About

As the largest
university-based local
government training,
advisory, and research
organization in the United
States, the School of
Government serves more
than 12,000 public officials
each year.

Browse by Role

The School provides
content and resources for a
wide array of local
government and judicial
officials in North Carolina.

Select your role to explore
all related content.

Browse by Topic

The School provides content
and resources on a wide array
of topics in local government
and judicial administration in
North Carolina.

Select a topic to explore all
related content.

Courses

The School of Government
offers up to 200 courses,
workshops, webinars, and
professional conferences
each year.

Publications

The School of Government
publishes essential books,
manuals, reports, articles,
bulletins, and other print and
online content related to state
and local government.

Blogs

Faculty write for a number
of School of Government
blogs providing timely
updates on emerging issues.

Resources

The School of Government
offers information and
services related to a wide
range of topics relevant to
government and judicial
officials—in-person and on a
variety of platforms.

Blog Posts

Timely updates on emerging issues

Centers and Services

Specialized training/research hubs and consulting services

Frequently Asked Questions

Aggregated answers to common questions on a variety of topics

Knapp Library

Print and online materials and research expertise

Legal Summaries

Brief descriptions of legal cases, bills, or legislative activity

Listservs

Information exchanges for peers and faculty experts

Microsites

In-depth or aggregated content for local government and judicial officials

Tools and Apps

Online and mobile tools for employees on-the-go

Master of Public
Administration Program

The UNC MPA program prepares public service leaders. The program is offered in two formats: on-campus and online.

For more information, visit mpa.unc.edu

Giving

The School of Government depends on private and public support for fulfilling its mission. Your gift will make a lasting impact on the quality of government and civic participation in North Carolina.

Knapp Library

The Joseph Palmer Knapp Library houses a large collection of material on state and local government, public administration, and management to support the School's instructional and research programs and the educational mission of the Master of Public Administration program. Reference and research services are available to all residents of North Carolina, and additional assistance is available to state and local government personnel, both elected and appointed.

Logistical Structure

Most programs have been developed and coordinated by a staff member in the public information, communications, or manager’s office. In Buffalo, NY, and Fresno, CA, however, the Mayor’s office initiated and ended up coordinating the program.

Regardless of the initial champion, it is important to maintain community-wide support and designate an office or group as program coordinator. In Two Rivers, WI, a committee of representatives from the presenting departments meets regularly to coordinate logistics.

Some communities have sustained buy-in and logistical support from external stakeholders (e.g. non-profits). Examples include:

Chatham County, NC: There are no out-of-pocket costs for the county since the Chatham Citizens for Effective Communities, Inc. (CCEC), sponsors and runs the program.
Harnett County, NC: The program is completely coordinated by Leadership Harnett, a 501(c)3 non-profit. This partnership between county government and several chambers of commerce has been successful. The county provides no direct funding but does offer staff support and presents at sessions.
Mecklenburg County, NC: Civics 101 is sponsored and coordinated by the League of Women Voters but is co-taught by county officials.

Other Requirements

Some programs require unique activities or homework to promote learning from different experiences. In Winston-Salem, NC, for instance, participants must ride a city bus before graduating. In Buffalo, NY, participants must do a police ride-along or take a complaint call in the Mayor’s Call and Resolution Center. In Kannapolis, NC, participants must take photos of their community before the planning session.

Some programs ask participants to attend a meeting of the community’s elected board (Buffalo, NY, Lauderdale Lakes, FL, Raleigh, NC, and Hickory, NC). Very few programs have traditional homework assignments, although, in Cary, NC, participants must do some reading in advance. Concord, NC, on the other hand, explicitly advertises its program as not having homework but makes a scavenger hunt an added, optional activity for participants.

Post-Academy Engagement

The citizens academy model provides cities and counties with a growing base of residents with which they can consult and gauge citizen opinion. Some communities convene program alumni to act as a sounding board for new taxes or program cuts. Chula Vista, CA, holds a reunion night for academy graduates every few years. Clearwater, FL, regularly consults small groups of alumni on current issues.