Local government finance Archives – Decentralization Net

Decentralized responsibilities without decentralized resources?

April 10, 2026 Marina Jandrevska

The role of local governments in European public service delivery has expanded significantly over the past two decades. Across the European Union, municipalities have become central actors in the provision of education, healthcare, social protection, […]

Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers in Kenya: An Empirical Analysis

November 7, 2022 LPSAManager

In a devolved country, adequate and timely intergovernmental financial transfers are often critical to the ability of subnational governments to operate effectively and deliver public services. A well-designed intergovernmental transfer system, when accompanied with sufficient […]

Is the Mandanas ruling an opportunity to reform local government system in the Philippines?

July 22, 2021 LPS Alliance

After three decades of decentralization, Philippine local government units (LGUs) still face challenges in delivering basic services devolved to them with the passing of the Local Government Code of 1991. Despite of the enactment of […]

South Africa: Treasury Launches Open Local Government Financial Data Portal – ‘Municipal Money’

November 7, 2016 LPS Initiative

PRESS RELEASE National Treasury is proud to launch “Municipal Money“, an open local government budget data portal which provides citizens and other stakeholders with access to comparable, verified information on the financial performance of each […]

Density and the Cost of Municipal Public Services in Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, and Mexico

March 21, 2016 LPS Initiative

Dense cities are a rational choice for the increasingly urban world, where concerns about environmental sustainability and urban sprawl are paramount (UN-Habitat, 2012). Among their many advantages, dense cities help preserve fertile rural lands, decrease […]

Public financial management in decentralized and decentralizing environments

October 14, 2015 LPS Alliance

Public financial management (PFM)—-the science and art of budgeting, spending, and accounting for public funds—-is among the most fundamental elements of public sector reform. PFM not only helps to ensure that there are clear rules […]

The Hague Academy: Fiscal Decentralization and Local Finance Course

August 29, 2015 LPS Alliance

The way public finances are organized in a country forms the basis for how local authorities run their activities in cities, towns and villages. While national governments have the responsibility to design and supervise a […]