United States Archives – Decentralization Net

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[ December 19, 2025 ] Conditional grants and the hidden politics of fiscal decentralization Australia
[ December 18, 2025 ] Nearby solutions: The role of regional and local governments in Latin America Decentralization
[ December 10, 2025 ] The new U.S.–Kenya health partnership risks missing the real problem Africa
[ December 4, 2025 ] Gen Z protests and the case for inclusive and effective multilevel governance Local democracy and inclusive governance
[ December 3, 2025 ] LPSA is looking for Regional Working Group Coordinator (MENA Region) LPSA Updates

Conditional grants and the hidden politics of fiscal decentralization

December 19, 2025 LPS Alliance

In discussions on fiscal decentralization, conditional grants are often treated as a technical detail rather than a central feature of multilevel governance. Much of the debate focuses on revenue assignments, own-source taxation, or unconditional transfers, […]

Who trusts the Government of the United States?

February 14, 2025 LPS Alliance

Less than two weeks ago, people acting on the authority of the President of the United States announced that they would “shut down” the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), with the United States Digital […]

Racial and Ethnic Representation in Local Government in the United States

May 6, 2024 LPS Alliance

Local governments can be an important mechanism to promote inclusive governance and equitable development. However, local government power can also be wielded as a mechanism for political, economic, or racial exclusion. Although local governments in […]

Local government managers are on the frontlines of American climate change

November 28, 2023 LPS Alliance

Due to the federal structure of the United States, state and local governments in the U.S. are the implementation agents for a vast swath of federal policies. One area where state and local governments play […]

Entrepreneurial Thinking in Local Government

December 18, 2021 LPS Alliance

Local governments have opportunities to pursue entrepreneurial activities that take advantage of the assets they have to create more value for the community and financially strengthen the local government. Innovation, along with efficient execution of […]

Intergovernmental Transfers in Federations

November 2, 2020 LPS Alliance

In a multi-level government system, the assignment of roles and responsibilities and institutional legacies between the federal and the subnational governments often create imbalances. A common challenges is a primary vertical fiscal imbalance, which is […]

How relevant are state and local governments in the United States?

October 1, 2020 LPS Alliance

Even though decentralization reforms are something commonly associated with developing and transition countries, even industrialized countries with a long tradition of democratic practice must from time to time assess their intergovernmental relations and local governance […]