The Interorganizational Context of Public Administration (Anatomy of Public Administration)

Block grants:  Grants in which the money can be used for nearly any purpose within specific functional fields.

Capital grants:  Grants for use in construction or renovation.

Categorical or project grants:  Grants requiring that the money may be spend for only a limited purpose; typically available on a competitive basis.

Charter:  Local government’s equivalent of a constitution.

Contracting:  Government agreeing to contracts with private or non-profit groups to deliver certain services.

Cooperative federalism:  Greater sharing of responsibilities between federal and state governments.

Co production:  Using volunteer activity to supplement or supplant the work of government officials.

Councils of government:  Oversight bodies representing various localities to help coordinate local affairs.

Cross-cutting requirements:  Rules that apply to most grant programs.

Dillion’s Rule:  Municipalities have only those powers granted in their charters; cities are creatures of the state.  

Direct orders:  Requirements of restrictions that are enforced by one government over another.

Dual federalism:  Pattern in which federal and state governments are struggling for power and influence with little intergovernmental cooperation.

Entitlement grants:  Grants that provide assistance to persons who meet certain criteria.

Formula Grants:  Grants that employ a specific division rule to indicate how much money any one given jurisdiction will receive.

Grants:  Transfers of money (and/or property) from one government to another.

Home rule:  Provision allowing cities greater autonomy over local activities.

Intergovernmental relations:  A term encompassing all the complex and interdependent relations among those at various levels of government.

Interorganizational networks:  Pattern of relationships within and among various groups and organizations working in a single policy area.

Mandate:  Order requiring a government to do something.

Negotiated investment strategy:  Bringing together representatives of all affected groups to set priorities for funding.

Operating grants:  Grants for use in development and operations of specific programs.

Picket-fence federalism:  Pattern of intergovernmental relations in which the horizontal bars represent levels of government and the vertical slats represent various substantive fields.

Preemption:  Federal government efforts to preempt an area traditionally associated with state government.

Privatization:  Use of nongovernmental agencies to provide goods and services previously provided by the government.

Revenue sharing:  Grant pattern in which the money can be used any way the recipient government chooses.

Sneaky mandates:  Actions that are required of local governments by the inaction of state governments.

Special districts:  Local governments created for a specific purpose within a specific area.

Supply-side economics:  Argument that decreased taxes and spending will stimulate capital investment and economic growth.