Local Decisions that Change Lives

Transparent and Effective Government in Indonesia

Across Indonesia, people get together once a year in villages, cities, and districts to discuss priorities and make budget recommendations to government. This “bottom-up” planning process, known as Musrenbang, is at the heart of a national commitment to decentralized decision-making. Ford encourages these efforts through its support for the Strategic Alliance for Poverty Alleviation (SAPA), a collaboration between the Indonesian and local governments and dozens of nonprofit organizations. SAPA coordinators are working in 15 pilot districts—and, soon, 15 replication districts—to analyze data on community needs, ensure that anti-poverty investments are well spent, and help poor residents join actively in the planning process.

Learn more about our Promoting Transparent, Effective and Accountable Government initiative.