Nonprofits that Offer Training, Technical Assistance, and Networking

Aspen Institute
The institute offers leadership training opportunities and also convenes groups of leaders from various sectors to provide a forum for communication and networking.

Brushy Fork Institute
Brushy Fork offers three-day leadership development workshops in four Appalachian states: Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia, and Tennessee. Applications are solicited from the entire community, and a diverse team of 15 leaders from each county is selected to participate. The site also shares practical process and project tools—for activities such as project budgeting, project timeline development, and group decision making—that have been tested in Appalachia.

Center for Creative Leadership
The center's mission is to advance the understanding, practice, and development of leadership for the benefit of society worldwide. It offers extensive leadership and employee development training programs, publications, products, and networks.

HandMade in America
HandMade is a nonprofit organization based in North Carolina. Its strategies focus on creating sustainable economic development; providing business and financial support for craftspeople; nurturing the region's craft culture through public relations and education; and maintaining quality of life.

Heartland Center for Leadership Development
The center is an independent, nonprofit organization focused on developing local leadership, using practical resources, and developing public policies for rural community survival. The center's programs emphasize that local capacity is critical—and renewing local leadership essential—as towns, cities, and states work to remain competitive. The Heartland Center's Web site offers training opportunities, workbooks, guidebooks, and research.

Field Guide a Good Resource for Community Development Leaders
The Heartland Center for Leadership Development recently published its Field Guide to Community Building, a guidebook of ideas and techniques to keep community development work fresh and innovative. The guide provides useful tips on creating a plan for action, managing conflict, developing the capacity of the community group, and setting shared goals. Also included are interviews with practitioners, an interactive learning tool, and other resources for leaders working with community groups.
Read the field guide.

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LeadershipPlenty
LeadershipPlenty is a training institute from the Pew Partnership for Civic Change designed to strengthen community leadership by equipping citizens to take civic action. LeadershipPlenty teaches skills such as managing conflict and building partnerships, and is designed to be adapted to local problem-solving priorities and leadership challenges. The Pew Partnership will select participants with strong track records that include community-based project management and a commitment to strengthening local leadership. Selection of participants occurs each year on a competitive and space available basis. More information is available at the Pew Partnership's Web site: www.pew-partnership.org.

Management Tools for Nonprofit Managers
A recent article available through the Brushy Fork Institute offers assistance to nonprofit organizations coping with tough financial times. The article offers advice on how to implement strategies to find new sources of funding while reducing operating costs. The article includes examples of cost-saving techniques and measures that will assist an organization in both lean times and during periods of strong funding. Have a look at the article.

MDC
MDC is a private, nonprofit economic and workforce research organization that focuses on the southern United States. It engages in research, policy development, program demonstrations, technical assistance, and evaluations. Visit this site to learn more about the Rural Community College Initiative, Program for the Rural Carolinas, the State of the South 2000, and The Building Blocks of Community Development.

The National Rural Development Partnership
NRDP works to strengthen rural America by bringing together partners and leaders from local, state, tribal, and federal governments, as well as from for-profit and nonprofit sectors. Their Web site offers state resources, which include bringing together key rural players to address critical community concerns and to respond to fast-breaking opportunities, and national resources, which provide administrative, technical, and promotional support. Listservs (or email lists) are available as spaces for discussion on important issues. And lists of conferences and other resources are also available.

The Rensselaerville Institute
This organization offers customized training and technical assistance on organizational and community problem solving, leadership development, and innovation.

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State-Level Resources for Technical Assistance and Leadership Training

Alabama | Georgia | Kentucky | Maryland | Mississippi
New York | North Carolina | Ohio | Pennsylvania
South Carolina | Tennessee | Virginia | West Virginia

ALABAMA

Center for Governmental Services
The Center for Governmental Services of Auburn University helps improve the management and operation of state, county, and municipal governments and nonprofits through technical assistance, training, and survey and policy research. Training program topics include leadership and motivation, management and supervision, financial management, strategic planning and management, and total quality management. The institute also offers certificate programs.

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GEORGIA

A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service
Kennesaw State University's A.L. Burruss Institute of Public Service provides technical assistance and applied research services to city, county, regional, state, and federal agencies and governments, as well as nonprofit and community-service organizations, that serve Georgia. Services include survey research and analysis, strategic planning and policy analysis, environmental research, and economic development planning and analysis.

Carl Vinson Institute of Government
The Carl Vinson Institute of Government is the public service and outreach unit of the University of Georgia. Its objective is to improve the administration, policy making, and operation of governments and communities. It offers an extensive program of instruction, research and policy analysis, technical assistance, and publications to state, county, municipal, and financial personnel. The Community and Economic Development Program assists cities with downtown development projects; supports collaborative regional economic development projects; and provides assistance to local communities in developing unique and productive economic development projects.

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KENTUCKY

Leadership Kentucky
Since 1984, Leadership Kentucky has prepared participants to take more active, effective leadership roles in their state. Through a series of leadership-enhancing workshops—many held in Appalachia—program participants meet and talk with Kentucky's current leaders to explore the state's unique challenges, opportunities, needs, and resources. Participants can nominate themselves or be nominated by an alumnus, or board member of Leadership Kentucky, Kentucky Chamber of Commerce, civic organizations or corporations. For more information, visit www.leadershipky.org.

