Applied Geographics, Inc.
Sept 2009
V
2.0
www.appgeo.com
The Hawai’i Geographic Information
Coordinating Council
Business Plan to Codify the
Operational Structure of the Council
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 1 of 21
June 30, 2009
Business Plan to Codify the
Operational Structure of the Council
1 Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................2
2 Program Goals.............................................................................................................................4
2.1 Overview...........................................................................................................................4
2.2 Formalize Council Structure.............................................................................................4
2.2.1 HIGICC Board.............................................................................................................4
Roles & Responsibilities of Board:......................................................................................4
2.2.2 Executive Officers .......................................................................................................4
Roles & Responsibilities of Officers:..................................................................................4
A. President..........................................................................................................................4
B. Vice-President.................................................................................................................5
C. Secretary..........................................................................................................................5
D. Treasurer .........................................................................................................................5
2.2.3 Creation of Standing Committees and Working Groups.............................................5
Membership Committee.......................................................................................................6
Finance Committee..............................................................................................................7
Policy and Compliance Committee ...................................................................................10
Education and Outreach Committee..................................................................................11
Information Technology (IT) Committee..........................................................................16
Data Inventory & Assessment Committee.........................................................................19
2.3 Creation of a Transition Task Force ...............................................................................21
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 2 of 21
June 30, 2009
HIGICC Business Plan to Codify the Operational Structure
of the Council
________________________________________________________________________
1 Executive Summary
Geospatial technology has been in use throughout many areas of the State of Hawaii for many
years. In 1999 the Hawaii Geographic Information Coordinating Council was formed as a
501.c.3 not-for-profit organization to provide coordination of geospatial activities among the
wide range of GIS users in order to avoid duplication of effort, promote data sharing, and
maintain data standards throughout the state. The mission of HIGICC “is to bring together and
continue to build the geographic community into a cohesive, recognized coordinating body that
facilitates the use, development, sharing, and management of geographic data and communicates
the value of geographic information to citizens and decision-makers.”
Now celebrating its ten-year anniversary, HIGICC leadership decided to take a look at its
accomplishments, its recent and planned activities and reach out to all of the stakeholders of
Hawaii to see how the Council could better serve the community as a whole. To help carry out
the process HIGICC applied for and received a grant from the Federal Geographic Data
Committee CAP grant program to develop the future goals and objectives of the community in
the form of both a Strategic and a Business Plan. The effort was overseen by a Steering
Committee comprised of members of the HIGICC Board of Directors and the process was
facilitated and documented by Applied Geographics, Inc, of Boston, Massachusetts.
Through the strategic planning process, three primary short term goals were established for the
implementation program that are believed to be the most important and realistic steps that can be
achieved that will help move this program along:
Complete the Strategic and Business Plans
Improve the HIGICC web site
Increase HIGICC membership
To that end, the goal of the business plan is to restructure the HIGICC and continue to build a
cohesive coordinating body that will effectively support the Hawaii geospatial community. In
addition to defining the roles and responsibilities of the Board and the Executive Officers, the
business plan recommends the creation of the following Standing Committees and their
supporting Working Groups:
Membership Committee
Recommends policies, procedures, initiatives and strategies for retaining and enhancing the
current membership of HIGICC.
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 3 of 21
June 30, 2009
Finance Committee
Makes budget recommendations, monitors the annual budget and identifies new and existing
income sources and strategies to support HIGICC objectives.
Grants and Scholarships Working Group
Policy and Compliance Committee
Reviews the bylaws and Board policies that impact the operations and legal obligations of the
Board.
Education and Outreach Committee
Promotes geospatial education through outreach, creative programs and online resources, builds
awareness of and support for geospatial technology and resources in the community at large, and
identifies training needs and opportunities.
GIS Day/Event Planning Working Group
Curriculum Development - K-12 Support for Educators and Students Working Group
Special Events and Conferences Working Group
Luncheon Series Working Group
HIGICC Newsletter Working Group
Outreach Working Group
Information Technology (IT) Committee
Identifies technology that could benefit the operations of HIGICC and makes recommendations
for its use as well as improvements that could be made to current technologies that are in use.
