gis in civic tech
better maps make better cities — and better counties, agencies, and communities.
Civic technology is any technology that helps government work better for the people it serves. That's a wide mandate. It covers transit and transportation, but also land use and zoning, emergency management, public health, parks and open space, broadband and digital equity, housing and community development, open data initiatives, and the full range of services that local, regional, and state government delivers to residents every day.
All of it has a geographic dimension. whereabouts works with government agencies, public institutions, and the civic technology organizations that support them to build the spatial infrastructure that makes public services more efficient, more equitable, and more visible.
what we help civic tech organizations do:
Map transit routes and service zones against ridership, equity, and demographic data
Analyze service coverage gaps across housing, health, transit, and public space
Build public-facing web maps for community engagement, transparency, and open data
Develop field data collection tools for infrastructure inspection, permitting, and code enforcement
Design spatial databases for asset management, capital planning, and facilities operations
Support grant applications and NEPA documentation with spatial analysis
Build land use, zoning, and parcel analysis tools for planning departments
Develop emergency management spatial tools and situational awareness dashboards
Create broadband coverage and digital equity maps for funding applications and policy
Support parks and recreation planning with spatial analysis and demand modeling
who we work with:
Regional transit authorities. Municipal and county planning departments. Metropolitan planning organizations. State transportation and environmental agencies. Civic technology nonprofits. Community development organizations. Emergency management agencies. Public housing authorities. Libraries and public institutions. Open data and government transparency initiatives.
a note on certifications:
whereabouts is a certified Women's Business Enterprise (WBENC), Women-Owned Small Business (WOSB), and LGBT Business Enterprise (NGLCC), and a disabled-owned firm. Government agencies with vendor diversity requirements or small business set-aside programs may find our certifications relevant to procurement. We're glad to provide whatever documentation your process requires.