IFNL

Visionary leaders in the SC Foundation community sought to actively build capacity and enhance resources of community and faith-based grassroots groups, nonprofit organizations and individuals who are challenged to provide leadership and to improve community life. Recognizing that this initiative was far bigger than any one institution or organization could carry out, several CEOs from the public and private sectors in SC formed a Collaborative. Members define a collaborative as an unincorporated group of decision makers from the public and private sector who agree to share resources of various kinds to accomplish a common vision, mission, and strategic action plan. Jointly sharing resources and decision making the Collaborative created a strategic plan during the year 1999. Members of the Collaborative are identified on the Affiliations page on this Web site.

The Collaborative considered several organizational models for conducting its business. It recognized the value of choosing a managing partner affiliated with a higher education institution experienced in public-private sector relationships and the value of collaboration. The Collaborative formally chose Clemson University's Public Service and Agriculture Division's (PS&A), Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life to further assist in the development of the selected model and manage the Collaborative arrangement and the Center. The PS&A, is directed and managed by Dr. John Kelly, Vice President of Public Service and Agriculture.

The Collaborative will accomplish a major portion of its mission objectives through a Leadership Center which will focus on the delivery of high quality, community-focused education, practical research, mutual problem solving opportunities for community leaders, on-site technical assistance, and information development and dissemination. Through the contribution of resources and leadership of its affiliated members, the Collaborative established and shall provide oversight for the multifaceted South Carolina Center on Grassroots and Nonprofit Leadership located on the Clemson University campus.

The Center became operational in January 2000 and has directed its available resources toward the creation of its financial, human, technical and service delivery infrastructure. Enhancing its funding base through contracts, grants and foundation donations has enabled the Center's management to attract and hire a highly competent and proven core staff effective March 2001. These management and staff members have made significant progress in creating the system to implement the Collaborative's strategic plan through building a network of collaborative relationships in key areas of content development and content delivery in support of stated mission objectives. Initiatives in all core activities are being tested, developed or put in place to strengthen organizational or individual leadership capacity in community-based nonprofit or volunteer organizations.