Toward a theory of community development in public administration: analytical dimensions and conceptual clarification from a systematic review

Community development is an important aspect of public administration practice. However, within the realm of public administration scholarship, community development remains undertheorized, often relegated to the status of a program rather than a process. This article addressed this conceptual ambiguity by conducting a systematic literature review across prominent public administration journals, spanning from January 2000 to May 2025. After applying strict inclusion criteria, we analyzed a sample of 33 articles that substantively engage community development in the United States. Drawing from this literature, we identify key themes in the literature. Drawing on these themes, we identify recurring analytical dimensions through which community development is conceptualized in public administration: cross-sector collaboration, public participation, and financial resources. Within each dimension, we derive a set of analytical claims that clarify how administrative structures, governance arrangements, and institutional capacities shape community development practice. Building on these findings, we propose a working conceptual definition of community development tailored to public administration scholarship. By organizing fragmented literature into a coherent analytical structure, this study strengthens conceptual clarity, supports cumulative research, and provides a foundation for more systematic empirical and theoretical inquiry into community development within public administration.