CartONG, a French NGO, was set up in 2006 by cartographers who wanted to improve the way aid agencies were using maps and geographic information. It has since expanded and now offers many innovative tools of information management, mapping, analysis and communication to aid organizations.

Geography cannot save lives, but it can have a tremendous impact when put in the right hands. CartONG’s main aim is therefore to support organizations and people who are saving lives, improving livelihoods and protecting the environment around the world so that they can do it better and on a greater scale.

We believe this can only be achieved by enabling these organizations and people, with capacity building and strategic advice, taking into account the specific nature of each structure and context. This is why our team offers expertise, training, strategic advice and secondments, both at headquarters and in the field. We monitor innovations to enable our partners to find out what works best for them, and contribute, when possible, to the development of new tools and the definition of best practice. To learn more, check our projects and services.

Our experts and volunteers work on different aspects of humanitarian action and development: for example, refugees, logistics, health, natural disasters and the environment. We promote GIS and information management as cross-cutting tools that can be used by various sectors (for example, needs assessments, project planning, monitoring and evaluation), but also foster a collaborative and innovative spirit within our partner organizations and the communities we support.

Working with local communities and focusing on the capacity of local staff is key to us, since it is a prerequisite for developing projects that are sustainable and meet the needs of the people we are serving. We are also strong advocates of information sharing, open data and pooling resources to improve the overall efficiency and reach of humanitarian and development ecosystems.

CartONG is a non-profit, secular and apolitical association based in Chambéry, France. It is run democratically and transparently. You can check our bylaws here.