Intergovernmental Fiscal Relations

Fiscal decentralization and subnational government budget management play an increasingly important role in sound public policy and democratic governance. Decentralization efforts around the world have greatly enhanced the efficiency with which government services are provided. By yielding greater fiscal responsibilities to regional and local governments, the public sector can be more flexible in response to variations in regional and local needs and demands for public services. As a result, decentralization of the public sector also increases citizen participation in the governance process and enhances government accountability.

Fiscal decentralization, or intergovernmental fiscal relations, has long been a core area of expertise for the International Studies Program at the Andrew Young School of Policy Studies. The Program has provided technical assistance to a large number of developing and transitional economies in the area of fiscal decentralization over the past decade. For instance, with funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, the ISP has continuously been providing technical assistance in the area of intergovernmental fiscal relations to the government of the Russian Federation since1997. We also have considerable experience providing policy training in fiscal decentralization policy, with a particular emphasis on tailoring training program specifically to the needs and issues faced by the host country and the experience level of the program's participants.