. For example, without geospatial data, our smartphones or other complex geographic features could not provide directions with digital maps to get us to our destinations or phenomena; easily. Digital spatial information is a critical component of the national 

infrastructure and knowledge-driven economy because it provides the 

means to integrate a wide variety of data and services that contribute (B) may be derived from, among other

things, remote sensing, mapping, and to public health, national security, environmental sustainability, and surveying technologies; national prosperity. 

(C) includes images and raster

What Is the National Spatial Data Infrastructure? datasets, aerial photographs, and other 

forms of geospatial data or datasets

The National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) was initially envisioned in in digitized or non-digitized form” 

the early 1990s and has evolved over time as technologies have developed. (43 U.S.C. 2801(5)(A–C)).

The Geospatial Data Act of 2018 (GDA) defines the NSDI as: 

In addition, section 2801(5)(D) of the GDA

“...the technology, policies, criteria, standards, and employees defines data and activities that are not 

necessary to promote geospatial data sharing throughout the covered by the GDA.

Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments, and the private 

sector (including nonprofit organizations and institutions of 

higher education)” (43 U.S.C. 2801(13)). 

It also states that the NSDI “shall ensure that geospatial data from multiple sources...is available and easily integrated to 

enhance the understanding of the physical and cultural world” (section 2804(a)). 

The GDA charges the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), under the direction of the U.S. Department of the 

Interior, to be “the lead entity in the executive branch for the development, implementation, and review of policies, practices, 

and standards relating to geospatial data” (section 2802(a)). Participating agencies in the FGDC develop and maintain 

National Geospatial Data Assets (NGDAs), which are the core data components of the NSDI. A key element of the NSDI 

is the GeoPlatform (https://www.geoplatform.gov/), which provides access to trusted geospatial data from various levels of 

government and a range of web-based geospatial services. 

Over the years, as the NSDI in the United States evolved, it became a model for other nations around the world. In 2011, 

the United Nations created the Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management (UN–GGIM) program 

to “address global challenges regarding the use of geospatial information...and to serve as a body for global policymaking 

in the field of geospatial information management” (United Nations Statistics Division, 2020a). As of 2020, more than 

one hundred nations have spatial data infrastructures. Because they have embraced open international standards for 

geospatial data and technologies, these spatial data infrastructures have enabled greater levels of data sharing on topics 

that extend beyond political boundaries. 

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How Is the NSDI Being Advanced? 

The NSDI depends upon the active commitment and participation of Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments, the 

private sector, academia, and nonprofit organizations, and increasingly upon direct input from citizens. This multifaceted 

web of relationships is being advanced by an emerging framework of data-focused laws and policies. For example, the 

GDA extends existing components of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A–16, expands congressional 

oversight of federally funded geospatial activities, and establishes the National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) as 

a statutory advisory committee. It also aligns with other recent data initiatives, such as the Federal Data Strategy and the 

Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (Evidence Act)—including Title II, the Open, Public, Electronic, 

and Necessary (OPEN) Government Data Act. These statutes and policies underscore the growing importance of data 

development and coordination as key drivers in economic growth, policy development, and informed decision making. 

The GDA includes a set of overarching goals for the NSDI. These goals, which are addressed in this plan, may be 

summarized as follows: 

• Ensure that geospatial data comply with privacy policies and statutes; 

• Protect personally identifiable information from disclosure; 

• Enhance the accuracy of statistical information; 

• Promote free and open access to geospatial data, information, and interpretive products; 

• Protect proprietary interests related to licensed information and data; 

• Promote interoperability and sharing capabilities of Federal information systems and data; and 

• Advance a global spatial data infrastructure and development of international geospatial data in accordance with 

voluntary consensus standards. 

Intergovernmental and cross-sector collaboration is a key success factor in the development of the NSDI. The substantive 

and ongoing consultation between Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments—as well as with other sectors—will help 

lead to more effective and resilient relationships and policies. 

Purpose of the NSDI Strategic Plan 

This strategic plan will help ensure that the Nation has consistent, trusted, geospatial data to promote eff ective governance, 

economic growth, and technological innovation at local and national scales. It includes a vision, mission, and guiding 

principles that describe a long-term path forward for the sustainable development of the NSDI. It also includes a set of 

actionable goals and objectives to achieve the vision of the NSDI. 

