The Riley Center for Livable Communities

For more than a decade, The Riley Center for Livable Communities at the College of Charleston has worked alongside local government leaders across South Carolina. Along the way, we have seen truly amazing work happening in our communities, led by dedicated individuals every day. Today we are launching a new blog, Leading Local: Reflections from the Riley Center, to continue supporting those leaders.

The goal is twofold: to share what we're observing and hearing from the field, and to offer practical ideas as communities and leaders face similar challenges. Most future posts will look ahead. Our first post takes stock of where we have been and where we are today. Going forward, we'd love to know what topics you want us to cover.

Read the first post and subscribe for a new post each month: https://rileycenter.substack.com/p/ten-years-in-the-field-whats-changed

Our 2025–2026 Impact Report is here!

This past year, the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities worked alongside communities, local government leaders, nonprofits, and organizations across South Carolina to address challenges, build capacity, and strengthen communities.

In 2025–2026, we:
* Served 46 counties and 81 communities
* Trained 580+ public and community leaders
* Completed 41 projects and contracts
* Supported 9 nonprofit organizations
* Secured $519,090 in external grant funding

We are grateful to all of our partners who made this work possible. Take a look at our Impact Report to learn more about the projects, partnerships, and people behind this year’s work.

Please share this information!

Our Riley Center family is heartbroken to share that one of our own, Heather, and her family lost everything in a devastating apartment fire early Sunday morning. While we are incredibly grateful that they are safe, they now face the difficult task of rebuilding their lives.

For years, Heather has been a familiar face at Riley Center conferences, trainings, and events, working tirelessly behind the scenes to support local government professionals across South Carolina. Her kindness, dedication, and willingness to help others have touched so many in our community.

Today, we have the opportunity to give back to someone who has given so much to others.

If you are able, please consider supporting Heather and her family through their GoFundMe as they begin to rebuild. Every contribution, no matter the amount, will make a meaningful difference. If you're unable to donate, sharing this post is another wonderful way to help.

❤️ GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/1b474cc1e

Please keep Heather and her family in your thoughts during this difficult time. Thank you for helping us support a valued member of the Riley Center family.

www.gofundme.com

Call for Nominations: 2027 Riley Mayors' Design Fellowship

Do you know a South Carolina mayor with a vision for strengthening their community? Nominations are now open for the 2027 Riley Mayors' Design Fellowship!

This unique leadership program equips South Carolina mayors with expert guidance in planning, design, development, and financing to help advance transformative community projects. Fellows collaborate with a multidisciplinary faculty and fellow municipal leaders to develop practical solutions that create lasting impacts.

Who is eligible?
✔ Current South Carolina mayors
✔ At least two years remaining in their term as of January 2027
✔ A community project that would benefit from expert guidance

🗓 Nomination Deadline: September 1, 2026
📍 Fellowship Conference: March 3–5, 2027 | Charleston, SC

Self-nominations are welcome!

Learn more and submit a nomination at www.rileyfellowship.org/nomination-form.

Please help us spread the word by sharing this opportunity with mayors and municipal leaders across South Carolina!

For more than four decades, Mayor Joseph P. Riley Jr. helped shape Charleston through a vision rooted in thoughtful planning, historic preservation, collaboration, and creating communities where everyone can thrive.

Today, that legacy lives on through the Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities at the College of Charleston.

We are honored to be featured in the Summer 2026 issue of College of Charleston Magazine, which highlights the Center's work connecting faculty, staff, students, local governments, and nonprofit organizations to address real-world challenges and strengthen communities across South Carolina.

Over the past year, the Riley Center has supported communities throughout the state through leadership development, technical assistance, applied research, and collaborative partnerships that create meaningful, lasting impact.

Thank you to the College of Charleston for sharing our story and helping celebrate the legacy that continues to inspire our work every day.

📖 Read the full article here:

Life of Riley The College’s Joseph P. Riley Jr. Center for Livable Communities advances Mayor Joe Riley’s legacy through civic partnerships, research and public service.

Recently, The Post and Courier wrote an editorial about the work our Cayce Mayor Elise Partin has done for our Cayce River Arts District through her previtalization efforts stemming from her time at the Mayors' Institute on City Design (MICD)!

Sponsored by the Municipal Assn of SC , the Riley Mayors Design Fellows Program is a part of the The Riley Center for Livable Communities and incorporates many unique urban planning opportunities in partnership with the Clemson University School of Architecture, the United States Conference of Mayors, the National Endowment for the Arts, and The American Institute of Architects.

Read more about the work behind the transformation to our River Arts District here: https://www.postandcourier.com/opinion/commentary/mayors-institute-city-design-sc-cayce-charleston/article_434308a0-e177-11ee-91f0-ebed777328ec.html

📣The Community Survey is here📣

🗣️We want your input! Share your thoughts on social issues and areas of need in the Tri-County Region. Trident United Way will be utilizing your feedback from this anonymous survey to help guide our efforts to be sure we are having the greatest impact on our community.

➡️Take the survey now surveymonkey.com/r/TUWSurvey

𝐏𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐬𝐨 𝐰𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

This year, the College of Charleston celebrates its 5th annual CofC Day. This day gives us a chance not only to celebrate what we love about the College, but to transform students' lives for years to come. I invite you to join in and make a gift to the Riley Center to support real life experience for our students, along with pro-bono research for organizations in need. https://cofcday.cofc.edu/campaigns/joseph-p-riley-jr-center-for-livable-communities