20 Years of Improving Local Government Workplaces

The Local Government Workplaces Initiative (LGWI) at the UNC School of Government is the only university-based center in the country dedicated to local government workplace climate research. The center is led by Dr. Leisha DeHart-Davis, professor of public administration and government and director of the Local Government Workplaces Initiative.

North Carolina Benchmarking Project Report 2025: Outcomes and Strategies

The North Carolina Benchmarking Project was established thirty years ago so that participating municipalities could compare service data and performance trends. It relaunched in 2022 as Benchmarking 2.0 with a new emphasis on collaboration, an online dashboard for streamlined data collection, and annual in-person performance strategy sessions. This year’s report focuses on outcomes and strategies, featuring information and ideas exchanged during the Benchmarking 2.0 Performance Strategy Sessions in November 2024.

From Student to Public Servant

In August 2024, Paloma Garcia-Serrano stepped into the Foothills Regional Commission for her first day of work as a Lead for North Carolina Fellow. Lead for NC is a leadership development program that places aspiring public service leaders in fellowships at local government offices across the state.

David Ammons answers questions about new benchmarking publication

Former School of Government faculty member David Ammons, Albert Coates Professor Emeritus of Public Administration and Government, has authored a new publication.

School updates impact website with new feature, data

The UNC School of Government is pleased to announce a new addition to our impact website: an interactive map displaying our work in all 100 counties across North Carolina.

County and Municipal Government in North Carolina, 2025 Edition

North Carolina is home to over 10 million people, more than 550 cities, and exactly 100 counties, all governed by the laws summarized in this book. The tiny town with just a single stoplight and the major metropolis with a million residents operate under the same legal framework. This book aims to explain that legal framework so that readers understand what our state’s counties and cities do and how they do it.

UNC MPA students graduate in spring 2025 MPA Commencement

Recent graduates from the UNC Master of Public Administration program gathered with faculty, family, friends, and staff on Saturday, May 10, 2025, to celebrate their commencement and coming next chapter in their public service careers.

In total, 41 students graduated from the program during the ceremony, receiving their diplomas from UNC-Chapel Hill.

Addressing Affordable Housing in Hendersonville

In 2024, the City of Hendersonville, North Carolina, engaged the Development Finance Initiative (DFI) to assist with increasing the amount of affordable housing in their community. “Like most other cities, Hendersonville is faced with a housing crisis,” said City Attorney Angela Beeker. “In response, city council made housing a top priority.

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