Use for the Community Compact IT Grant

The Community Compact IT Grant is awarded to municipalities by the state to drive innovation and advancements in the technological realm. This grant is designed to fund community initiatives that make technological tools easier and more effective for public use. The Town of Groveland saw this grant as an opportunity to advance the MIMAP application for participating communities in the MVPC Region. For nearly 20 years, MIMAP has been used by fourteen communities as a mapping resource that aids projects such as asset management and emergency preparedness. Greater possibilities for MIMAP would empower users to work with data more dynamically. Groveland’s vision was granted, with their application being accepted. MVPC now has the opportunity to increase the capabilities of MIMAP for user’s region wide.

Future MIMAP Advancements

With MIMAP being launched in 2006, and upgraded in 2017, it has been some time since the application has seen renovations. MVPC is using these grant funds to make many upgrades to the application, including giving users’ greater flexibility in retrieving information through enhanced reporting and data identification and improving application performance.  With the last update to the interface being seven years old, it is time to make an upgrade.  A better interface will lead to more robust use of the application, improving the user experience.  In today’s world, there are online applications available for a plethora of different types of data. Currently, MIMAP can access a community’s GIS data, but the new version aims to have better integration with the various web applications in use today.  This will enable easier access to data sources such as permit tracking, assessing information and imagery based resources.

Here at MVPC we are elated to continue to expand such a highly utilized tool like MIMAP. We look forward to instituting these changes and keeping the region updated on when to expect the next generation MIMAP.

For access to existing MIMAP applications in the Merrimack Valley region, among other applications, visit our website.

To learn more about the Community Compact IT grant, visit the state’s website.