Institute of Government
The Institute of Government, the public service arm of Eastern Kentucky University, provides program services for state and local governments and nonprofit organizations. Some of the services offered include evaluation studies and services, strategic planning for communities and nonprofits, and professional certification programs. The institute's Web site also offers 2000 Census data for the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

MARYLAND

Institute for Governmental Service
The Institute for Governmental Service of the University of Maryland–College Park offers consultation and technical support to local governments, state agencies, and nonprofit organizations involved in public policy. Services include program evaluation; budget and fiscal analysis; strategic planning; training; and assistance with community and economic development. The institute also runs the Academy for Excellence in Local Governance, a collaborative certificate program.

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MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi Center for Technology Transfer
The Mississippi Center for Technology Transfer of Jackson State University provides information sharing and knowledge enhancement through training, technical assistance, and research activities to local units of government and related service providers that address federal, state, and local transportation, community development, and environmental quality needs in Mississippi. The center emphasizes transit and transportation planning.

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NEW YORK

Achievement Center for Continuous Learning
The Achievement Center for Continuous Learning of St. Bonaventure University offers training and services to enhance personal, professional, and organizational effectiveness. The Leadership Foundations Certificate Program offers 30 hours of instruction on six key topics: workplace collaboration; giving and receiving constructive feedback; coaching; giving recognition; establishing performance expectations; and managing priorities.

The Center for Leadership Studies
The center is a research and educational institution organized by Binghamton University, State University of New York, to contribute to personal, organizational, and community development. Programs at the center aim to train and evaluate leaders from all sectors, and courses include a full range of leadership practices and behavior.

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NORTH CAROLINA

Institute of Government
The Institute of Government at the University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill offers more than 200 classes, seminars, schools, and specialized conferences for North Carolina's local- and state-level public officials. Topics include management techniques; fiscal management and reporting; and land-use planning tools and techniques. Course content is highly practical and focuses on dealing with real problems public officials face every day.

North Carolina Center for Nonprofits
The center's mission is to support and strengthen the nonprofit sector in North Carolina. It serves as a statewide network for boards and staffs of more than 1,400 nonprofits; as an information center on effective organizational practices; and as an advocate on issues that affect nonprofits' capacity to address community needs.

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OHIO

John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy
The John Glenn Institute for Public Service and Public Policy at Ohio State University offers four public-sector-management programs, as well as customized training and technical assistance. It also has a best practices program highlighting innovative and effective Community Action Agency programs.

Voinovich Center for Leadership and Public Affairs and
Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development
Ohio University's Voinovich Center and Institute for Local Government Administration and Rural Development provide research, technical assistance, and training to local governments, community leaders, and nonprofit organizations. The Executive Leadership Institute and the Ohio Certified Public Manager Program offer seminars and courses to strengthen and hone public managers' skills.

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PENNSYLVANIA

Hamer Center for Community Design Assistance
The Hamer Center for Community Design Assistance, an outreach and research unit of Pennsylvania State University, provides communities with education and technical assistance related to land use and transportation issues, community and economic development, and environmental concerns. The center also seeks to link other expertise and resources available at the university with community planning needs; and to form partnerships with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and citizen groups that are working to promote innovative design and planning solutions.

Penn State Management Development Programs and Services
Penn State Management Development Programs and Services offers leadership development and process and quality leadership programs that include courses on project management, problem solving, managing priorities, planning and evaluation, and conflict resolution.

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SOUTH CAROLINA

Institute for Public Service and Policy Research
The Institute for Public Service and Policy Research at the University of South Carolina offers programs designed to enhance leadership development as it pertains to citizenship and to governance. The Center for Governmental Services provides training and technical assistance services, conducts research, and develops publications designed to enhance the quality and effectiveness of state and local government management and leadership. The institute also runs the Leadership South Carolina program.

Strom Thurmond Institute of Government and Public Affairs
The Strom Thurmond Institute of Government and Public Affairs at Clemson University, a nonprofit, nonpartisan public policy research organization, sponsors research and public service programs to enhance civic awareness of public policy issues and to improve the quality of national, state, and local government. The institute's Community and Economic Development Program addresses government finance, economic development policy, planning, infrastructure investment, and community planning.

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TENNESSEE

Center for Government Training
The University of Tennessee's Center for Government Training offers intensive leadership development programs that help emerging and established government leaders meet the challenges of public service. Cornerstone programs include the Tennessee Government Executive Institute, for government's senior executives; and the Local Government Leadership Program, for city and county policymakers. The new Tennessee Government Management Institute is for middle managers. The center also offers customized training programs designed to meet government organizations' specific needs.

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VIRGINIA

The Jepson School of Leadership Studies
The mission of Jepson School of Leadership Studies at the University of Richmond is to develop people who understand the moral responsibilities of leadership and are prepared to exercise leadership in service to society. A comprehensive leadership program—ranging from certificate programs for undergraduates to master's degree programs for mid-career professionals—is offered.

Self-Help Virginia
Self-Help Virginia uses a problem-solving, cost-saving approach to help small communities find creative solutions that provide viable and affordable water and wastewater systems.

Virginia Institute of Government
The Virginia Institute of Government, under the University of Virginia's Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service, delivers and brokers programs and services to Virginia's local governments in three main areas: education and leadership development for elected and appointed officials; technical data, information banks, and databases on local government statistics, operations, and trends; and information and applied research on various aspects of local government. The Services section of the institute's Web site provides detailed information.

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WEST VIRGINIA

Institute for Public Affairs
The Institute for Public Affairs of West Virginia University offers a series of hands-on, three-hour workshops for local government officials. In addition to enhancing personal leadership skills, the workshops are designed to give participants a solid foundation in public organizational and financial management, as well as economic development. Offerings include Marketing Your Community, Strategic Planning and Community Development, and the Newly Elected Officials Training Program.

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Related links:

• Directory of Non-ARC Resources
• Youth Leadership Resources
• Resources for Strategic Planning

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