The Center for Governmental Responsibility at the University of Florida’s Levin College of Law is the oldest and most influential legal research and public policy center in the State of Florida. Founded in 1972 by lawyers who opposed President Nixon’s refusal to spend Congressionally-authorized funds on housing and civil rights programs, CGR has leveraged its position in Florida’s flagship law school to promote government accountability, steer emerging democracies in their quest for the rule of law, and enable law and policy-makers to respond to changing times and environmental pressures. In its first 50 years, CGR faculty and staff have received millions of dollars in grants to assist a variety of local and global legal initiatives and they have devoted countless hours to public interest work. CGR has produced an Emmy-award winning documentary on the Everglades; trained lawyers in Poland to implement rule of law initiatives; provided assistance to Brazilian judges, prosecutors, and attorneys on effective administration of justice; developed a sustainable Everglades initiative; advanced bioregional policy in the Maya Forest; helped preserve the iconic Bridge of Lions in St. Augustine; and developed a shared plan to manage sea turtle populations, just to name a few. CGR has received grants from entities as diverse as the MacArthur Foundation, the National Park Service, the Everglades Foundation, the National Academy of Sciences, USAID, NIH, and many others. As CGR begins its next half-century of public service, we look forward to continuing our role as thought-leaders and partners helping to find solutions to the policy challenges of the future.