Courses

Working with Advisory Boards and Committees

Working with Advisory Boards and Committees is open to local government professionals and elected officials. Elected officials will receive six LELA 201-course credits.

One of the most common and substantive ways citizen participation in local government occurs is through service on appointed advisory boards (CABs) (also sometimes called...

July 23, 2025

WCU Asheville
Asheville,NC

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Top 10 Primer: Transportation Planning and Funding

The course is online from 10:00am - 11:15am. It is free, but please register ahead of time to access the Zoom link.

From potholes to bike lanes, our transportation networks affect the quality of life in all our communities. Have you ever wondered how and when the planning for our state’s highway network takes place? As a local elected...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Emotional Intelligence: Leadership's Super Power

This course will be held in-person at the School of Government from 9am to 4pm and is designed for both professional and elected officials.

Did you know that emotional intelligence better predicts workplace effectiveness than IQ? And it's up to five times as important when you compare people within the same career. When you think about...

August 28, 2025

School of Government
Chapel Hill,NC

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Effective Community Engagement: A Toolbox for Local Elected Officials

This class will be held on-site at the School of Government from 9 a.m.–3 p.m and is designed for both the elected officials and local government professionals.

Do you aspire to have more active participation in your local government processes? Do you feel like your citizens are disengaged, or is your concept of community...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Local Government Fundamentals

NOTE: Because our February course was moved online, we are excited to offer it in person on October 1, 2025. This course is appropriate for employees with up to five years of experience in local government and/or newly elected public officials.

Are you new to working in local government? Have you transitioned into a new position? If so...

October 1, 2025

School of Government
Chapel Hill, NC

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Affordable Housing Seminar: Tools, Strategies, and Case Studies for Local Government Leadership

This interactive in-person seminar is designed for elected and appointed officials (including managers and department heads) from local governments who are setting strategic direction around affordable housing. The seminar will focus on local government support and public-private partnerships for workforce residential housing. Attendees will...

October 16, 2025

Knapp-Sanders
Chapel Hill, NC

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Budgeting in Local Government

This four-day course covers the legal and management framework of budget preparation and enactment in North Carolina local government. Participants will discuss the numerous processes and techniques used to produce an annual operating budget and capital budget. City and county managers, finance officers and staff, budget administrators and...

November 17, 2025

School of Government
Chapel Hill, NC

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Development Finance Toolbox

A survey of local government financing tools for community and economic development:

How do local governments use public-private partnerships for development? What finance tools are available to local governments to revitalize Main Street? North Carolina communities can select from a wide array of financing tools in their efforts to...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

State Legislators' New Member Orientation

This program offers newly-elected members of the North Carolina General Assembly an opportunity to connect with their colleagues, learn more about the legislative process, and identify resources that can support them in their roles. Participation is by invitation only for newly-elected members. The program will be offered at the UNC...

January 20, 2026

School of Government
Chapel Hill, NC

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Leading with Respect for Local Elected Officials

This course will be held in-person at UNC School of Government, Knapp-Sanders Building from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Building and sustaining mutual respect is a hallmark of an influential leader and a fundamental tool to help you serve and support your community. How can elected officials feel and convey genuine respect for their...

April 22, 2026

UNC School of Government | Knapp-Sanders Building
Chapel Hill,NC

There are additional offerings of this course available.

2024 New Clerks Institute On Demand

This is a one-day On Demand crash course on subjects vital to the work of clerks to municipal and county governing boards.
Topics covered include the open meetings law, the public records law, meeting agendas and minutes, public notices, oaths of office, and board procedure fundamentals.

Agenda is located on the "Materials"...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

LELA 201: Top 10 Primer: Seeking Diversity: How Do We Do It Today?

This is a free online course created in March 2023.

The comfortable patterns of our daily lives can lull us into believing we have a good handle on what others think about current community challenges. In this short course local elected officials map their daily...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Top 10 Primer: Local Government Liability

Top 10 Primer: Local Government Liability is October 15, 2025 via Zoom from 10:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m.

"With great power, comes great (legal) responsibility." In this interactive seminar, elected officials will explore the foundational concepts of local government liability relevant to their leadership roles in local government. The course...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

School for Elected Register of Deeds

This advanced school for those currently holding the register of deeds office, is intended to enhance the register’s knowledge and analytical tools for fulfilling their decision-making managerial responsibilities. The school covers the following topics: leadership, holding office, register responsibilities, making decisions, and exercising...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Top 10 Primer: Engaging the Community in Public Issues

The Engaging the Community in Public Issues Top 10 Primer is a free online course from 10 to 11:15 a.m. Please register in advance to access the Zoom link.

How do your constituents interact with their government? Do the same five or ten people show up at every meeting or hearing? Would you like to learn...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Working Together: Counties, School Boards, and Local Funding for Public Schools

This workshop provides an overview of the governance and funding structures of public schools in North Carolina. It focuses particularly on the relationship between counties and local school administrative units. Participants will learn about the legal roles and responsibilities of counties for schools and the school budgeting and expenditure...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Engaging Women in Public Service: Building Your Leadership Muscle

This one-day event is designed for women interested in strengthening both their leadership skills and professional trajectory in public service.

New Kind will facilitate a storytelling workshop designed to help you recognize the content and value of your own experience in public leadership. You’ll grow more comfortable...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Elevate Organizational Performance

This course is open to professionals and elected officials. It is available on demand via a request from your jurisdiction. Please contact Jenny Neville at neville@sog.unc.edu if you are interested in this option.

Local governments that focus on the fundamentals of leadership, strategic planning,...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Ethics for Elected Officials

The on-demand, recorded version of Ethics is open for registration now (using the Register tab above) through end of business day 10/31/2025. Please note that group discounts are not offered for this version.

Under North Carolina law, members of governing boards of cities, counties, local boards of education, unified governments,...

There are additional offerings of this course available.

Top 10 Primer: Gifts, Favors, and Conflicts of Interest

This class will be held online via Zoom from 10:00am to 11:15am. Please register to receive the Zoom link.

Elected officials are often bombarded with good will! Sometimes, that good will takes the form of gifts, most unsolicited but no less problematic. What’s an elected official to do?

In this...