About

“The mission of the Institute for County Government is to enhance the leadership skills of county officials, to facilitate innovative thinking and action by those leaders, and ultimately to enable counties to prosper as communities in the 21st century.”

Institute for County Government (ICG) 

In response to increasing requests for education programs and technical assistance, the Florida Association of Counties created the Institute for County Government (ICG). ICG is a private, non-profit corporation governed by a Board of Directors, which is comprised of county commissioners, county administrators, and county attorneys.

The ICG Board guides the Association’s training and education opportunities for elected and appointed county officials.

UF-IFAS Partnership

FAC’s partnership with UF-IFAS spans nearly 25 years. While ICG started its commissioner training program in the late 1990s, it lacked the vision and the institutional resources needed to create a robust program consistent with its stated mission, beginning in early 2000, UF-IFAS faculty Dr. Rod Clouser began lending his support to the program, helping to create and teach several of the core classes that continue to this day. As the program evolved, so did UF-IFAS support, providing critical funding needed to launch an early version of the Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) program, which continues to this day under the direction of Dr. Matt Sowcik.

In providing both instructional and financial support to ICG’s programs, it has become one of the leading commissioner training programs in the country. In all, ICG has more than 70 courses and webinars covering a broad range of county issues, including affordable housing, growth management, infrastructure and environment, and economic development. The financial and institutional support provided by UF-IFAS helps ensure county officials are better prepared to manage the diverse policy issues in their communities.

Core Programs

Certified County Commission (CCC) Program (Fist Year – 1996)

• 47 hours of course work (includes core courses, electives, and continuing education)
• Participation includes a combination of online and in-person training
• Graduates: 570

Advanced County Commissioner (ACC) Program: Level I & II (First Years -2006/2017)

• 3-part series of 1 ½ day seminars focused on leadership development
• Classes are taught in-person in Gainesville and led by UF-IFAS faculty
• Graduates (ACC I): 307
• Graduates (ACC II): 61

County Government Education (CGE) Program (First Year - 2017)

• 47 hours of course (similar to CCC)
• Participation includes a combination of online and in-person training
• Graduates: 43