# OpenStreetMap for organizations

### ✅ It's free

Geospatial data on OSM is open ([under ODbL license](https://mapbox.gitbook.io/open-data-openstreetmap/legal-information)) to use and distribute.

### ✅ Get more done & engage people

👐 **Access to a community of 3M volunteers** mapping and updating geospatial features in their region

🔑 Local mappers can **validate imported government data** to evaluate the quality of the data and add missing data - improving geospatial government data and making it accessible to all.

Boost **open data and citizen participation** initiatives at the same time by partnering with the local OpenStreetMap community.

### ✅ Create transport systems of the future

🏁 Provide **improved transport services** to the local community by helping to keep transport data up-to-date on OSM. Many urban [navigation services](http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Routing/online_routers), like mobile [apps or websites](http://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Routing#End_users:_Routing_software), work on top of OpenStreetMap data. Better transport data in OSM means your citizens' favorite navigation solutions work better.

🚌 **Transport network graph** data can be difficult to maintain, but the OSM community and a host of open source tools can assist in validating and replacing existing data.

## How and why cities and organizations work with OSM

> *"OpenStreetMap will provide us with low cost to implement, low barrier to entry and crucially, offers us to work with an active local community that reflects the public sector doing its primary task, namely being there for the local people."*

**Stuart Leicester** Digital Projects, Strategic Modelling & Joint Data Team Officer, Transport for West Midlands, UK

> *"Cities should start leading instead of monopolizing. If you don't have a good cycleway dataset, do you really need to start building one yourself? Or are your citizens' and your needs met by improving and using OSM? But governments lack the tools for data assurance within OSM, and the metrics to convince them of the quality. These tools are in my opinion even more important than synchronisation tools."*

**Joost Schouppe** OSM contributor, Data analyst at City of Antwerp, Belgium

> *"OpenStreetMap as an open resource of highway data fuels SMEs and local economy."*

**Teresa Jolley** Creative Director, DEFT153


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