Regional Leadership Foundation Contracts with AYSPS
at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies

The Andrew Young School has partnered with the Regional Leadership Foundation to help strengthen civic engagement in metro Atlanta. In the spirit of a true civic league representing the independent viewpoints and needs of citizens, this partnership will allow RLF to expand its role in informing residents about regional issues.

“RLF’s goal,” said David Sjoquist, director of the Fiscal Research Program at AYSPS, “is to be a convener, to bring our citizens together to discuss regional issues and build consensus, or areas of agreement, on solutions to these issues. The region is as big and broad as the issues. We will work with RLF to build consensus and move towards solutions.”

RLF grew out of the Regional Leadership Institute, conducted annually since 1991 by the Atlanta Regional Commission to inform regional business and community leaders about Atlanta’s regional issues. Alumni of the one-week institute formed RLF to keep them connected and informed. Membership, now open to non-institute alumni, numbers about 400.

RLF has sponsored day-long regional LINK tours to show how other communities respond to quality-of-life issues, and has co-sponsored with ARC Interregional LINK trips to other major U.S. cities. It has held forums on regional issues such as transportation, public health and water.

One of the first activities of the new partnership is to build a “Social Capital Database” mapping such assets in metro Atlanta by listing all such organizations in an online database, with the assistance of David Van Slyke (PAUS). Other activities under consideration include a regional public policy issues orientation program for Atlanta newcomers, an e-newsletter or journal, additional forums and an annual priorities conference.

Regional Leadership Institute graduate John Thomas (PAUS) assists in the work of RLF. He helped plan its first Atlanta Area Mayors’ Forum, modeled after the Chicago region’s successful Metropolitan Mayors Caucus. The Atlanta forum brought the region’s mayors together to discuss common issues.

“RLF is unique in its connection to the university,” said Sjoquist. “We give it a home and access to researchers and scholars. The school benefits, also. This partnership allows FRP to expand its community engagement.”