Website Working Group
Contact Management Working Group
Data Inventory & Assessment Committee
Facilitates data acquisition and development of data standards by taking a leadership role in
coordinating data acquisition efforts, establishing and promoting data standards, and facilitating
data distribution.
Framework Dataset Working Groups
Transition Task Force
Plans for and assures the execution of a smooth transition between the departing Board and the
incoming Board of HIGICC.
The following plan details the mission statement, objectives, activities, measures of
effectiveness, budget requirements, benefits, and risks for each standing committee and its
supporting working groups.
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 4 of 21
June 30, 2009
2 Program Goals
2.1 Overview
The primary goal of this business plan is to codify the structure of the HIGICC to continue to
build the geographic community of Hawaii into a cohesive, recognized coordinating body that
facilitates the use, development, sharing, and management of geographic data and communicates
the value of geographic information to citizens and decision-makers. This will be completed by
refining the structure of the Council, creating standing committees and appropriate working
groups within the committees, and distributing the workload and activities that must be
accomplished amongst a broader audience of the HIGICC to improve its reach and effectiveness.
2.2 Formalize Council Structure
The following sections of this plan define the revised council structure, the roles and
responsibilities of the Board, the Executive Officers, the Standing Committees, and the Working
Groups. It further defines the activities of each of these entities and measurements of success that
will be used to periodically evaluate the effectiveness of each entity.
2.2.1 HIGICC Board
Roles & Responsibilities of Board:
The Board shall have supervision, control, and direction of the affairs and funds of the HIGICC
and shall carry out the policies or changes therein within the limits of the bylaws. The Board
shall actively effectuate the HIGICC's purposes, objectives, and mission. The Board may adopt
such rules and regulations for the conduct of its business as shall be deemed advisable, and may,
in execution of the powers granted, appoint such agents as it may consider necessary. The Board
may delegate powers to officers, staff, and committees as it deems necessary for the
administration of the affairs of the HIGICC.
2.2.2 Executive Officers
The Officers of the HIGICC shall consist of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary and a
Treasurer.
Roles & Responsibilities of Officers:
The Executive Officers of HIGICC shall have the following roles and responsibilities:
A. President
The President shall be the principal officer of the Board, shall preside at all meetings of the
Board and shall be responsible for implementing the decisions and actions taken by the Board.
The President shall serve as the Board's representative on or before other organizations having
missions and objectives common with those of the HIGICC and shall represent the Board before
other bodies and organizations on issues relevant to the HIGICC's purposes, objectives, and
mission. The President may authorize or appoint other members to represent the Board with
other organizations upon approval of the Board. The President shall be a member, with right to
vote, of the Board and may serve on all committees created by the Board other than the
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 5 of 21
June 30, 2009
nominations and elections committee. The President shall fill vacancies on the Board from
eligible voters within thirty days.
B. Vice-President
The Vice-President will assist the President in the discharge of the President's duties as requested
by the President or Board. In the absence or inability of the President to perform the duties of the
President, the Vice-President shall assume all duties of the President. The Vice-President shall be
a voting member of the Board and may serve on all committees created by the Board other than
the nominations and elections committee.
C. Secretary
The Secretary shall give notice of and attend all meetings of the Board, keep a record of the
proceedings, keep a record of the contact information including the last known address of
members, cause the records of proceedings to be distributed to the members, attest to documents
of the Board, and perform such other duties that are usual for such office or as may be duly
assigned.
The Secretary shall be the chair of the Membership Committee.
D. Treasurer
The Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all moneys received and expended for the use by
the Board and make disbursements authorized by the Board and shall report to the Board an audit
of the accounts at the first general meeting following the close of the fiscal year. The fiscal year
for the HIGICC shall be July 1 through June 30. The Treasurer shall deposit all sums received
into a special account kept with a financial institution approved by the Board. An independent
audit may be conducted at the direction of the HIGICC. The report of audit and collective action
taken (if any) shall be presented by the Treasurer at the first general meeting following receipt of
the independent auditor report.
The Treasurer shall be the chair of the Finance Committee.
2.2.3 Creation of Standing Committees and Working Groups
The following standing committees shall be formed as part of the formal structure of HIGICC.