This plan also provides the basis for the follow-on geospatial strategies that will be developed by FGDC agencies. These 

strategies, which are required by the GDA, will describe the steps that individual agencies will take to support the national 

NSDI goals and to advance the use of geospatial data and technology within their organizations. 

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Shared Vision, Mission, and Guiding Principles 

Shared Vision, Mission, and Guiding Principles 

The FGDC worked collaboratively with the NGAC, the Federal geospatial community, and stakeholders from national 

geospatial organizations to develop the following shared national vision, mission, and guiding principles for the NSDI. 

NSDI Vision 

Empowering a geo-enabled Nation and world for place-based decision making 

As reflected in this vision statement, the National Spatial Data Infrastructure enables citizens, commercial entities, and 

all levels of government to contribute to and use a national network of geospatial resources. Readily accessible and easy 

to use geospatial resources—including data, information, applications, and expertise—empower our Nation by enabling 

improved understanding, indepth insight, and informed decision making to address a range of economic, social, and 

environmental challenges. Nearly everything and every event is geographically located and contextually described. The 

NSDI geo-enables the Nation and world for the benefit of society, economy, and the environment. 

NSDI Mission 

The NSDI provides a national network of geospatial resources that seamlessly integrates location-based information to serve 

the needs of the Nation and wider global interests. 

As described in this mission statement, the purpose of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure is to design, develop, 

acquire, maintain, and enhance geospatial resources in conjunction with statistical data and other sources of information. 

The NSDI coordinates the ever-evolving collection of data, information, technology, standards, services, policies, and 

people. It enables seamless data development, information sharing, and collaborative decision making within a trusted, 

accuracy-assured, and properly protected environment. The NSDI informs decision making at all levels of society with the 

ability to understand, protect, and promote national and wider global interests. 

NSDI Guiding Principles 

1. Promote the utilization of geospatial resources to improve insight and decision making. 

2. Ensure that geospatial data are current, accurate, open, standards-based, findable, accessible, interoperable, 

and reusable. 

3. Build trust by safeguarding privacy, confidentiality, and intellectual property and by ensuring ethical practices. 

4. Foster an open, inclusive, and collaborative culture across sectors. 

5. Encourage innovation and an environment of learning and accountability. 

6. Leverage resources, expertise, and investments through partnerships. 

7. Lead, support, and advance spatial data infrastructure globally. 

8. Safeguard national security and critical infrastructure. 

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The NSDI guiding principles describe a set of values for NSDI actions and decision making. These principles leverage 

concepts from relevant laws, policies, and best practices and reflect inputs from diverse geospatial communities. By placing 

the development of geospatial resources in the context of ethical governance, conscious design, and a learning culture, the 

NSDI guiding principles help to empower place-based decision support and to cultivate partnerships that strengthen our 

national and global geospatial enterprise. 

Strategic Goals and Objectives 

The GDA requires the FGDC “to lead the development and management of and operational decision making for the 

National Spatial Data Infrastructure strategic plan and geospatial data policy” (43 U.S.C. 2802(c)(1)). The following goals 

and objectives—which were established through extensive collaboration and consultation with Federal agencies, the 

NGAC, the interagency NSDI core team, and multiple geospatial organizations—reflect the perspectives of the broader 

geospatial community. The goals focus on four critical components to accelerate the development of the NSDI—policy and 

governance, data, shared services, and partnerships. 

NSDI Strategic Goals 

Goal 1 Goal 2 

Implement the national geospatial Advance the maturity of, 

policy and governance framework accelerate the acquisition 

as defined by the Geospatial Data of, and expand the sources 

Act and related statutes and of National Geospatial Data 

policies Assets to ensure that they 

are findable, accessible, 

interoperable, and reusable 

Goal 3 Goal 4 

Ensure open standards-based Enable and promote 

interoperability to enable collaborative governance 

geospatial shared services and partnerships to meet 

national needs, priorities, 

and circumstances 

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Strategic Goals and Objectives 

Goal 1—Implement the National Geospatial Policy and Governance Framework as Defi ned by 

the Geospatial Data Act and Related Statutes and Policies 

This goal describes what stakeholders in the geospatial community will do to 

align policies, management, and governance practices with statutory and policy Goal 1 

Policy and 

Governance 

requirements and best practices to facilitate the continued development of

the NSDI.

Objective 1.1. Align FGDC policies with the GDA, the Federal Data Strategy, the Evidence Act, and 

Office of Management and Budget Circular A–16. 

