State of the Map U.S./Planning
About State of the Map US
State of the Map US is the biggest and best gathering of OpenStreetMap US community members from across the country! We have had some incredible State of the Map US conferences over the years, and in total hosted more than 4,000 people in 11 locations. Check out the OpenStreetMap US website for more information about past conferences!
Future State of the Map US Location Recommendations
Have an idea for a future State of the Map US location? Please share it here! The OSM US team considers a number of factors when deciding upon a conference location, and one of them is definitely community interest!
| City, State | Proposed Year/Dates | Existing Community (Y/N) | Person recommending |
|---|---|---|---|
State of the Map US 2024
The location for the 2024 State of the Map US will be announced in October 2023. There will be no bidding process for 2024. If you have ideas for a future conference location, please share them above!
State of the Map US 2023
Bidding for State of the Map US 2023 is now closed. Find more information and see location suggestions here.
State of the Map US 2020
The 2020 State of the Map US was postponed to 2022. Tucson was chosen as host in 2020 and finally hosted the 2022 event. Details can be found here & bidding information has been moved here.
Letters of Intent to Host a Future SOTMUS
We invite cities, towns, universities, etc. (a.k.a. place=city, place=town, amenity=university, residential, etc.) to prepare a bid for the State of the Map US conference! Please see the details below so you can discuss and prepare with your fellow mappers.
Please submit a Letter of Intent to signify your bid. What do we mean by “Letter of Intent”? This should be a general plan with the proposed venue, budget, and ideas for social activities, outlined below. We’re interested in hearing from groups of people who are excited to work with the OpenStreetMap US board and the rest of the planning committee to build a successful event. All ideas are welcome! The Letter of Intent should be 1-3 pages and should include, though not limited to, the following information:
- Who? Names of principal organizers and any affiliations.
- How? Names of institutions, organizations, companies, communities, or otherwise that you foresee sponsoring and/or technically supporting the conference. We’re interested in local groups that might help make this event especially successful.
- When? Suggested date ranges for the conference.
- Where? At least 2 viable venue options & estimated cost. Show evidence that you’ve chosen a venue that can accommodate our conference of 300-500 (and maybe more!) participants and 10 exhibitors. The space should include room for at least two parallel sessions, some breakout rooms, and lunch.
- Beep Beep! What are the options in terms of transportation & accessibility ?
- Zzzzzz… Indicate nearby affordable lodging for attendees. Keep in mind that State of the Map US attendees tend to be from out of town and don’t want to drive or walk very far each morning. Are their dorms? Hostels? Hotels? Airbnbs?
- $$$… Please provide a general sense of travel and lodging costs.
- Cake and balloons? Because it’s not just about mapping, please provide suggestions for local tourist attractions & social activities near the proposed venue site. What should we see in your town?