The Tennessee Geographic Information Council was established in 1994 to improve the linkages between the various agencies working with a Geographic Information System in Tennessee. At present, there are over 200 members representing many varied agencies. TNGIC is a non-profit group of GIS users, designers, and those who influence the use of GIS in federal, state, and local governments as well as private sector representatives within the State of Tennessee.

The Council had its beginnings as an ad hoc group of mainly natural resources practitioners in state government interested in sharing spatial data. This core group sponsored the first TNGIC User's Forum in December 1993. The 220 attendees of this organizational meeting ranged from long time practitioners to persons new to GIS, all of whom were interested in this emerging technology and developing uses to serve the people of the State of Tennessee.

TNGIC has an annual meeting in the spring of each year somewhere in the state. It also sponsors more localized meetings in the fall in East, West, and Middle Tennessee. At these meetings we encourage everyone from the seasoned GIS Professional to students just entering the field to attend and participate.