The purpose of the National Spatial Data Infrastructure Cooperative Agreements Program (NSDI CAP) is to fund innovative projects in the geospatial data community to build the infrastructure necessary to effectively discover, access, share, manage, and use digital geospatial data.

The NSDI

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consists of the technologies, policies, organizations, and people necessary to promote cost-effective production, ready availability, and greater utilization of geospatial data among a variety of sectors, disciplines, and communities.

Specific NSDI CAP areas of emphasis include:
documenting, implementing, and providing outreach for FGDC geospatial standards including metadata; expanding geographic information coordination across and between organizational levels; promoting geospatial best practices; advancing geospatial related Web services; framework development; and clearinghouse establishment.

The results of the awarded projects benefit multiple federal agencies as well as the overall geospatial community.

Since 1994, the Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC), hosted by the U. S. Geological Survey’s National Geospatial Program (NGP), has awarded projects that advance the NSDI in partnership with the geospatial community.