As it becomes obvious that local jurisdictions have the most spatially accurate and most current data - these relationships may change and partnerships with locals will be perceived as critical to data base maintenance. Partnerships with the private sector have been nearly non-existent. As was noted previously, one of the challenges in evolution of the NSDI is acknowledging and addressing the diversity of perspectives on what the NSDI is and what it s good for. Federal government agencies tend to understand how to make maps and build data sets that represent space, but have little understanding or appreciation for place. Local governments have the opposite skills - understanding place, but not space.
State agencies dealing with spatial data seem to have more in common with federal agencies.
Most of the work that has gone into the NSDI as of this writing has been directly funded or underwritten by the federal government. Incentive grants for partnerships were established, funding for contract work has been provided to the National States Geographic Information Council, as well as funding for travel to meetings for hundreds of state, local, non-profit, and university personnel has been provided. Some of these resources have been matched by non-federal participants, but the percentage is low. Some individuals have raised questions about the governance of the NSDI, arguing that more participants need a seat at the table to contribute to the decision-making. Two realities argue against this model.