Action Pathway
Effective Local and Urban Governance
Local governments are often the primary point of engagement for citizens, and they are responsible for the services that are most critical to people’s daily lives.
Today, rapid urban growth—planned and unplanned—shifting populations, and rising public expectations are putting greater pressure on local governments to deliver services, manage resources, and plan for safer and more livable communities.
Limited fiscal resources, unclear lines of authority, weak coordination across levels of government, gaps in data and planning capacity, and uneven opportunities for public input can slow practical reform and weaken trust in local institutions. This impacts everything from health and safety to economic growth and disproportionately affects women. We work with city and local governments, national institutions, civil society, and community partners to strengthen planning, budgeting, service delivery, and resident engagement in ways that fit local political and administrative realities, helping local institutions make better decisions and manage growth more effectively.
APPROACH
We partner with local and urban governments, national institutions, civil society organizations, community leaders, and technical experts to strengthen the systems, relationships, and practical capacities that shape how local decisions are made and services are delivered. With a particular focus on helping cities respond to rapid population growth, we support partners through policy and technical analysis, participatory planning, budget and service-delivery reform, institutional capacity strengthening, convening, and locally led problem solving. This includes support for improved budgeting practices, citizen engagement mechanisms, urban planning, solid waste management, and coordination between national and subnational institutions. By helping local leaders use evidence, engage the public, test workable solutions, and implement reforms, we contribute to more capable local institutions, better services, stronger public trust, and more resilient communities.
featured programs
Improving Public Services Through Better Governance
To ensure Nepal’s federal system delivers for all citizens, we help public institutions clarify roles, improve coordination, increase public participation, and strengthen local dispute resolution.
Helping Governance Systems Better Serve Citizens
In Bangladesh, we help public systems better protect migrant workers, support journalists, and make governance reforms work for citizens.
Making Local Government Work Better
Local governments need the right tools to better serve communities. We help Sri Lankan authorities use data, technology, and budgeting best practices to improve public services.
Turning Waste into Opportunity
The Green Growth Initiative for Circular Economy supports Battambang’s shift toward a circular economy by strengthening solid waste management systems. Funded by GIZ, the program works with city stakeholders to test collection models, improve source segregation, and introduce digital monitoring tools, while using a feasibility study and web-based financial model to guide citywide expansion and improve service efficiency, environmental outcomes, and citizen engagement.
Making Urban Governance More Responsive
As Ulaanbaatar has grown rapidly, citizens have increasingly pushed for institutions to improve public services, strengthen accountability, and better engage with people. Over the past 15 years, The Asia Foundation has partnered with municipal offices to modernize urban governance through public service innovation, digital transformation, and evidence-based planning. The program trained more than 4,000 municipal officials, supported decentralization reforms, introduced digital platforms for citizen participation, and improved service delivery across areas including waste management, water utilities, and local government planning.