Decentralization and Equity in Public and Nonprofit Sectors

Abstract

This article examines hypotheses relating equity in service provision to decentralization in the nonprofit sector and to the lessons of the nonprofit experience for an increasingly decentralized public sector The findings indicate a relatively minor current role for nonprofits in distributive activities and significant differences in the generosity levels of communities and the targeting of donor support for charitable services, as opposed to amenity and civic services. The analyses also indicate some relative decline in giving levels in the most generous communities. The findings imply that decentralization of distributive programs to states and communities may be an effective strategy for limiting their scope and cutting back on national commitments to distressed population groups and communities.