Nonprofits operate at the intersection of people, place, and purpose. As communities face rising social, environmental, and economic pressures, nonprofits need tools that reveal where their work is most needed and how their decisions shape outcomes.
Geographic information system (GIS) software from Esri offers a uniquely geographic approach that can help nonprofits advance their mission by providing a new visual framework for problem-solving. In this post, we explore what GIS technology is, along with a number of innovative ways it's already being used for good in our sector.
GIS is a technology used to capture, store, and analyze data on a map. Esri is a pioneer in this field and developed some of the first GIS products after its founding in 1969. GIS works by integrating multiple layers of data — such as roads, buildings, and vegetation — with location data to reveal patterns, relationships, and gaps often invisible in spreadsheets or reports.
For example, scientists in Chicago used Esri’s ArcGIS, an application that creates and analyzes maps, to record monarch butterfly populations in the area and learn where conservation efforts were required most. From digital maps to satellite imagery, 3D, and real time, GIS is being used by businesses, governments, and nonprofits to plan, collaborate, and respond to complex challenges.
Geography is a frame or a lens for everything. GIS is a set of tools NGOs can use to manipulate geography — make maps, do analytics — it’s a language that they should be empowered with.
— Jack Dangermond, founder, Esri
Join our upcoming webinar to learn how you can start using GIS tools to support your mission.
Many nonprofits' work is inherently geographic, shaped by where challenges emerge and services are deployed. Here are just a few ways organizations can use GIS to serve their missions.
Maps and storytelling help nonprofits communicate complex issues to build understanding and drive action. One example can be found in San Diego, in what started as a college assignment using GIS to help local nonprofits minimize food waste. But the data maps created were so useful that the project quickly became a regional GIS effort, mapping wasted food alongside hunger indicators, transit access, and more. The project reshaped how the region sees — and addresses — food insecurity.
In New York, Mohonk Preserve transformed its workflows by replacing clipboards with Esri’s ArcGIS tools. Tasks that once took staff hours to process now take minutes — whether tracking invasive species, documenting trail conditions, or coordinating volunteer patrols.
GIS also strengthens accountability and equity. The Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina uses ArcGIS to map food access, identify service gaps, and evaluate its markets. By visualizing travel times, partner locations, and produce shortages, staff can make informed, equitable decisions that improve service delivery.
Learn more about making GIS more accessible for nonprofits in this discussion between Esri founder Jack Dangermond and TechSoup CEO Marnie Webb. You can watch the extended discussion here
Esri’s GeoAI combines AI with geospatial data to dramatically reduce the time between assessment and action. In Florida, the Tallahassee–Leon County Geographic Information System Department uses it to assess post‑storm tree damage in days instead of months. AI‑generated maps guide public works crews, support cost estimates, and provide first responders with smart base maps that highlight alleys and service roads traditional navigation tools miss.
Nonprofits can use this same technology to forecast food insecurity, identify emerging health disparities, or predict where vulnerable populations will be most affected by extreme heat or flooding.
Nonprofits have broad access to GIS tools through The Esri Nonprofit Program, which offers organizations Esri solutions at an 80 to 99 percent discount. However, access alone isn’t enough. Real impact requires a shift from GIS being a specialist’s tool to an intuitive, everyday language that staff, volunteers, and community partners can use confidently in their work.
One way Esri lowers barriers to adoption is through ArcGIS Solutions, which are configurable templates that help organizations move quickly from concept to impact. Tools like Tree Management or Homelessness Point‑in‑Time Count provide structured workflows nonprofits can adapt without starting from scratch. Each reduces technical burdens and lets staff focus on mission‑critical work rather than complex configuration. These are just a few examples of the technical resources, data, and training offered to nonprofits through Esri to support the widespread use of these powerful tools.
The future of GIS in civil society will be shaped by collaboration and innovation. As nonprofits face growing social, environmental, and humanitarian challenges, location intelligence can help organizations anticipate needs, build resilient communities, and drive systemic change.
I'm excited by this idea that we can take the sort of haves and have-nots of the digital world and bring them together so that they're collaborating with common information systems, helping each other … and creating a better future.
— Jack Dangermond, founder, Esri
The Esri Nonprofit Program provides access to affordable GIS software to over 17,000 NGOs — empowering civil society with the same spatial intelligence used by governments and businesses to plan, collaborate, and respond to challenges in their communities. Check it out today if you think GIS tools can be used to power more impact at your nonprofit.
Want to learn more? Join the webinar Mapping Your Mission: GIS for Nonprofit Organizations. Sign up today.
Understanding where things happen can change how you make an impact. In this beginner-friendly webinar, you’ll learn how GIS technology helps nonprofit organizations to understand communities, plan programs, and communicate impact using both the data they already have and a wealth of reliable, ready-to-use information.
Join to learn about Esri’s Living Atlas of the World, a rich collection of readily available maps and data layers — including demographics, income, housing, health, climate, and environmental information — that nonprofits can use to better understand the people and places they serve. In addition to the data, you’ll get an introduction to Esri’s ArcGIS, a web-based platform with tools and apps that empower place-based storytelling, decision-making, and community engagement.
This session is designed for program staff, leaders, grant writers, and anyone curious about how mapping can support mission-driven work.
Thumbnail photo: Shutterstock