At no less than on an annual basis each of these committees shall be reviewed by the Board as to
its mission, need, and effectiveness and adjustments shall be made if necessary.
Pursuant to Article VI of the Bylaws, these standing committees "shall keep a record of all
proceedings and provide a copy to the Board Secretary...(and) shall meet at least quarterly..."
The short- and long-term goals listed here are preliminary; upon meeting, the committees are
responsible for reviewing and adopting them, or, if necessary, developing and adopting their own
specific, achievable short- and long-term goals. In addition to the activities outlined here, the
Board may from time to time assign issues to be discussed, studied and resolved by the
committees.
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 6 of 21
June 30, 2009
Membership Committee
Membership Committee Mission Statement
The Membership Committee is an internally focused committee tasked with growing and
strengthening the organization. The Membership Committee recommends policies, procedures,
initiatives and strategies for retaining and enhancing the current membership in HIGICC both
quantitatively and qualitatively. The Membership Committee is chaired by the Secretary of
HIGICC and the objectives of this committee include:
Establish policies and create/oversee processes and activities related to HIGICC’s
membership
Expand HIGICC membership and retain existing members
Establish benefits that have a real or perceived value and that provide an incentive or
motivation to become a member of HIGICC
Membership Committee Activities
The activities that will be carried out by this committee include the following:
Distribute yearly reminders to existing members encouraging renewed membership and
promoting benefits of membership
Organize social activities/events that encourage membership networking
Provide professional development and training opportunities for members
Membership Committee Measures of Effectiveness
Short-Term Goals
- Continue use of and develop expertise in Wild Apricot Membership Management
software
- Create an inventory of membership that will allow tracking and analysis of current
membership base and provide useful demographic information for new membership
recruitment
- Identify and implement procedures to maintain an accurate member inventory
- Evaluate current membership both qualitatively and quantitatively
- Survey existing state councils for membership benefits
- Evaluate implementation of additional member benefits, if appropriate
- Publicize member benefits (e.g., discounts, supplemented luncheons, etc.) to attract
new members and encourage membership renewals
- Reactivate membership within known community (past members)
- Obtain list of members prior to 2005 as likely candidates for renewed membership
- Evaluate membership fee structure
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 7 of 21
June 30, 2009
Long-Term Goals
- Develop strategies to increase membership in groups not currently well represented
Membership Committee Budget
Wild Apricot Content Management Software Subscription: $600 annually
Potential: If HIGICC contracts for membership program assistance, additional costs
(TBD) will be incurred
Membership Committee Benefits and Risks
The following benefits will be achieved if this committee’s mission is successful:
Expanded membership will enhance participation in all activities
Expanded membership will enhance the reputation, viability, and credibility of HIGICC
in national organizations (NSGIC, ASPRS) and with Federal and State agencies.
Expanded membership will increase financial viability of HIGICC
The potential risks of failure of this committee are that:
Membership will decline and HIGICC will cease to exist
Potential inability to deliver expected benefits as promised to members
Finance Committee
Finance Committee Mission Statement
The Finance Committee is an internally focused committee with sustainability impacts. The
Finance Committee is chaired by the Treasurer. The Committee makes budget recommendations,
monitors the annual budget and identifies new and existing income sources and strategies to
support HIGICC objectives. The Committee works to develop and recommend policies that
ensure that the Board acts in a fiscally responsible manner.
Finance Committee Responsibilities
The Finance Committee’s primary responsibilities can be broken into two major areas; managing
the internal finances of HIGICC’s budget, and managing external finance activities for
scholarships and grants. Internal responsibilities are primarily managed by the Treasurer and
other members of the Board, while a working group shall manage grants and scholarships while
involving stakeholder groups in the process.
