North Carolina GIS Conference

Since 1987, the North Carolina GIS Conference has brought together geographic information system professionals in government, business and education to share emerging technologies, new applications, updated data resources and cutting-edge ideas and projects. 

Sponsored by the N.C. Center for Geographic Information and Analysis as well as the Carolina Urban and Regional Information Systems Association, the gathering has a rich history of providing participants with a valuable and diverse forum for education and opportunities to network and learn from peers. 

CGIA organizes the conference in cooperation with an executive committee of state and local government GIS professionals.  CGIA also contributes staff time, and both the N.C. Geographic Information Coordinating Council and the N.C. Department of Information Technology are supporters.

2023 Conference

We are excited to announce that we are returning to Winston-Salem and the Benton Convention Center for the 2023 NC GIS Conference. The conference will be held March 8-10, 2023 with pre-conference workshops on March 7th.  Registration is now open and you can get all of the details by visiting the NC GIS Conference website.

2021 Conference

More than 750 participants representing 59 North Carolina counties and 22 states attended the 2021 North Carolina GIS conference, Feb. 16-19, 2021. The virtual event – the first time in the conference’s 30-year history – featured more than 70 presentations, 30 exhibitors and 22 posters.

Attendees received updates on important GIS initiatives, including the statewide rollout of Next Generation 911, broadband deployment, county boundary survey progress, the replacement of vertical datums, the corresponding development of a new North Carolina State Plane Coordinate System and the implementation of the Geospatial Data Act.

Presentations are available on the North Carolina GIS Conference YouTube channel.

While the change to a virtual format meant that attendees missed seeing colleagues in person, there were benefits to the virtual format, which received overwhelmingly positive feedback from attendees.

“The presentations were as effective online as in person, with online advantages in seeing the content ‘up close’ and hearing well,” said Jeff Brown, retired CGIA coordination program manager. 

“The conference was very well organized and offered sessions for any role the attendees have in the GIS field,” said Valerie Gray, of Lexington County Planning and GIS.