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In this current age where data is king, Geographic Information Systems (GIS) professionals must find and maintain authoritative sources.

At the Appalachian Ohio Regional GIS Symposium on Nov. 18, the George V. Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service announced the publicly launched GIS Hub, a comprehensive data-sharing ecosystem that enhances decision-making, promotes sustainable development and improves the quality of life across the region’s 32 counties. 

The symposium also launched the Appalachian Ohio Regional GIS Collaborative Project responsible for the HUB creation. 

The Collaborative is a partnership of the 91̽��'s Voinovich School, the and Ohio’s Local Development Districts (, , , and .

The project addresses the region's unique challenges, such as sparse population, limited technological infrastructure and economic constraints, by pooling resources across multiple stakeholders. It also fills gaps in data access through active collaboration with academic and government bodies, training and workshops, and ensuring that GIS tools and training are readily available to regional actors.

The U.S. Census Bureau provides the foundational data for the GIS Hub, but it also pulls numbers from other organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency, the Ohio Department of Transportation, and Housing and Urban Development. The platform is designed for innovation, learning and collaboration and will evolve as new data and sources appear.

“There's lots of data available in tables that are geographically tied,” says Jessica Schaudt, a GIS analyst at the Voinovich School. “For example, Ohio put out a report card for each school district in the state, so we went back and cleaned up those data sets and merged them with the census data,” Schaudt adds that she recently found a living wage data set from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and added it to the hub.

The target market for the GIS Hub is GIS professionals, but all of the data will be available to the public.

As the project grows, it will continue generating valuable insights, empowering regional actors to meet present and future challenges through data-driven solutions.

“By pooling resources and leveraging GIS technology, the project enhances decision-making, promotes sustainable development, and ensures a higher quality of life for residents,” says Elkin Kim, director of IT/GIS data analytics at the Voinovich School. “This initiative serves as a model for other rural communities, demonstrating how strategic partnerships and shared knowledge can overcome barriers to progress.”

To view and access the GIS Hub please visit .