Internal responsibilities
- Critically monitor income and expenses on a quarterly basis
- Work with the Membership and Outreach Committees to continually increase funding
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 8 of 21
June 30, 2009
Internal Activities
- Provide annual financial summary reports to directors and members
- Produce annual budget and submit to directors for approval (and modify as necessary)
Finance Committee Measures of Effectiveness
Short-Term Goals
- Develop 2009-2010 Budget and present to Board by 8/1/09
- Provide quarterly budget vs. actual reports in support of improved budget monitoring
- Increase income by 10%
- Apply for State GE Tax Exemption
- Inventory existing state councils and fees paid for membership (joint task with
Membership Committee)
- Evaluate HIGICC’s finances compared to other state’s councils
Finance Committee Working Groups
Grants and Scholarships Working Group
Grants and Scholarships Working Group Responsibilities
The primary responsibilities of the grants and scholarships working group are to carry out
all activities related to the HIGICC scholarship fund and to research, identify, and pursue
or assist members in the pursuit of geospatial grants.
Grants and Scholarships Working Group Activities
Scholarship
Review and edit solicitation materials
Publicize scholarship opportunities
Work with the Education Committee to publicize college/university scholarships
for high school seniors
Work with Membership Committee to identify potential donors to the scholarship
fund
Evaluate and select recipients
Develop and adhere to annual scholarship schedule
Administer HIGICC scholarship distribution
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 9 of 21
June 30, 2009
Grants
Identify grant opportunities having a geospatial component for HIGICC to
advance overall HIGICC mission that benefit Hawaii geospatial community
Identify grants that will provide HIGICC funding to execute its mission
Participate in preparation of HIGICC grant applications
Assist Treasurer and grant PI in monitoring of HIGICC grants
Identify grant opportunities for constituent members and/or member groups
Grants and Scholarships Working Group Measures of Effectiveness
Scholarship
Finalize calendar/schedule for 2009/2010 scholarship award by September 30
Review scholarship application for errors or develop new application by October
31.
Revise forms, meet deadlines and receive at least 5 applications.
Grants
Identify grant opportunities that HIGICC should pursue that could benefit the
membership as a whole.
Apply for at least two grants in FY 09-10
Identify at least two grant opportunities that have a geospatial component that
would benefit specific subgroups with the HIGICC membership (Public Works,
Public Safety, Health, Broadband, Economic Development) and educate them on
their applicability.
Long-Term Goals
- Assist in preparation of grant applications
- Assist in program management for awarded grants
- Develop documentation for Scholarship Program administration to be included in the
Board Transition Plan to be prepared by the Transition Task Force
- Develop documentation for Grants administration to be included in the Board
Transition Plan to be prepared by the Transition Task Force
Finance Committee Benefits and Risks
The following benefits will be achieved if this committee’s mission is successful:
Budget management will assure the longevity of HIGICC and the activities that the
council performs
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 10 of 21
June 30, 2009
Improvements in the scholarship fund and program will build awareness of the council
and its activities with those in higher education as well as those about to enter the
workforce
Scholarships will help deserving students further their studies in geospatial data and
technology
Improved management and educational awareness of grant programs will provide a
tangible benefit for members and motivate non-members to join HIGICC
The potential risks of failure of this committee are that:
Finances will be mismanaged and the council may cease to function properly
The HIGICC community will not be aware of potential grant opportunities for which they
are eligible
Deserving students will not have HIGICC scholarship funds available to them
Policy and Compliance Committee
Policy and Compliance Committee Mission Statement
The Policy and Compliance Committee is focused on external issues with an internal decision
making process. The Committee reviews the bylaws and Board policies that impact the
operations and legal obligations of the board. The Policy and Compliance Committee tracks,
reviews and reports on changes to tax and non-profit law, court decisions, pending litigation and
non-profit "best practices" to determine the impact on the Board functions as well as on the
geospatial community in Hawaii. The Committee recommends bylaw and/or policy changes as
may be necessary to comply with new or revised laws, best practices or changing circumstances,
and develops related draft policies for submission to full Board for approval. The Committee
also monitors the Hawaii legislative session and makes recommendations to the Board on how to
react to legislative issues.
Policy and Compliance Committee Responsibilities
The primary responsibility of the policy and compliance committee is to assure that HIGICC is
in compliance with IRS laws and non-profit best practices.
Policy and Compliance Committee Activities
Review current policies
Address policy issues as they arise
Review organizational structure
Assess organizational effectiveness
Consider policy issues related to other committee activities (e.g. for the Education and
Outreach committee, should a commercial presenter only participate in part of a
sponsored lunch?)
