Featured Programs

Office of Information Technology Outreach Services (ITOS)

Local and state governments rely on ITOS to help bring order to their complex collections of digital information about roads, utilities, county parcels, parks, emergency medical services, and much more. [Read More]

Management Development Program for Georgia Local Government

City and county managers, supervisors, and department heads gain the tools essential for success through the Management Development Program for Georgia Local Government. [Read More]

International Outreach - Africa

Helping African countries in transition move toward government that emphasizes responsiveness, transparency, and efficiency is an important goal of the Institute’s international activities. [Read More]

Financial Management Program

Governmental finance officials can stay up to date on accounting procedures and enhance their management skills through the many training opportunities offered by the Institute’s Financial Management Program. [Read More]

Planning Retreats

Commissions or councils wanting to regroup and refocus so that they can respond more effectively to their community’s needs can do so in the Vinson Institute's facilitator-led planning retreats. [Read More]

Classification/Compensation Studies

Governments can make sure that they have legally sound, up-to-date job classification/compensation systems with help from Vinson Institute human resource management specialists. [Read More]

Online Training Courses

Government employees can fit continuing education into their demanding schedules through the Vinson Institute’s online training courses. [Read More]

Consolidation Studies

Government officials and community leaders gain a thorough understanding of the potential impact of consolidation through customized studies by Institute faculty. [Read More]

Staffing Studies

Local governments committed to operating at the highest levels of customer service and fiscal responsibility can benefit from staffing studies conducted by Vinson Institute human resource management specialists. [Read More]

Child and Family Policy Initiative

Those charged with making complex policy decisions and coordinating services for Georgia's families and children are supported in their work by the university-based Child and Family Policy Initiative. [Read More]

Promotions Testing

Public service agencies can provide employees with the best opportunity for successful advancement with help from the Institute's promotional testing services. [Read More]

International Center

Governments in transition worldwide take advantage of the Vinson Institute’s expertise about state and local governments through the International Center. Since 1998, the Center has been conducting education and training programs, consulting, and exchanges on five continents in countries such as Kenya, Bulgaria, Mexico, Brazil, and China. [Read More]

Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators

Whether they are newly elected or experienced, the Biennial Institute for Georgia Legislators provides every lawmaker with the opportunity to gain instruction and insight for governing our ever-changing state. [Read More]

Master of Public Administration Program

Preparing students for professional careers in public service is the goal of the Master of Public Administration Program, an academic program of the University of Georgia that is cosponsored by the Vinson Institute and the Department of Public Administration and Policy. [Read More]

Financial Management Program

State and local officials count on the Vinson Institute’s wide-ranging instructional program in financial management to help them carry out their duties with accuracy and efficiency. The 2008-2009 schedule is now available. [Read More]

Georgia Legislative Leadership Institute

Lawmakers interested in improving their leadership and problem-solving skills work with nationally renowned scholars, professional development experts, legislative leaders, and colleagues from across the nation at the Georgia Legislative Leadership Institute, a professional development program for members of the Georgia General Assembly. [Read More]

Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

Whether it's for creating, updating, or integrating data, Georgia’s local leaders have come to depend on the Vinson Institute’s Information Technology Outreach Services (ITOS) division for assistance with all their Geographic Information Systems (GIS) needs. But now, ITOS’s work has expanded and is receiving state, national, and international recognition. [Read More]

Georgia Legislative Intern Program

Undergraduate students can become part of a dynamic state government through the Georgia Legislative Intern Program. Approximately 30 students from the state's public and private universities and colleges are selected each year to learn firsthand about Georgia's lawmaking process. [Read More]

Certified Commissioners Advanced Program

County commissioners ready to take their governing skills to the next level will find the training they need through the Certified Commissioners Advanced Program (CCAP), coordinated by the Vinson Institute and the Association County Commissioners of Georgia. [Read More]

Planning Retreats

Regroup, refocus, and plan to better meet community needs in planning retreats offered by the Vinson Institute for local officials. In a relaxed, informal atmosphere, officials can come together to learn how to function more effectively as a team while working through current issues and preparing for the future. [Read More]

State Leadership Training

State leaders have the vital task of meeting complex organizational issues to move Georgia forward, and a series of Georgia Leadership Institute programs administered by the Vinson Institute provides the tools they need to hone their leadership skills, develop successful work teams, and manage major organizational processes. [Read More]

Survey Research

From citizen surveys to program evaluation to data collection and analysis, policymakers can count on the Vinson Institute for survey research support as they consider critical issues facing the state. [Read More]

Management Development Program for Local Government

Enhancing the knowledge and skills of city and county managers and supervisors so they can be results-oriented leaders today and in the future is the goal of the Management Development Program for Local Government. [Read More]

Child and Family Policy Initiative

Financial Management Program

State and local government personnel turn to the Institute's financial management instructional programs to help them acquire and maintain the up-to-date knowledge and skills required to carry out their responsibilities. [Read More]

Environmental Policy Analysis

State officials responsible for making complicated decisions related to the future of Georgia's environment and natural resources can count on the Vinson Institute for objective, systematic policy analysis of key issues. [Read More]

Human Resource Management Program

Governments wanting to recruit, motivate, and retain a quality workforce can count on the Institute for assistance in developing human resource management tools to help them achieve their goals. [Read More]

Exectuive Leadership Program

State agency administrators who want to help their organizations grow in service and effectiveness can turn to the Executive Leadership Program for advanced instruction in developing the skills and knowledge they need. [Read More]

Local Government Studies

Local leaders and government officials can make better-informed decisions about issues they face—from service delivery to incorporation and consolidation—with objective information and insights gained through customized Local Government Studies. [Read More]

Local Government Newly Elected Conferences

New local government officials acquire a road map for navigating their public service careers when they attend orientation programs designed just for them through the newly elected officials conferences. [Read More]

China Municipal Training Program

Helping the next generation of Chinese municipal and provincial managers enhance their public management skills and knowledge is the goal of the Sino-American Joint Training Program, now in its ninth year. [Read More]

Local Government Geographic Information Systems (GIS)

As more Georgia local governments of all sizes move toward using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) technology in their operations, a special unit of the Vinson Institute is providing assistance each step of the way. [Read More]

Peach State Poll

When leaders need to know how Georgians feel about important policy issues concerning political, economic, and social life in the state, the Peach State Poll provides the timely information they need. [Read More]