Districts and municipalities ensure a functioning local community for citizens and businesses in rural areas. Districts act as consolidating authorities with diverse responsibilities – including environmental and nature conservation, building administration, disaster management, digitalization, and public services. Many districts in North Rhine-Westphalia have been using geoinformation systems for years to implement intermunicipal cooperation. According to a survey by the NRW District Council, around 75% of NRW municipalities receive support from the districts in the area of geodata management (GDM). These existing digitalization networks are being used in the Herford district for further innovations in the area of municipal digital twins and data management in the smart region, supporting municipalities in the digitalization and optimization of processes and in their public services.