Nonprofit Alliance at UGA

Experiential Learning (EL) at UGA is designed to deliver impact – for our communities, as well as for our students. There are a variety of ways community partners and faculty/staff can engage with the Alliance to create meaningful experiential learning opportunities for UGA students (hosting an internship, partnering with a service-learning course, or collaborating on a research project). We are more than happy to assist community partners and faculty in making partnerships to advance experiential learning opportunities. If you are interested in creating an EL opportunity that engages a community partner, or if you believe that you have a community based project or research that may be suitable for UGA student engagement, please contact the Alliance to see how we can assist you in finding a partner.

The Alliance provides practical, hands-on training and technical assistance designed to help nonprofits stay ahead of a rapidly shifting landscape. Our recent introductory workshop on artificial intelligence showed organizations how to use AI safely, ethically, and effectively in day-to-day operations—from drafting communications to improving workflow efficiency—and it has already sparked strong interest across the sector. Building on that momentum, we are developing a suite of future trainings that respond to what nonprofits have asked for: deeper AI skill-building, guidance on responsible implementation, and applied sessions on other emerging issues that shape nonprofit work. The goal is simple and ambitious at the same time: equip organizations with tools that expand their capacity, sharpen their strategy, and open the door to innovative ways of serving their communities.

For more information about training and technical assistance, visit the Fanning Institute’s Nonprofit Leadership Development. 

Nonprofit leaders across Georgia have shared a common concern: even though they gather in the same meetings, they seldom have space to truly learn from one another. The Alliance was created to fill that gap. Our facilitated sessions—held in Athens and in communities statewide—give leaders the chance to access new resources, explore shared issues, voice challenges, and connect with peers. In Moultrie, for example, we brought research on nonprofit employee benefits, retention, and burnout. Leaders not only discussed the data but also shared strategies, insights, and solutions drawn from their own experience.

The Interdisciplinary Alliance for Nonprofit Organizations at UGA brings research to practitioners through presentations that cut through jargon and focus on what matters. We share evidence in clear, accessible ways—showing how findings translate into real decisions, strategic choices, and program improvements. Our research-to-practice sessions unpack what the research actually means for nonprofit leaders in their day-to-day work, helping organizations apply evidence to strengthen operations, deepen community impact, and respond more effectively to emerging challenges. We treat presentations not as lectures, but as practical, problem-solving conversations grounded in data.

The Interdisciplinary Alliance for Nonprofit Organizations at UGA practices engaged scholarship rooted in genuine partnership. Our research projects begin with questions raised by local nonprofit leaders themselves, and we work alongside them throughout the process. Using principles of participatory action research, we collaborate on study design, data collection, and interpretation so the work reflects lived experience and organizational realities. The goal isn’t to produce academic artifacts—it’s to generate actionable insights that nonprofits can use immediately to strengthen their programs, adapt to changing conditions, and serve their communities more effectively.

Rebecca Nesbit, Ph.D.
Professor of Nonprofit Management
School of Public & International Affairs

Anthony J. Mallon
Clinical Professor
School of Social Work

Josh Podvin
Assistant Director
Office of Service Learning

Julie Meehan
Public Service Associate
Fanning Institute for Leadership and Development

Sayge Medlin
Public Service Associate
Fanning Institute for Leadership and Development

Hee Yun Lee
Director of the Institute for Nonprofit Organizations
School of Social Work

Sharon Kane
Assistant Professor
Financial Planning, Housing and Consumer Economics

Gabe Kidman
3rd Year Ph.D Student
School of Public & International Affairs