iMMAP Celebrates 20th Anniversary
A Message from William Barron, CEO of iMMAP
Two decades ago, we set out with confidence and belief that better data leads to better decisions, and better decisions lead to better outcomes. Today, as we celebrate the 20th anniversary of iMMAP, that conviction has evolved into a global standard for humanitarian response.
Our journey—Two Decades of Informed Humanitarian Action—is more than a timeline of projects; it is the story of how data became a lifeline for the world’s most vulnerable populations. Data leads to decisions, and those decisions save lives.
1998-2005: From Landmines to a Common Operating Picture
Our origins date back to 1998, rooted in the technical rigors of the Landmine Impact Survey Initiative. By 2001, iMMAP was established as a unit of the Vietnam Veterans of America Foundation (VVAF), offering direct support to non-mine action humanitarian and development organizations. We expanded our focus from contamination data towards a holistic understanding of socioeconomic impact.
Photo: iMMAP/ Mine Action Third Party Monitoring in Sulaymaniah, Iraq
This period proved that a Common Operating Picture (COP) is essential for collective effort. A pivotal milestone occurred in 2003, when the iMMAP team provided critical technical support to the OCHA led Humanitarian Information Centre in Iraq, establishing the foundation for inter-agency Information Management efforts. From conducting Landmine Impact Surveys in Iraq, Yemen, Lebanon, Chad, Vietnam, and Afghanistan to responding to the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami and the 2005 Pakistan Earthquake, we demonstrated that shared analysis tools and standard Information Management processes are essential foundation for effective humanitarian action.
2006-2024: Establishing Global Leadership in Humanitarian Information Management
In June 2006, iMMAP emerged as an independent international nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. With the formation of our first full team in 2007, iMMAP was amongst the first international nonprofit to develop Humanitarian Information Management practices, building on the extensive experience from performing mine action surveys and humanitarian Information Management activities.
This foundational expertise launched a transformative decade of global expansion between 2010 and 2021, aligned with the Humanitarian Reform, the World Humanitarian Summit, and the Grand Bargain. We began this era by joining the Standby Partnership (SBP) Network in 2012, positioning the organization as a key partner in providing rapid surge capacities. Over the following years, we systematically scaled our operations to meet rising global needs. In 2020, iMMAP launched the Global COVID-19 Situational Analysis Project covering Burkina Faso, Colombia, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Nigeria, and Syria, providing humanitarian stakeholders with critical data on the pandemic’s spread and its impact on vulnerable populations.
By 2021, iMMAP had established a permanent presence in Afghanistan, Colombia, Ethiopia, Iraq, Jordan, Nigeria, Syria, and Yemen, in addition to our USA headquarters. This trajectory of growth reached a landmark milestone in 2022, marking ten years of Global Surge excellence with over 600 experts deployed to support frontline emergency operations worldwide. Building on this momentum, iMMAP officially joined the Global WASH Cluster (GWC) Field Support Team (FST) Consortium in April 2024. This formalized a legacy of partnership dating back to 2012, during which iMMAP served as a key Information Management partner to GWC FST across global, regional, and field levels. By the same year, iMMAP had expanded to include additional country operations in DRC, Mozambique, Northeast Syria, Somalia, Sudan, and Ukraine, resulting in a total of 12 country offices.
iMMAP Geographic Footprint 2006-2026
2025: A Year of Transformation
Every enduring organization eventually faces a moment of transformation. For iMMAP, 2025 was a year of institutional "reset" and significant global shifts that tested our foundation. I am proud to say we have emerged from this period with a deeper commitment to our mission and a more agile, high-impact operational and strategic framework.
This period of stability has already translated into landmark achievements, from fulfilling critical mine action commitments in Iraq, Somalia and Ukraine to reinforcing global surge capacity alongside the European Union. Furthermore, iMMAP acted as the steward of a multi-partner Information Management and GIS Helpdesk in Syria to offer specialized support to NGOs, local CSOs, and coordination platforms.
2026 and Beyond: Leveraging a Common Services Model and Contributing to a Healthy Data Ecosystem
As we look forward, our focus is shifting from simply responding to crises to anticipating them. In an era of escalating conflict and climate fragility, data is the only way to ensure aid reaches the right people before it’s too late.
Our roadmap for the next three years is built on three proactive pillars:
Anticipatory Action: We are partnering with global organizations to move the needle from reactive aid to pre-emptive support. By using data to trigger assistance before a hazard becomes a disaster, we save more lives and protect more livelihoods.
Disaster Risk Management (DRM): We are moving away from fragmented data silos toward unified and interoperable data ecosystems in support to National Disaster Management Agencies. Our focus is on strengthening regional institutions to ensure that local stakeholders have the tools to manage and mitigate risks independently.
Common Services Model: We are championing collective intelligence with partners through projects that serve the entire sector, ensuring that information is shared, transparent, and actionable across all humanitarian clusters. We are deeply committed to the 'Humanitarian Reset' and strive to establish a healthy, collaborative humanitarian data ecosystem—particularly in these unprecedented circumstances where we must ‘do better with what we have.’
Photo: iMMAP 2026, an iMMAP IM expert deployed to Mozamique Flood Response.
We envision a world where everyone benefits from access to reliable information to be able to take the right decisions that could transform their lives.
Thank you for being part of this 20-year journey. Together, we continue to turn data into information, and information into life-saving decisions.
Guided by our unwavering commitment to humanitarian principles, iMMAP remains dedicated to serving the global community and improving the lives of the world’s most vulnerable populations.
William Barron
CEO, iMMAP