Anticipated Outcomes: FGDC policies and procedures are consistent with key statutes, policies, and management 

best practices to promote a coordinated and integrated approach to using data to deliver on missions, serve 

the public, and steward resources while safeguarding integrity, privacy, confidentiality, preservation, and 

national security. 

Objective 1.2. Develop FGDC guidance for agencies to implement GDA requirements. 

Anticipated Outcomes: Clear, consistent guidance, governance practices, and operating procedures are developed 

by the agencies, enabling coordinated and effective implementation of the GDA and other related requirements. 

Objective 1.3. Identify common approaches and tools to meet GDA and related planning and reporting requirements. 

Anticipated Outcomes: Common templates, enterprise approaches, and near-real time reporting techniques 

are developed to enable effi cient, consistent fulfillment of planning and reporting requirements, thus promoting 

transparency and accountability for results. 

Objective 1.4. Review and update FGDC structure and governance processes to incorporate best practices and to 

align with the GDA and related statutes and policies. 

Anticipated Outcomes: An updated governance process is developed and implemented to meet statutory 

and policy requirements and promote effective interagency, intergovernmental, and cross-sector collaboration, 

engagement, and accountability. 

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Goal 2—Advance the Maturity of, Accelerate the Acquisition of, and Expand the Sources 

of National Geospatial Data Assets (NGDA) To Ensure That They Are Findable, Accessible, 

Interoperable, and Reusable 

This goal describes how, through partnerships and understanding user needs, Goal 2 

National 

Geospatial 

Data 

Assets 

high-value core datasets are identified as NGDAs and curated by applying

lifecycle management best practices across the data portfolio. The national 

geospatial community will commit sufficient resources to ensure that quality

geospatial data are easily discoverable and accessible, managed using effective 

data stewardship practices, and able to be integrated with other meaningful 

nongeospatial data to support a multitude of stakeholder uses. 

Objective 2.1. Update, validate, and streamline NGDA portfolio management practices and establish standards for 

NGDA data themes and associated datasets. 

Anticipated Outcomes: 

• NGDA management practices are effective and efficient and facilitate reporting of NGDA status information. 

• Standards have been established for NGDA data themes and associated datasets. 

Objective 2.2. Implement data acquisition and lifecycle management strategies through collaboration and ongoing 

outreach. 

Anticipated Outcomes: 

• NGDA lifecycle management practices are consistent and maintained through data stewardship, data 

preservation, resource planning, and support. 

• GDA-required NGDA data theme plans include approaches for data acquisition and maintenance. 

Objective 2.3. Advance the practice of integrating government and nongovernment data into national datasets. 

Anticipated Outcomes: Roles, responsibilities, agreements, acquisition strategies, licensing and use agreements, 

and funding approaches are developed to provide sustainable methods for integrating geospatial data. 

Objective 2.4. Identify, validate, and advance best practices to ensure that geospatial and other meaningful data can be 

easily integrated and used. 

Anticipated Outcomes: Geospatial data are designed to enhance the utility of statistical information and other 

nongeospatial data by linking them to a specific location. 

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Strategic Goals and Objectives 

Goal 3—Ensure Open Standards-Based Interoperability To Enable Geospatial Shared Services 

This goal describes how activities associated with the GeoPlatform and 

other shared services will accelerate the development and use of geospatial 

information. Shared services are web-accessible standards-based tools, 

applications, and services that enable the discovery, access, integration 

and application of geospatial data. They offer an all-inclusive collaborative 

environment for improved decision making. 

Goal 3 

Geospatial 

Shared 

Services 

Objective 3.1. Increase awareness and broaden the use of national shared services, including the GeoPlatform, 

to publish, discover, integrate, promote, visualize, analyze, and disseminate national geospatial data. Apply open 

standards to ensure that shared services can be improved and expanded at minimal effort and cost. 

Anticipated Outcomes: As a key Federal information system, the GeoPlatform and other shared services provide 

accessible, high-value geospatial data and services while encouraging reuse, reducing duplication, and 

improving services. 

Objective 3.2. Identify and test innovative information sources and technologies—including real-time data from 

fixed and mobile sensors, social media, and the Internet of Things—to improve national geospatial shared services 

capabilities. 

Anticipated Outcomes: The value and use of national data and services are increased through a culture of 

experimentation and innovation. 

Objective 3.3. Update shared services policies and practices to improve the ability of users to discover, qualify, access, 

combine, and use geospatial services with geospatial data, spatial analytics, and nonspatial data. 

