Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities

Welcome to the Riley Center!

The Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities is an interdisciplinary initiative of the College of Charleston whose mission is to leverage the intellectual resources of the College to support the economic, social and cultural vibrancy of the Lowcountry and other communities throughout South Carolina.

With access to the resources of the College of Charleston's School of Humanities and Social Sciences, the Riley Center seeks to be a leader in community based research, leadership development and best practices for government and non-profit organizations. The Riley Center achieves its mission by connecting community needs with faculty, staff, students and nationally renowned fellows and executives-in-residence. 

The Riley Center defines "livable communities" as those which are economically, socially, and culturally vibrant, with equitable access for all residents to education, jobs, healthcare, housing, and parks and recreation, as well as diverse opportunities in arts and culture. 

Core Competencies

The Center has five core competencies under which is offered a variety of services:

  • Public Sector Governance and Leadership Support
  • Nonprofit Capacity Building
  • Stakeholder Research and Engagement
  • The Application of Leading Practices for Governments and Nonprofits
  • Strategic Planning for Long-Term Community Sustainability

Professional Services 

The Riley Center offers a variety of professional services tailored to fit the needs of the client. Services include:

  • Strategic planning, program evaluation, and policy analysis
  • Leadership training and professional development
  • Meeting and focus group facilitation
  • Board training and team development
  • Surveys, data collection and data analysis
  • Data analytics and AI
  • Community engagement
  • Professional association management

Areas of Expertise

The following areas represent the primary domains in which the RIley Center delivers research, technical assistance, planning and community engagement services. 

  • Organization and Management
  • Public Health, Environment, and Sustainability
  • Public Safety
  • Education, Libraries, Arts and Culture
  • Urban Design, Planning, Tourism and Housing
  • Rural and Underserved Communities

 

Riley Center Annual Reports

The Riley Center is excited to share with you some of the projects and programs that we have been working on to bring our mission to life!

The Riley Center

CofC's West Edge

The Riley Center is located at CofC WestEdge - 176 Lockwood Dr. in Charleston, SC