Technical assistance is another way by which the Vinson Institute helps prepare today's officials and leaders so that they can improve their government operations and better anticipate their community's needs. This assistance takes many forms, is objective, and is directly applicable to the issue at hand.

Residents and officials of St. Simons Island and Sea Island gained a better understanding of the economic ramifications of incorporating as a new city through a comprehensive fiscal impact study performed by the Vinson Institute. Faculty projected the fiscal impacts for the islands, Brunswick, and Glynn County by creating a hypothetical city budget that estimated the revenues and expenditures of a new “Islands City.” A tax equity study for Hall County and its surrounding municipalities was completed and subsequently used as a reference for other communities considering tax equity issues.

The United Way Community Assets and Critical Issues Assessment encompassed an eight-county area in South Georgia as well as Phenix City, Alabama. Faculty conducted individual interviews with officials and leaders and facilitated town hall meetings in each area. The in-depth project and resulting report will serve to raise awareness of human service policy needs.

With increasing populations and demands for services, many local governments turned to the Vinson Institute in 2004 for objective technical assistance in order to improve efficiency and hold down expenditures. This assistance often took the form of service delivery evaluations and the creation of Web-based applications for government services.

In conjunction with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Institute specialists in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) completed the initial phase of the National Archaeological and Historic Resource Geographic Information System. The goal of this project is to develop an Internet-based mapping tool for the identification of archaeological, historical, and environmentally sensitive sites that may be affected by transportation and other development projects. Other GIS-related outreach included the completion of the National Wetlands Inventory project and assistance to various local governments wanting to maximize their use of GIS for operations and planning purposes.

The Institute's Human Resource Management Program is recognized nationally for its quality and scope. In 2004, faculty and staff conducted numerous classification/compensation studies, executive searches, and promotions systems examinations to help state and local governments and public safety units develop and maintain model personnel systems. Assessment Center training for law enforcement agencies in Georgia and the Southeast was also provided.

Rabun County officials and citizens were able to create an official portrait of what they want their community to become as the result of a visioning process coordinated by the Vinson Institute and carried out in conjunction with the Georgia Mountains Regional Development Center and the Rabun County Comprehensive Planning Committee. Using a state-of-the-art wireless network, citizens were able to give their input during sessions that involved some 160 participants, from which a final report was drafted.

The Forum for Medium Metropolitan Areas continued to offer technical assistance related to the particular challenges and opportunities facing these areas, with work in 2004 focusing on the three metro regions that cross state lines. The Riverway South project was created to help communities located in southwest Georgia, southeast Alabama, and northwest Florida work together to formulate regional development strategies.

The Institute continued to strengthen its outreach to organizations working hard for Georgia's families and children. Activities included document preparation, planning, and meeting coordination for the Department of Human Resources (child and adolescent services), the Community Partnerships for Protecting Children, and the Jim Casey Youth Opportunities Initiative for Georgia.