Introduction: Understanding the Relationships Between Nonprofit Organizations and Local Governments

In the past two decades governments at all levels in the United States haveincreased their involvement with nonprofit organizations. As state and localgovernments deal with devolution of service responsibilities from state andfederal governments, they confront the challenges of providing more andbetter service while operating within fiscal constraints. To address thesechallenges, local governments increasingly involve nonprofits in servicedelivery. Local governments can draw on nonprofit organizations’ volun-teers and private financial resources, as well as their greater flexibility ofaction. Nonprofits have also become increasingly skilled advocates for theirclients, arguing persuasively for public resources to support their activitiesand seeking to influence governmental agendas and priorities. Increasingly,nonprofits and local governments have partnered to jointly develop andimplement programs.