Anticipated Outcomes: 

• Metadata policies are updated and processes are improved and simplified to incorporate new technologies and to 

provide tools that assist in metadata creation, conversion, and effi cient management practices. 

• Metadata about geospatial data and services are aligned, resulting in improved discoverability and use, 

compliance with licensing terms, interoperability, and user confidence. 

Objective 3.4. Engage with international standards organizations to ensure the continued development of a robust and 

effective level of interoperability to enhance geospatial data sharing, integration, and technology adoption. 

Anticipated Outcomes: 

• Memberships of key geospatial standards organizations have diverse representation of NSDI stakeholders, 

including from Federal, State, Tribal, and local governments, the private sector, academia, and 

nonprofi t organizations. 

• Stakeholder issues, challenges, and new requirements are identified, prioritized, and addressed by 

appropriate standards. 

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Objective 4.1. Collaboratively defi ne priorities, roles, and responsibilities for the development of the NSDI as described 

in the GDA.

Anticipated Outcomes: A broad consensus among partners and stakeholders on achievable goals, priorities, roles, 

and responsibilities is achieved. This consensus will help lead to eff ective approaches to collaborative governance.

Objective 4.2. Develop processes and tools, in collaboration with partners, to promote eff ective communication and 

knowledge exchange about the benefi ts and uses of geospatial data, technology, and the NSDI.

Anticipated Outcomes: Results in greater communication, awareness, and understanding of collaborative 

approaches to leverage geospatial and geospatially referenced information to enable informed and eff ective 

decision making.

Objective 4.3. Develop innovative partnerships across sectors to pilot-test scalable and replicable approaches to 

improving geospatial data creation and maintenance for national use.

Anticipated Outcomes:

• Successful pilot partnership initiatives are developed that share risk and reward for all involved, and that can be 

emulated or expanded by other cooperating public and private sector organizations.

• Availability, aff ordability, maintenance, and use of geospatial data are improved.

Objective 4.4. Promote partnerships among academia, the private sector, professional organizations, and government 

to ensure that the emerging workforce has the skills needed to meet the growing needs of the geospatial community.

Anticipated Outcomes: Achievement of a diverse and fl exible geospatial workforce trained with the critical 

technology, problem-solving, and management skills required to adapt to emerging user requirements, organizational 

challenges, and technological advances.

 Goal 4—Enable and Promote Collaborative Governance and Partnerships To Meet National 

Needs, Priorities, and Circumstances

All stakeholders benefi t from a mature NSDI built, maintained, and championed 

through collaborative governance and robust partnerships that engage 

the operational expertise of multiple sectors and users to address priority 

issues and business needs. This goal describes how the national geospatial 

community can work collaboratively to use geospatial data, assets, technologies, 

communications approaches, and services to advance the NSDI and meet the 

goals and requirements of the GDA.

Goal 4

Collaborative 

Governance and 

Partnerships
Implementation Approach 

Implementation Approach 

Objective 4.5. Partner with international organizations to ensure the continued development of a robust, interoperable, 

global spatial data infrastructure in accordance with requirements in the GDA. 

Anticipated Outcomes: 

• U.S. interests and NSDI practices lead and influence the global spatial ecosystem through interoperability, data 

sharing, and collaboration, and the United States maintains its leading role in the global geospatial marketplace. 

• The U.S. NSDI remains interoperable to support data sharing and cooperation internationally on economic, 

environmental, and social topics that extend beyond national borders. 

Implementation Framework 

The NSDI strategic plan provides a shared vision for the development of the NSDI, for use by Federal agencies, partners, 

and stakeholders throughout the geospatial community. A broad range of stakeholders will participate in activities to 

implement the NSDI goals and objectives. The FGDC will work closely with the NGAC to ensure broad engagement of the 

geospatial community on implementation teams and to promote collaborative approaches to advance the Nation’s critical 

geospatial infrastructure. 

The GDA establishes the FGDC as “...the lead entity in the executive branch for the development, implementation, and 

review of policies, practices, and standards relating to geospatial data” (43 U.S.C. 2802(a)). The FGDC also serves as a 

catalyst for implementing the NSDI strategic plan. Designated Federal representatives appointed by the FGDC will serve 

as champions for the advancement of specific strategic goals. Champions will report to the FGDC Steering Committee 

and will coordinate teams consisting of representatives from across the geospatial community as they implement 

actions that advance the strategic plan’s goals and objectives. NGAC members will be designated to provide advice and 

recommendations on issues related to the advancement and attainment of strategic goals and reporting responsibilities. 

