MAGIP is a non-profit professional association that works to identify and support the strengths of individual members, find solutions to individual and collective problems, and address the needs of the Montana GIS community as a whole.

The mission of MAGIP is to stimulate, encourage, and provide for the advancement of an interdisciplinary approach to the use of geographic information. The Association sponsors educational workshops, conferences, forums, educational grants, and scholarships. We work collectively with educators, data creators, data users, application developers and software vendors to foster technical cooperation and promote the development of sound policy and practices that will support the efficient and effective use of geographic information systems.

MAGIP Organization and Background

The Montana Association of Geographic Information Professionals (MAGIP) was formed on April 21, 2004, when the Montana GIS Users' Group (MTGIS) was joined by the Montana Interagency GIS Technical Working Group (ITWG) and the Montana Local Government GIS Coalition (MLGGC).

MAGIP began with an 11-member interim Board of Directors with representation from each of the original forming groups and from the Montana Geographic Information Council (MGIC).  The original Board of Directors drafted by-laws that were presented to the membership and adopted at the 2006 Intermountain GIS Conference. MAGIP still has an 11-member board that encourages active participation from all sectors of the GIS community including federal, state, and local governments, the private sector, educational institutions, tribal entities, non-profits and individuals. Members are updated on board activities and notified of vacancies on the board through the MAGIP website and notices posted to the MAGIP list serve.

The Montana GIS Users Group (MTGIS) was formed in 1988 by a loose-knit group of diverse GIS professionals. MTGIS held its first Statewide GIS conference in 1988 and in 1990 formally established the group as a non-profit consortium engaged in the use of, and education about, GIS technology. The primary goal of MTGIS was to serve the educational needs of the GIS community at large. For nearly 15 years MTGIS provided a forum for exchanging information and ideas on GIS technology by sponsoring workshops, training opportunities and community projects, publishing a newsletter, funding educational scholarships, and hosting annual GIS conferences.