Strengthening GIS Data for Next Generation 911
The Indiana Geographic Information Office (IGIO), a division of the Indiana Office of Technology, has invested significant time and resources in advancing geographic information system (GIS) data for counties and communities across Indiana since 2005. As emergency response systems continue transitioning to digital technologies, the need for accurate, standardized, and reliable 911 address data has become increasingly important.
To support this effort, the Sowing Enriched and Enhanced Datasets (SEED) Grant program provided Indiana counties with up to $30,000 to modernize their road centerline and address data. The program was designed to help counties transition their datasets to Next Generation 911 (NG911) schema standards while improving overall data accuracy and reliability.
Beginning in late 2024, Abonmarche’s Digital Solutions team partnered with nine Indiana counties to implement these improvements.
Building Better 911 Data
Working closely with county GIS coordinators and directors, Abonmarche established comprehensive data governance programs for each participating county. The process began with the ingestion and evaluation of existing road centerline and address datasets.
GIS analysts then conducted detailed quality assessments, identifying areas for improvement before converting the data to NG911-compliant schemas. This approach helped establish greater consistency and accuracy across each county’s datasets while creating a stronger foundation for ongoing maintenance.
Using ArcGIS Pro and ArcGIS Online, Abonmarche also developed customized interactive dashboards and quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) tools. These solutions identified both attribute and geometric errors, allowing county staff to efficiently review, correct, and monitor their data.
Through these tools and workflows, counties were able to resolve identified issues throughout the grant period and achieve the program’s required 98% data quality threshold.
Creating Sustainable GIS Workflows
The project extended beyond simply improving existing datasets. A key focus was helping counties establish sustainable data management practices that could continue after the grant period ended.
Abonmarche worked with county staff to develop maintenance workflows and governance procedures designed to preserve data quality over time. The team also collaborated with county IT departments and 911 agencies to improve backend data storage, management, and accessibility.
These efforts created a more resilient foundation for county GIS operations and helped position staff to continue managing and improving their data independently.
Supporting the Future of Emergency Response
With the SEED Grant program concluding in early 2026, the nine participating Indiana counties are now better positioned to maintain high-quality GIS data and support more accurate and efficient emergency response.
Compliance with NG911 standards also improves interoperability between neighboring jurisdictions and agencies nationwide. Beyond emergency response, the enhanced GIS data can support more accurate tax parcel information and strengthen county-wide planning and decision-making.
Through the SEED Grant, Abonmarche’s Digital Solutions team helped these counties not only improve their GIS datasets, but also establish the tools, standards, and workflows needed to maintain that quality well into the future.