Fiscal Decentralization and Local Government Finance Training Course

Fiscal Decentralization and Local Government Finance Training Course

Introduction

Fiscal decentralization and local government finance are vital pillars for promoting sustainable economic development, improving public service delivery, and strengthening governance structures. Fiscal Decentralization and Local Government Finance Training Course is designed to equip policymakers, financial managers, development practitioners, and local authority leaders with advanced knowledge, tools, and strategies for effective fiscal management at the sub-national level. It emphasizes intergovernmental fiscal transfers, revenue mobilization, budget planning, and financial accountability while integrating global best practices and innovative approaches.

Through a practical and results-oriented framework, participants will explore critical issues such as public expenditure management, fiscal equity, policy reforms, and financial transparency in the context of decentralized governance. The course integrates case studies, real-world experiences, and analytical frameworks to ensure that participants can design and implement effective fiscal decentralization policies that align with sustainable development goals and promote inclusive growth.

Course Objectives

1. Understand principles of fiscal decentralization and its role in sustainable governance.
2. Analyze intergovernmental fiscal transfer systems for equitable resource distribution.
3. Enhance skills in local revenue mobilization and financial resource optimization.
4. Apply public expenditure management frameworks to improve service delivery.
5. Evaluate budget planning and execution in decentralized systems.
6. Strengthen capacity in municipal financial management and policy design.
7. Integrate financial transparency and accountability mechanisms into governance.
8. Develop strategies for public-private partnerships in local government finance.
9. Examine local taxation systems for efficiency and fairness.
10. Utilize fiscal policy reforms to improve financial sustainability.
11. Implement data-driven decision-making for local fiscal planning.
12. Learn from global best practices in fiscal decentralization.
13. Build leadership in inclusive and participatory budgeting processes.

Target Audiences

1. Government policymakers and legislators.
2. Local government finance officers.
3. Public sector managers and administrators.
4. Economists and financial analysts.
5. Development practitioners and NGO leaders.
6. Urban and regional planners.
7. Academics and researchers in public finance.
8. Donor agencies and international development partners.

Course Duration: 5 days

Course Modules

Module 1: Principles of Fiscal Decentralization

• Overview of fiscal decentralization frameworks.
• Economic rationale for decentralized governance.
• Key institutional arrangements.
• Linkages between decentralization and service delivery.
• Challenges in implementation.
• Case Study: Fiscal decentralization reforms in South Africa.

Module 2: Intergovernmental Fiscal Transfers

• Types of fiscal transfers (block, conditional, performance-based).
• Criteria for equitable allocation.
• Transfer design and sustainability.
• Impact on fiscal autonomy.
• Managing fiscal imbalances.
• Case Study: Brazil’s intergovernmental transfer system.

Module 3: Local Revenue Mobilization

• Sources of local government revenue.
• Improving tax collection efficiency.
• Non-tax revenue opportunities.
• Incentives for compliance.
• Technology in revenue mobilization.
• Case Study: Kenya’s county-level revenue reforms.

Module 4: Public Expenditure Management

• Budget formulation and prioritization.
• Expenditure control systems.
• Performance-based budgeting.
• Monitoring and evaluation.
• Expenditure accountability tools.
• Case Study: Uganda’s public expenditure tracking survey.

Module 5: Budget Planning and Execution

• Stages of budget planning.
• Linking budgets to strategic plans.
• Participatory budgeting approaches.
• Managing mid-year adjustments.
• Budget execution monitoring.
• Case Study: Porto Alegre’s participatory budgeting model.

Module 6: Municipal Financial Management

• Financial reporting standards.
• Asset and liability management.
• Debt financing and management.
• Risk management in local finance.
• Internal audit processes.
• Case Study: Debt management in Philippine municipalities.

Module 7: Fiscal Policy Reforms

• Drivers of fiscal policy change.
• Reform design and sequencing.
• Legal and institutional reforms.
• Revenue diversification strategies.
• Measuring reform impacts.
• Case Study: Fiscal policy transformation in Indonesia.

Module 8: Financial Transparency and Accountability

• Principles of financial transparency.
• Open data and public reporting.
• Anti-corruption measures in local finance.
• Citizen oversight mechanisms.
• Role of civil society in fiscal accountability.
• Case Study: Open Budget Initiative in Georgia.

Training Methodology

• Interactive expert-led lectures.
• Practical group exercises and simulations.
• Real-world case study analysis.
• Role-playing and scenario planning.
• Peer-to-peer learning and networking.
• Guided action planning for post-training implementation.

Register as a group from 3 participants for a Discount

Send us an email: info@datastatresearch.org or call +254724527104 

Certification

Upon successful completion of this training, participants will be issued with a globally- recognized certificate.

Tailor-Made Course

 We also offer tailor-made courses based on your needs.

Key Notes

a. The participant must be conversant with English.

b. Upon completion of training the participant will be issued with an Authorized Training Certificate

c. Course duration is flexible and the contents can be modified to fit any number of days.

d. The course fee includes facilitation training materials, 2 coffee breaks, buffet lunch and A Certificate upon successful completion of Training.

e. One-year post-training support Consultation and Coaching provided after the course.

f. Payment should be done at least a week before commence of the training, to DATASTAT CONSULTANCY LTD account, as indicated in the invoice so as to enable us prepare better for you.