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 11 of 21
June 30, 2009
Policy and Compliance Committee Measures of Effectiveness
Short-Term Goals
- Complete bylaw review with attorney in time for vote by membership at 2010 annual
meeting
- Develop policy to respond to requests for assistance/letters of recommendation, etc.
by members by January 1, 2010
- Complete a review of HIGICC organizational structure vs. other state boards for
submission to board by June 30, 2010
- Develop policies for document retention, whistle blower, code of ethics, other
standard "non-profit" policies with at least 3 new standard non-profit board policies
by June 30, 2010
- Draft policies on how HIGICC should react to legislative issues or requests for
assistance raised by members by June 30, 2010
- Review legislation for involvement of state and federal employees in the operation of
HIGICC and report to Board on findings by January 1, 2010
- Review event sponsorship for possible conflict-of-interest issues
Long-Term Goals
- Periodic Review of HIGICC Bylaws
- Review proposed legislation and make recommendations for improvement where
revisions could improve geospatial activities in Hawaii
- Track proposed legislation that could be revised to improve geospatial activities in
Hawaii on an ongoing basis
Policy and Compliance Committee Budget
- Potential costs include attorney to assist with bylaw review (as recommended by
accountant): approximately $2,000
Policy and Compliance Committee Benefits and Risks
Benefits include assurance that HIGICC maintains compliance with changing bylaws
and/or policy changes and improved council structure and effectiveness through periodic
assessment of HIGICC structure.
Risks include loss of non-profit status if HIGICC is not in compliance in relevant state
and local laws, especially those pertaining to non-profits (e.g., IRS 501(c)(3) laws).
Education and Outreach Committee
Education and Outreach Committee Mission Statement
The Education and Outreach Committee’s mission is to promote geospatial education through
outreach, creative programs and online resources, build awareness of and support for geospatial
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 12 of 21
June 30, 2009
technology and resources in the community at large, and identify training needs and
opportunities of the Hawaii geospatial community.
The following working groups shall be established to aid in the execution of this mission. The
responsibilities, activities, and measures of effectiveness of each working group are further
defined to follow.
Education and Outreach Committee Working Groups
GIS Day/Event Planning Working Group
GIS Day/Event Planning Working Group Responsibilities
GIS day events are held worldwide, typically in mid-November. For many years HIGICC
hosted an event at the McCoy Pavilion although none has been held for the past two years
as the focus turned toward curriculum. This working group’s responsibility is to plan and
coordinate all aspects of an annual GIS Day event and HIGICC’s participation in this
national event. This working group should consider participation in GIS Day and explore
the options, cost, coordination effort, availability of volunteers and audience for other
options. Activities planned for in this event should be evaluated as to how they support
the HIGICC mission statement.
GIS Day/Event Planning Activities
Planning activities for future events will need to address such issues as:
Event format
Level of effort for coordination
Volunteer recruitment
Audience participation
Direct monetary support
Publicity
Number of attendees
GIS Day/Event Planning Measures of Effectiveness
For GIS Day planning activities, key milestones that must be met and performance of the
group shall be measured against adherence to the milestones listed below.
August 31 – Decide on type of event and venue
September 15 – Content determined, volunteers sent “save-the-date” notification
September 22 – Schools notified and enlisted
Oct 31 – Dry run of event
Nov 18 – GIS Day
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 13 of 21
June 30, 2009
Curriculum Development - K-12 Support for Educators and Students Working Group
Curriculum Development Working Group Responsibilities
For the last two years, HIGICC has worked with DOE, UH, and others resulting in the
successful development of one introductory lesson. HIGICC should consider formats for
future support and examine what worked and did not work during the past two years of
curriculum development.