Successful implementation of the goals and objectives in this plan will align with the requirements of the GDA, the Federal 

Data Strategy, the Evidence Act, and OMB Circular A–16. Success will also require senior policy-level leadership to ensure 

appropriate resources and support for FGDC agencies. 

Agency Responsibilities 

Federal agencies will play a significant role in implementing the NSDI. Under the terms of the GDA, FGDC agencies will 

develop geospatial strategies and implementation plans that support the NSDI goals and advance the agencies’ mission 

responsibilities. As part of their work to meet mission goals and objectives, agencies will take actions and meet milestones 

that directly support implementation of the NSDI strategic plan. As a result, agency implementation activities will be a key 

component of the overall NSDI monitoring and reporting process. 

One of the requirements of the GDA is that lead covered agencies facilitate the development and implementation of plans 

for nationwide population of the NGDA data themes for which they are responsible. These plans will describe approaches 

for data acquisition and maintenance. In addition, the GDA states that the FGDC “and each covered agency may, to the 

maximum extent practical, rely upon and use the private sector in the United States for the provision of geospatial data and 

services” (43 U.S.C. 2811). 

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Measuring Progress 

In parallel with the adoption of the NSDI strategic plan, the designated champions will work with strategic goal teams to 

develop a project plan outlining how the goals and objectives will be achieved. The project plan will include: 

• Milestones 

• Timelines 

• Responsible parties (fi g. 1) 

• Performance metrics 

• Identification of resources available to achieve the objectives 

The performance measurement approach is critical to the successful implementation of the goals and objectives described 

in this plan. Performance metrics will be based on data and will describe whether the identified action is achieving its 

expected result and if progress is being made toward attaining the goal or objective. 

FGDC leadership will assist in identifying and committing resources as well as developing tracking and reporting tools. 

The champions, in collaboration with FGDC leadership, will monitor implementation performance based on established 

indicators and milestones through the use of tracking tools, moving toward near-real time reporting and monitoring (for 

example, dashboards). Brief progress reports will be required for each objective on an ongoing basis. Progress will be 

reported to the FGDC Steering Committee on a regular basis. Updates and adjustments to the plan will be completed 

as needed. 

Figure 1. Overview of National Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) planning in accordance with the Geospatial Data 

Act of 2018 (GDA), showing the roles of the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), the FGDC covered agencies 

and lead covered agencies, and the Office of Management and Budget. NGDA, National Geospatial Data Asset; 

U.S.C., United States Code 

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Summary of Expected Results 

Initial Implementation Milestones 

NSDI Strategic Plan and Agency Geospatial Strategy Implementation 

Timeframe Activity 

November 2020 NSDI strategic plan approved by the FGDC Steering Committee and endorsed by the NGAC 

December 2020 FGDC covered agencies complete geospatial strategies required by the GDA (in support of the NSDI 

strategic plan) 

March 2021 NSDI implementation plan completed 

December 2021 First annual status report submitted 

Summary of Expected Results 

A strategic plan is only effective if it has a strong implementation approach focused on achieving clearly defi ned outcomes. 

An effective strategy should engage those whose mission will achieve the vision. The goals and objectives in this plan are 

designed to mobilize the national geospatial community toward achieving the following results: 

• Improved governance 

Establishing a strategic plan reflects a commitment to clarify responsibilities and objectives for improved 

effectiveness. This plan establishes a substantial foundation for solid governance that will balance needs with 

resources and promote an open environment for discussion and decisions needed to achieve the described 

objectives. Guidance from the FGDC in meeting Goal 1, when incorporated by FGDC agencies and documented 

in their mandated reporting, will enable assessment of progress and identification of impediments. 

• Expanded partnerships 

Increasingly, the groups that generate and use geospatial data recognize that collaboration and data sharing with 

trusted partners paves the way to achieving desired benefits. Sharing is often accompanied by expectations of 

reliability that trusted partnerships facilitate. 

• Suffi cient resourcing 

Resources include money, people, and time. Analysis of available and required resources is required to determine 

appropriate levels of support. Thorough accountability across a carefully self-governed community, with prudent 

oversight and guidance, will help focus attention on the existing distribution of resources, expose gaps for 

prioritized geospatial data components, and suggest budgetary realignments to address funding, people, and time 

shortfalls. 

