At the Carl Vinson Institute of Government, we have always recognized that a commitment to excellence must frame any initiative to improve the quality of life in our state if it is to have long-lasting success. As governments and communities confront increasingly complicated issues and citizen expectations, it is even more important to foster excellence as the defining value in policy and decision making.

In 2003, the Institute created the opportunity to recognize excellence when it partnered with GeorgiaTrend magazine to initiate the Georgia Excellence in Public Service Awards. This annual program provides an opportunity to publicly honor outstanding state and local elected and appointed officials and to help raise the profile of public service as a career option.

The Public Service Awards program also prompted us to examine how we as an organization through our faculty and staff work to foster a culture of excellence through a broad range of outreach activities. One extensive area of work focuses on helping officials and administrators develop professionally as effective, educated leaders.

During the year, the Institute continued to be called upon to help governments and communities examine issues related to such topics as government structure, operations, finances, growth, and human resources. Faculty and staff worked to offer a broad range of research expertise and technical assistance to support government officials in making sound, objective decisions that advance their communities in particular or the state as a whole. Furthermore, the integration of the University of Georgia's Office of Information Technology and Outreach Services into the Vinson Institute in 2003 is greatly enhancing our ability to assist governments and communities with technological services like Geographic Information Systems (GIS).

Challenges and opportunities related to community and economic development are found at all levels of government in all sizes of communities. Initiatives like the Urban Congress implemented in 2003 illustrate the value of bringing relevant parties together in an organized process that enables them to discuss and formulate optimum and informed development strategies. The Institute is equally committed to helping communities engage citizens in the democratic process. During the year, civic engagement outreach ranged from facilitating town hall meetings involving hundreds of citizens to conducting workshops and developing instructional materials for classroom teachers.

The Institute's commitment to excellence reaches beyond Georgia's boundaries. Nationwide surveys conducted in 2003 by our National Center for the Study of Counties focused on budgetary concerns of counties and county responses to an aging population and workforce. The international outreach program continued to take expertise abroad to emerging democracies and to bring scholars and practitioners to the state, enhancing the quality of the Institute's work in our global society.

As part of its vision statement, the Institute has pledged a commitment to setting the standard for excellence in public service. We trust that this report depicts the many ways in which our faculty and staff have acted on that commitment.

James G. Ledbetter

Director