Curriculum Development Working Group Activities
Short-Term Goals
- Create and maintain a bureau of potential speakers that can present on various
real-world topics having different levels of complexity
- Provide reviews of existing materials and make recommendations as to ways
to improve or enhance the programs
- Review and provide feedback on at least one existing K-12 program
- Work with website working group to create a resource center on HIGICC web
site to store presentation materials, PowerPoint presentations and case studies
- Consult with other GICCs to locate resources that should be linked to or
absorbed into HIGICC website
Long-Term Goals
- Design and develop curriculum for teaching K-12 students about the use of
geospatial technology including lecture materials, PowerPoint presentations
and sample datasets
- Identify, solicit and market to K-12 educators who may not be aware of
geospatial technology and the relevance that it has to the subjects that they
teach
- Identify and establish two new programs per year in K-12 curricula that do not
currently have a such a program
- Add at least five new people per year to the speakers bureau to present at
annual event
- Create educational materials for managers and government officials
- Create training materials for GIS professionals
Special Events and Conferences Working Group
Special Events and Conferences Working Group Responsibilities
Special Events and Conferences Working Group Responsibilities: HIGICC has
sometimes partnered with HCPO and/or APA to organize the Statewide GIS Conference
(called by various names over the years). The most recent conference occurred in 2006
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 14 of 21
June 30, 2009
and the next one is planned for September 2009. This working group’s responsibility is to
coordinate the activities of HIGICC at these conferences and other events that support
HIGICC’s overall mission.
Special Events and Conferences Working Group Activities
Research and evaluate events for potential HIGICC participation
Make recommendations as to participation in potential events to the Board
Establish planning milestones for each event that HIGICC decides to attend
Execute activities that are undertaken
Identify potential partnerships and sponsorships
Evaluate benefits, risks, resources required, costs, timeframe and conflicting /
competing activities
Special Events and Conferences Working Group Measures of Effectiveness
For each event, key planning milestones must be met and performance of the
group shall be measured against adherence to the set milestones.
Luncheon Series Working Group
Luncheon Series Working Group Responsibilities
The luncheon series has been historically sporadic but reinvigorated over the last year.
The responsibility of this working group is to continue the momentum of this past year
and plan a luncheon series that supports the mission statement of the HIGICC.
Luncheon Series Working Group Activities
Activities to be carried out by this working group include planning for and managing the
execution of the luncheon series.
Identify potential topics for the luncheon series
Consider pros and cons of each event as the relate to the HIGICC mission
Research opportunities to recruit commercial sponsors and presenters
Establish the appropriate cost of lunch
Research and establish an additional HIGICC organizing fee
HIGICC Newsletter Working Group
Newsletter Working Group Responsibilities
A HIGICC digital newsletter has been created sporadically in the past and it is desirable
to achieve this on a more regular basis (at least 4 newsletters annually). The
responsibility of this working group is to manage and perform all activities related to
producing the newsletter on a regular basis.
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 15 of 21
June 30, 2009
Newsletter Working Group Activities
Solicit and select editor for newsletter
Establish frequency for newsletter production and distribution
Establish key milestones to meeting frequency
HIGICC Newsletter Working Group Options for Development
Volunteers (Must consider availability)
Paid Contractor (Must consider funding and selection process)
Sponsored topics (Must consider selection process and cost)
Regular contributions / articles from the Standing Committees
Regular articles from the Federal, State and County representatives
Regular articles from the President
Solicit articles from general membership and geospatial community at large
HIGICC Newsletter Working Group Measures of Effectiveness
Create Digital Newsletter on at least a quarterly basis
Outreach Working Group
Outreach Working Group Responsibilities
The responsibilities of this working group are to reach out to segments of the community
that are not currently using geospatial technology and educate them on its benefits and
engage them as active stakeholders in HIGICC.
Outreach Working Group Activities
Identify sectors or industries for geospatial outreach and groups that represent these
entities and reach out to these groups (sectors and industries that have been identified to
date include IT, Planning, Surveying, Engineering)
Work with membership committee to increase awareness of geospatial technology
in poorly represented groups and secure their active participation in and support
of the HIGICC activities
Work with IT Committee to improve web site and to utilize video and web
conferencing technologies
Work with Policy Committee to build awareness of and support for geospatial
technology with legislators and decision makers and high-level government
executives (e.g., Cabinet Members, Department Heads)
Outreach Working Group Measures of Effectiveness
Establish relationship with at least one new outside organization.
