About Us
The IPG house
Vision
The Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance is an entrepreneurial, interdisciplinary community of collaborating faculty, staff and students that conducts governance-related research, learning and engagement efforts concerning significant public challenges. We work principally with and for vulnerable or disadvantaged populations locally, regionally, nationally and globally in order to support more socially resilient and adaptive democratic societies.
Mission
The Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance maintains an active program of empirical and theoretical research and learning linked to the Institute’s policy and governance-related domains of interest to achieve more fully democratic societies at all geographic scales. We engage in research, capacity building, technical outreach and community-based participatory inquiry with and on behalf of those we serve, principally disadvantaged and vulnerable populations.
Values
Institute faculty, staff and affiliated students view the following twenty values as fundamental to how we approach and conduct our work. We aspire to their daily incorporation and realization in all of our efforts.
| Core Values | Practice Values |
| 1. Creativity | 1. Collaboration |
| 2. Curiosity | 2. Empathy |
| 3. Honesty | 3. Ethical |
| 4. Human Dignity | 4. Honesty |
| 5. Integrity | 5. Innovation |
| 6. Learning | 6. Learning |
| 7. Mutuality | 7. Purposefulness |
| 8. Openness | 8. Reflexivity |
| 9. Social Justice | 9. Responsiveness |
| 10. Trust | 10. Transparency |
Program and Public Policy Research
"Brotherhood" taken by Bob Veltri
- Design evaluation studies
- Conduct needs assessments and implementation studies
- Perform program assessment
- Develop in-person, telephone, and e-mail surveys
- Conduct focus groups and interviews
- Foster federal/state/local relationship
Capacity Building Initiatives
- Help build organizational and individual capacity
- Develop models for public participation and engagement
- Foster organizational development
- Perform governance assessments
- Conduct organizational analysis
- Evaluate management processes
- Facilitate strategic planning for public and non-profit organizations
- Assess management challenges
- Improve board/executive relations
- Provide program training and process enhancement
- Grant writing training and grant writing assistance
- Develop e-governance strategies and implementation
- Perform outcome evaluation
- Facilitate group meetings