• Better integration of datasets 

Data are not exclusively geospatial or location-based. Knowledge-building and decision making about things or 

events that influence or are influenced by location require timely and relevant data and information from a variety 

of sources. Although things do exist in specific places and events do occur at particular places and times, the data 

about them often have no reason to be tagged or characterized as spatial. For years, practitioners have struggled 

with the complexity of integrating different sources, quality, and formats of geospatial data but, increasingly, 

with new tools and capabilities available, data integration occurs across disciplines. This strategic plan not 

only addresses the need for geospatial standards and interoperability but recognizes the more complex task of 

integration with other categories of data. 

www.fgdc.gov National Spatial Data Infrastructure Strategic Plan • 2021–2024 | 13 
• Preparation of the workforce pipeline 

People are part of the resource equation. Therefore, capacity building through education and training is needed 

to ensure that the pipeline supplying the workforce is kept flowing. Although past practice may be a prelude to 

some traditional earth-science training in specific domains, it must also be subject to the evolution of intersecting 

disciplines. During the execution of this strategic plan, much more focus will be directed toward geospatial and 

interdisciplinary information management. The skills demanded by the community may range from basic, such 

as those required to collect and label data, to advanced, including the ability to incorporate machine learning and 

artificial intelligence innovation into a broad spectrum of applications. 

• Expanded markets 

The past decade has seen the “democratization” of the collection and use of geospatial data. Many have joined 

the ranks of “citizen scientists.” Computer-generated maps are used daily in all walks of life. Such maps have 

helped urban planners decide where growth can be encouraged, have permitted first responders to ameliorate the 

effects of natural disasters quickly, and have shown where ecological damage and (or) restoration is occurring. 

The availability of massive reliable stores of geospatial data will continue to make expansion of services possible 

and open new markets for these data. 

• Innovation 

As resources are expended to meet the known current needs of the NSDI and to satisfy the goals identified in this 

plan, disruptive thinking, nurtured by the expansive use of geospatial information integrated within so much other 

spatially ambiguous data, will also improve the way we understand Earth. Creativity applied to new challenges will 

introduce innovation in tools and techniques that will not only improve the understanding of geospatial information 

but will also direct its incorporation into new venues. 

• International influence and cooperation 

Both the vision and the mission of the NSDI link our national interests with our global responsibilities. The four 

core themes of the goals in this plan—policy and governance, data assets, shared services and interoperability, 

and partnerships—are guided by the Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF) that was adopted by 

the UN-GGIM. The IGIF “provides a basis and guide for developing, integrating, strengthening and maximizing 

geospatial information management and related resources in all countries. It will assist countries in bridging the 

geospatial digital divide, secure socio-economic prosperity, and to leave no one behind” (United Nations Statistics 

Division, 2020b). 

References Cited 

United Nations Statistics Division, 2020a, Committee of Experts on Global Geospatial Information Management: United 

Nations Statistics Division web page, accessed October 6, 2020, at http://ggim.un.org/Mandates/. 

United Nations Statistics Division, 2020b, Integrated Geospatial Information Framework (IGIF)—Overview: United Nations 

Statistics Division web page, accessed October 6, 2020, at http://ggim.un.org/IGIF/. 

14 | National Spatial Data Infrastructure Strategic Plan • 2021–2024 www.fgdc.gov 
 

Appendix 

Appendix 

This appendix provides additional information about the organizations involved in the development of this strategic plan, the 

statutory authorities, and the abbreviations used. It also contains a section for acknowledgments. 

FGDC Member Agencies 

The Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) is organized under the authority of the Geospatial Data Act of 

2018 (GDA) and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circular A–16. The FGDC provides leadership for the National 

Spatial Data Infrastructure (NSDI) and coordinates the development, use, sharing, and dissemination of the Nation’s 

geospatial data. In accordance with the GDA, the FGDC is chaired by the Secretary of the Interior (or designee), and the 

OMB Director (or designee) serves as the vice chair. The FGDC includes the following member agencies: 

Federal Communications Commission* U.S. Department of Commerce 

General Services Administration U.S. Department of Defense 

Library of Congress U.S. Department of Education 

National Aeronautics and Space Administration U.S. Department of Energy 

National Archives and Records Administration U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 

National Capital Planning Commission* U.S. Department of Homeland Security 

National Science Foundation U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development 