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 16 of 21
June 30, 2009
Education and Outreach Committee Budget
GIS Day
$500 for McCoy Pavilion
Other event costs - unknown
Curriculum Development
No costs are anticipated at this time.
Special Events and Conferences
These events should be self-sustaining, generating enough revenue to cover the associated
costs.
Luncheon Series
There will be a small subsidy for members in the range of $5 or $10 per member per lunch
(at four lunches per year, 30 members, $600 to $1,200 for member subsidy).
HIGICC Newsletter
An all-electronic version of the newsletter is planned with no associated production costs.
Outreach
No costs are planned at this time. The working group may propose activities or projects
during the year for which individual budgets will be developed.
Education and Outreach Committee Benefits and Risks
Benefits include improved relationship with constituencies and better publicizing of work
to the broader community
Potential risks include not being able to meet an ambitious set of goals
Information Technology (IT) Committee
IT Committee Mission Statement
The IT Committee is an internally focused committee with an external impact. Its mission is to
identify technology that could benefit the operations of HIGICC and make recommendations for
its use as well as improvements that could be made to current technologies that are in use.
IT Committee Responsibilities
Provide technical advice, expertise and leadership to the council. Specific technical issues shall
be anticipated, reviewed, researched and evaluated, and appropriate recommendations shall be
provided to the council
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 17 of 21
June 30, 2009
IT Committee Working Groups
The following working groups shall be established to aid in the execution of this mission. The
responsibilities, activities, and measures of effectiveness of each working group are further
defined to follow.
Website Working Group
Website Working Group Responsibilities
The responsibility of the website working group is to keep the HIGICC website current
both from the standpoint of the content of the site and the technology used to provide the
content to the intended users.
Website Working Group Activities
Evaluate features of website (restricted pages, blogs, discussion pages, events,
membership)
Evaluate Internet and other technologies that may benefit HIGICC (web and
video conferencing, YouTube, podcasting, Twitter, social networking sites)
Evaluate file storage options
Review site versus other Council websites as to content on the site.
Evaluate and recommend technologies to allow participation in meetings and
events by users in remote and off-site locations
Website Working Group Measures of Effectiveness
Short-Term Goals
- Review other councils as to application of technology that could benefit
HIGICC and report to committee by January 1, 2010
- Complete migration from A-Tech site to Wild Apricot site by January 1, 2010
- Move ‘higicc.org’ domain from A-Tech to Wild Apricot
- Reorganize / redesign website (include job openings, resumes, applications,
Strategic Plan, Business Plan, etc.) by July 1, 2010
- Provide relevant documentation to Transition Task Force (passwords, how-
to's, etc.)
Long-Term Goals
- Evaluate hardware, software and IT outsourcing needs
- Create and manage restricted pages for Board Members and / or committees
- Support and facilitate the work of other committees
- Evaluate other technologies that could improve HIGICC operations
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 18 of 21
June 30, 2009
Contact Management Working Group
Contact Management Working Group Responsibilities
This working group will work to optimize the management and use of the Wild Apricot
contact management database to support outreach and membership working group
activities.
Contact Management Working Group Activities
Become more familiar with all the features of Wild Apricot contact management
database
Work with all committees to take full advantage of the capabilities of the database
Evaluate email server options and recommend improvements if deemed beneficial
Explore GIS Inventory.net (Ramona) and Geospatial One Stop
Contact Management Working Group Measures of Effectiveness
Short-Term Goals
- Evaluate features of Wild Apricot’s new contact database by January 1, 2010
- Review database with Membership Committee to ensure that it’s current and
accurate by January 1, 2010
- Educate membership committee on use of Wild Apricot by January 1, 2010
- Evaluate email server options by January 1, 2010
Long-Term Goals
- Periodically review database to ensure that it is current and accurate
- Work with other committees to take advantage of contact database features
(targeted mailings, discounted events, etc.)
