Mission

Mission and Administrative Structure

In 1981, the Florida legislature and Board of Regents created the Florida Institute of Government as a type 1 statewide Institute to enhance the effectiveness and quality of governments and nonprofit organizations in Florida through training and technical assistance. The mission of the John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government’s Executive Office in Tallahassee and its affiliates at five state universities is to provide low-cost, high quality services to all levels of government throughout the state. The John Scott Dailey Florida Institute of Government at FAU was established in 1982 as an affiliate of the Florida Institute of Government.

The Institute’s primary mission is to forge closer government-university ties to address the needs of state, regional, and local governments and non-profit agencies. The IOG meets the needs of its constituents by coordinating training workshops for all levels of local government employees, technical assistance services, and policy conferences, seminars, and training workshops focusing on issues of public sector interest or concern. The Institute’s service area includes Broward, Indian River, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Okeechobee, Palm Beach, and St. Lucie counties. The IOG is housed within the FAU College for Design and Social Inquiry.

Other than an annual grant of $67,500 through the Executive Office, the IOG receives no direct funding from the state or Florida Atlantic University. The IOG sustains itself primarily through income derived from training, technical assistance, seminars, and consensus-building programs.

Overview of IOG Training/technical Assistance Services

Open-Enrollment Training Workshops: The IOG offers a variety of professional development classes aimed at all levels of public sector personnel. The IOG also coordinates the 146 hours of Level I, II, III, and IV Florida Association of Code Enforcement certification classes and examinations for the entire south Florida region.

On-Site Training Workshops: The Institute coordinates over one hundred different types of training classes. Upon request by a state or local governmental agency, training workshops are tailored to meet the specific needs of the entity and are held on-site.

Technical Assistance: Local governments often need help solving problems or redesigning programs and processes. To that end, the IOG provides technical assistance services in a variety of areas. The Institute’s technical assistance services allow state organizations, local governments, and non-profit agencies to share the IOG’s experience and expertise in conference planning, consensus building, training, and other specialized areas. We strive to offer cost effective technical assistance services provided by experienced professionals.

Seminars and Conferences: The Institute offers programs that allow local government officials to examine issues and options in particular areas of public policy. The format of the programs depends upon the topic, the audience, and the desired end result. The Institute also offers seminars geared toward the specific needs of public sector associations.

Assistance to Statewide Associations: The Florida Institute of Government provides training and technical assistance services to the following state associations:

• Florida Association of Building Tax Officials
• Florida Association of City Clerks
• Florida Association of Code Enforcement
• Florida Association of Counties
• Florida Association of Court Clerks
• Florida City and County Management Association
• Florida Government Finance Officers Association
• Florida League of Cities

Program Assessment and Evaluation

The IOG’s Steering Committee includes representatives from a variety of governmental units in our regional service area and meets three times a year. Steering Committee members assist IOG staff by identifying needs, developing implementation strategies, and providing feedback on program performance. The Steering Committee provides invaluable insight in helping the Institute reach its goal of offering timely and germane programs at a reasonable cost, particularly in light of tight budgets and staff reductions in the public sector.

Measuring Our Success

• Our Institute has maintained its strong commitment by providing between 400 and 600 high quality training programs and technical assistance services to thousands of state and local government employees on an annual basis for over 28 years.
• Continuing requests for IOG instructors and consultants due to their excellent performance in previous programs.
• Positive evaluations from all open-enrollment and contract training programs and continuous follow-up and implementation efforts resulting from IOG programs.