The Fanning Institute provides outreach and promotes partnerships for the betterment of community and society.

Incorporating units that historically focused on community development, economic development, and leadership development, the Fanning Institute reflects an awareness that these areas are interdependent, and that sustainable community transformation must incorporate elements of each. Our faculty and staff use the knowledge and experience gained from working within these traditional fields to provide a rich and customized approach to addressing the complex problems facing communities and society.

In furthering the University of Georgia’s legacy of public service and outreach, we foster individual and community empowerment–linking the needs of people and communities with the expertise, research, and resources of UGA, its faculty, staff, and students.

The Fanning Institute supports community transformation through cultivating skills, identifying and exploring options, and implementing plans and solutions. Although successful community development always entails elements of skill building and exploration, these processes are interconnected and often non-linear. Fanning is able and willing to work with a community or group in one or all of these areas, and our involvement may extend over the course of several months and even years. This collaborative, customized and innovative approach to our work reflects our goal of helping communities help themselves.

Cultivating

“Cultivating” involves working with groups and individuals to build capacity, laying the groundwork for them to go forth and focus on particular issues of concern. Each of the traditional areas of emphasis which joined together to form the new Fanning have programs that cultivate skills, including Leadership Development training, Development Authority training, and the efforts of the varied associations housed at Fanning, such as the SouthEast Regional Directors Institute (SERDI), the Community Leadership Association (CLA), and the Institute for Georgia Environmental Leadership (IGEL).

Exploring

“Exploring” is illustrated in our work with groups or communities focusing on particular topics or concerns. Fanning helps to identify the various issues involved, the persons and interests that should be included in the process, the information that needs to be obtained, and various options and approaches, helping to encourage and facilitate dialogues and discussions among stakeholders. Examples of work in this area include such wide-ranging projects as the Statewide Water Resource Management Plan, and Partners for a Prosperous Athens, as well as smaller projects on matters of local or regional concern.

Doing

The third aspect of our work is implementation, or “Doing.” If a plan of action has been developed–whether or not Fanning has been involved–we can help communities identify the resources to fulfill it, or write the training curriculum desired, or establish the non-profit organization that will manage it.