Offi ce of Management and Budget U.S. Department of the Interior 

Offi ce of Personnel Management U.S. Department of Justice 

Small Business Administration U.S. Department of Labor 

Smithsonian Institution U.S. Department of State 

Social Security Administration U.S. Department of Transportation 

Tennessee Valley Authority U.S. Department of the Treasury 

U.S. Agency for International Development U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs 

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers* U.S. Enviromental Protection Agency 

U.S. Department of Agriculture U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission 

________ 

*Non-voting members 

National Geospatial Advisory Committee 

The National Geospatial Advisory Committee (NGAC) is a Federal Advisory Committee authorized through the GDA to 

provide advice and recommendations related to management of Federal and national geospatial programs, development of 

the NSDI, and implementation of the GDA. The Committee reviews and comments on geospatial policy and management 

issues and provides a forum to convey views representative of non-Federal stakeholders in the geospatial community. The 

NGAC includes representatives from all levels of government, the private sector, nonprofit organizations, and academia. 

Additional information about the NGAC, including a list of committee members, is available at www.fgdc.gov/ngac. 

www.fgdc.gov National Spatial Data Infrastructure Strategic Plan • 2021–2024 | 15 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

List of Authorities 

• Budget and Accounting Procedures Act of 1950, as amended (31 U.S.C. Chapter 11) 

• Chief Financial Officers Act (31 U.S.C. 3512 et seq.) 

• Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (also known as the “Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996”) 

(40 U.S.C. 11101-11704) 

• E-Government Act of 2002 (44 U.S.C. Chapters 35 and 36) 

• Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (E-Sign) (15 U.S.C. Chapter 96) 

• Executive Order 13719, Establishment of the Federal Privacy Council (2016) 

• Federal Data Strategy (strategy.data.gov) 

• Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 (44 U.S.C. Chapter 35, Subchapter II) 

• Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA) (Pub. L. 113–291) 

• Foundations for Evidence-Based Policymaking Act of 2018 (or OPEN Government Data Act, Pub.L. 115–435) 

• Geospatial Data Act of 2018 (43 U.S.C. Chapter 46) 

• Government Paperwork Elimination Act of 1998 (44 U.S.C. 3504) 

• Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA) of 1993, as amended by the Government Performance and 

Results Modernization Act (GPRA Modernization Act) of 2010 (5 U.S.C. 306 and 31 U.S.C. 1115 et seq.) 

• Office of Federal Procurement Policy Act (41 U.S.C. Chapter 7) 

• Office of Management and Budget, 2000, November 28, Circular A–130 Revised 

• Office of Management and Budget, 2002, August 19, Circular A–16 Revised 

• Office of Management and Budget, 2006, March 3, Memorandum M–06–07: Designation of a Senior Agency 

Official for Geospatial Information 

• Office of Management and Budget, 2010, November 10, Circular A–16 Supplemental Guidance 

• Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) of 1980, as amended by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

(44 U.S.C. Chapter 35) 

• Privacy Act of 1974, as amended (5 U.S.C. 552a); Digital Accountability and Transparency Act of 2014 

(Pub. L. 113–101) 

• The White House, 1994, April 11, Executive Order 12906: Coordinating Geographic Data Acquisition and Access: 

The National Spatial Data Infrastructure 

16 | National Spatial Data Infrastructure Strategic Plan • 2021–2024 www.fgdc.gov 
 

Appendix 

Abbreviations 

FGDC Federal Geographic Data Committee 

GDA Geospatial Data Act of 2018 

IGIF Integrated Geospatial Information Framework 

NGAC National Geospatial Advisory Committee 

NGDA National Geospatial Data Asset 

NSDI National Spatial Data Infrastructure 

OMB Office of Management and Budget 

UN–GGIM United Nations—Global Geospatial Information Management 

Acknowledgments 

This plan was developed by an interagency team from the Federal Geographic Data Committee, and significant inputs were 

provided by the National Geospatial Advisory Committee. The following organizations participated in “NSDI Leaders Forum” 

listening sessions in 2020 and provided inputs and (or) comments that helped inform the development of the plan: 

American Society of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing 

American Association of Geographers 

AmericaView 

Cartography and Geographic Information Society 

Coalition of Geospatial Organizations 

GIS Certifi cation Institute 

International Association of Assessing Officers 

International Cartographic Association 

National Society of Professional Surveyors 

National States Geographic Information Council 

Open Geospatial Consortium 

University Consortium for Geographic Information Science 

Urban and Regional Information Systems Association 

U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation 

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