The Influence of Village Fund Allocation on Community Welfare in Calabai Village, Pekat District, Dompu Regency

This study examines the impact of Village Fund Allocation on Community Welfare in Calabai Village within the framework of fiscal decentralization and rural development. Although the Village Fund program has been implemented nationally to reduce rural disparities, empirical evidence at the micro-level remains limited, particularly regarding its measurable contribution to welfare improvement. This study aims to analyze whether Village Fund Allocation significantly influences Community Welfare. A quantitative approach was employed using survey data collected from 120 respondents. Data were analyzed using validity and reliability testing, descriptive statistics, normality testing, and simple linear regression analysis. The results reveal that Village Fund Allocation has a positive and statistically significant effect on Community Welfare (t = 14.567; p < 0.001). The coefficient of determination (R² = 0.643) indicates that 64.3% of welfare variation is explained by Village Fund Allocation. These findings suggest that effective and transparent village fund management substantially contributes to improving rural living standards. The study reinforces fiscal decentralization theory by providing empirical support at the village level and highlights the importance of accountable financial governance in achieving sustainable rural development. This research contributes to the literature by offering micro-level evidence from an Indonesian rural context and provides policy-relevant insights for strengthening village-based development strategies.