IT Committee Benefits and Risks
Benefits include enhanced HIGICC operations through technological investments such as
improved communication and information management tools
Additional benefits may be greater visibility for the organization and an enhanced
reputation in the geospatial community
Potential risks include additional need for training with rapidly changing technology and
additional need for content management with increased reliance on web and database
applications
Potential risk of having just a few users develop expertise in manipulating and managing
the website (transition planning is important since Board members periodically rotate off)
Potential risk of website becoming stale and static and not a resource for members and
the geospatial community at large
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 19 of 21
June 30, 2009
IT Committee Budget
Potential: If HIGICC contracts for web management, additional costs (TBD) will be
incurred
Web hosting by Wild Apricot: $50 per month
Hosted email server and file storage services are potential cost items
Remote broadcast technology will incur additional costs
Data Inventory & Assessment Committee
Data Inventory and Assessment Committee Mission Statement
The Data Inventory and Assessment Committee is both an internally and externally focused
committee. The Data Inventory and Assessment Committee shall support HIGICC programmatic
goal of facilitating data acquisition and development of data standards by taking a leadership role
in coordinating possible data acquisition efforts, establishing and promoting data standards, and
facilitating data distribution.
Data Inventory and Assessment Committee Responsibilities
The Committee shall coordinate with the Outreach Committee to promote understanding of
diverse use and availability of spatial data and it shall establish policies, standards and general
procedures for the submission, evaluation, maintenance, on-line access, and dissemination of all
geospatial data within the purview of the Council.
Coordinating data acquisition
Developing and promoting geospatial data standards, and
Facilitating data distribution across geographic and administrative boundaries.
Data Inventory and Assessment Committee Working Groups
The Committee shall to establish working groups to support strategies for priority framework
datasets as identified by all stakeholders in Hawaii and in support of NSDI. The framework data
sets and corresponding working groups include:
Geodetic Control
Ortho Imagery
Transportation
Hydrography
Elevation
Governmental Units
Cadastral
Utilities
Structures
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 20 of 21
June 30, 2009
Physical Environment and Natural Hazards
Cultural Resources
Terrestrial Layers
Marine Layers
Scanned Maps
Data Inventory and Assessment Committee Working Group Responsibilities (all framework
datasets)
Each working group shall be responsible for the following executing all of the activities listed
below for its respective data layer.
Data Inventory and Assessment Committee Working Group Activities (all framework
datasets):
Establish a community of "interested parties" for each data layer
Development of an inventory of existing conditions
Development of an inventory of near-term planned improvements or projects that will
enhance the data layer
Development of a vision for the future of the data layer
Development of data standards
Maintenance of the inventory on an annual basis
Working with the website group to establish appropriate links or distribution mechanisms
for each data layer
Data Inventory and Assessment Committee Working Group Measures of Effectiveness (all
framework datasets)
Short-Term Goals
Establish Committee and Chair
Establish priority Working Groups
Long-Term Goals
Each working group will develop a business plan for each framework data layer including:
Current status
Short and long term goal for each dataset
Programs currently underway
Near term planned programs
Implementation program
Resource requirements
HIGICC Business Plan
Applied Geographics, Inc. Page 21 of 21
June 30, 2009
Data Inventory and Assessment Committee Budget
The Committee may request funding from the HIGICC board to convene workshops and/or
meetings that advance the work of the Committee and the mission of HIGICC. No base budget
for data acquisition, storage, or distribution is needed at this time.
Data Inventory and Assessment Committee Benefits and Risks
Benefits of this Committee include improved facilitation of data acquisition, improved use of
data standards, and improvements in data distribution.
2.3 Creation of a Transition Task Force
One of the common themes that emerged from the strategic planning process was that the
transition from one board to the next is a particularly ineffective time period of the council’s
history. The mission of the Transition Task Force is to properly plan for and assure the execution
of a smooth transition between the departing Board and the incoming Board of HIGICC.
Transition Task Force Activities
Short-Term Goals
Identify information that should be provided to an incoming Board that would assure
a successful transition with the least amount of disruption of operation
Identify information that should be provided to only selected board members (e.g.,
logons, treasurer files, etc,)
Develop an implementation strategy for transition of existing Board
Long-Term Goals
Monitor and revise plan as appropriate based on work of all committees and working
groups of HIGICC
Transition Task Force Measures of Effectiveness
Complete board manuals in place by 12/31/09
Successful transition of existing board
Transition Task Force Budget
Materials for manuals, duplication costs: $200