Subnational Governance

About this Topic

The Foundation’s decentralization or subnational governance programming is primarily pursued from the bottom up, often working at the intersection between subnational governments, citizens, and civil society groups. Working across fiscal, administrative, and political realms, our efforts seek better development outcomes through the delivery of more responsive and effective local government, whether that be through the pursuit of better budgeting practices or designing better service delivery mechanisms. While we do find ourselves engaging national-level government institutions through this work, much of it is in pursuit of improving multi-level governmental relations, coordination between different levels, and supporting central governments to better deliver on their decentralization commitments and agendas.

Latest Publications

  • Nepal Subnational Governance Program Bridging Phase Quarterly Newsletter Issue 4 – January-March 2022

    Nepal Subnational Governance Program Bridging Phase Quarterly Newsletter Issue 4 – January-March 2022

  • Nepal Subnational Governance Program Bridging Phase Quarterly Newsletter Issue 3 – October-December 2021

    Nepal Subnational Governance Program Bridging Phase Quarterly Newsletter Issue 3 – October-December 2021

  • Nepal Subnational Governance Program Bridging Phase Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2 – July-September 2021

    Nepal Subnational Governance Program Bridging Phase Quarterly Newsletter Issue 2 – July-September 2021

News and Highlights

  • Nepal’s Unsteady Progress towards Fiscal Federalism

    Nepal’s Unsteady Progress towards Fiscal Federalism

    Nepal’s newly created provincial governments got their budgets for next year done on time, but the nation’s ambitious commitment to fiscal federalism still has some kinks to work out.

  • The Asia Foundation and SILAKA Promote Transparent and Accountable Management of Local Funds in Cambodia

    The Asia Foundation and SILAKA Promote Transparent and Accountable Management of Local Funds in Cambodia

    The Asia Foundation and SILAKA with support from the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade launched a three-year project, “Promoting the Transparent and Accountable Management of Local Funds […]

  • Can a Sweeping New Law Counter Nepal’s Federal Overreach?

    Can a Sweeping New Law Counter Nepal’s Federal Overreach?

    In July, Nepal’s national parliament passed the most important single law in that nation’s young federal system. Will the flawed but vital legislation mark the start of a new era of governance, or will it be lost in the dungeons of Nepal’s imperfect policies of the past?

  • In Nepal, Federalism, Health Policy, and the Pandemic

    In Nepal, Federalism, Health Policy, and the Pandemic

    Across Nepal, the coronavirus pandemic is confronting cities and towns with a defining challenge to that nation’s nascent federal system, as young local governments struggle to meet their constitutional public-health mandate.

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