FMU’s Outreach on the Grow

NPLI Turns 20

More than 400 non-profit leaders from 200-plus organizations across the state have graduated from the Fred R. Sheheen Non-Profit Leadership Institute (NPLI) at Francis Marion University. The NPLI program enrolls participants in a rigorous, six-month series of classes delivered by industry experts on a variety of topics including resource management, fundraising, external relations and communication, legal issues, budgetary and financial management, and public policy issues, among others. 

NPLI was born through a collaboration between FMU President Fred Carter and the late Fred Sheheen, former South Carolina Commissioner of Higher Education. Their vision: to equip a generation of nonprofit leaders with skills and tools to be successful. Initial funding was provided by a grant from the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation. The Institute is now sponsored by Francis Marion University and the Darla Moore Foundation.

Latest LGLI Class is also the Largest

The Local Government Leadership Institute (LGLI) has experienced remarkable growth since it began in 2016. This year’s class was the largest ever and required two cohorts, each with nearly 30 students. 

“The LGLI is one of FMU’s most impactful outreach programs,” says Dr. Jennifer Titanski-Hooper, Director of the Governor Robert E. McNair Institute for Research and Service which oversees LGLI. “It began as a response to local government needs for training and support, and a decade later, the LGLI has grown an engaged alumni network that is our greatest measure of success. 

“Program participants tell us that the networking and training opportunities have been invaluable, and they recommend the LGLI to their organizations and colleagues, who consistently bring new insight to the program’s development. As a faculty member, it has been an absolute honor to serve this program and provide support to individuals who work every day to improve communities across South Carolina.” 

The LGLI is a collaborative partnership that includes Francis Marion University, Coastal Carolina University, the College of Charleston, the Darla Moore Foundation, and the South Carolina City/County Management Association. 

Five sessions are held from October to April at The Continuum in Lake City. During the program, participants receive expert presentations, analyze case-studies, and engage with panel discussions through individual and small group assignments. Topics include: intergovernmental relations in South Carolina; budget, finance, and human resource management; planning, economic development and public safety; and governance, leadership and politics.