At the fall 2018 meeting of the J.W. Fanning Institute for Leadership Development advisory board, board members and institute faculty and staff honored board chair and longtime supporter Jimmy Allgood and his family for an endowed gift that will fund community leadership development efforts throughout the state.

The Allgood family has pledged an endowed gift of $250,000 to support the Fanning Institute’s Community Leadership Initiative.

Through this initiative, the Fanning Institute will provide support to communities across Georgia that aspire to begin, restart or revamp their adult community leadership programs using the institute’s Community Leadership Program curriculum.

“Chairman Allgood has given graciously of his time and resources to the advancement of the University of Georgia over many years,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “His family’s generous gift will help the Fanning Institute continue to develop leaders throughout our state for generations to come.”

Allgood has served as a member of the institute’s advisory board since its creation in 2014 and has been the advisory board chair since fall 2016.

At the meeting, Matt Bishop, interim associate vice president for public service and outreach, and Maritza Soto Keen, interim director of the Fanning Institute, updated the board on the institute’s ongoing programs. They focused on multi-county regional leadership programs and customized leadership programs such as the Lynda Brannen Williamson Women’s Leadership Academy in Statesboro, the Cultivating Hispanic Leaders Institute in metro Atlanta and the statewide Public Health Leadership Academy.

In addition, Bishop and Keen summarized the institute’s recent accomplishments and updated the board on the development of a five-year strategic plan.

“Our faculty are helping communities and organizations across Georgia develop the next generation of leaders,” Bishop says. “The input our advisory board provides helps to shape our work moving forward. We are grateful for their ongoing support of our leadership development mission.”

The advisory board helps guide the strategic direction of the Fanning Institute. Through advisement and guidance, the board helps the institute fulfill its mission to strengthen communities and organizations through leadership development, training and education.