Research on Collaboration Between NPOs and Local Governments: Case Surveys on the Current Situation of Entrusted Projects and Project Evaluation

2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 16600005
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: 非営利・共同組織
• Research Institution: Rikkyo University (2006); Musashi Institute of Technology (2004-2005)
• Principal Investigator: HAGIWARA Natsuko Rikkyo University, College of Sociology, Associate Professor, 社会学部, 助教授 (50279717)
• Project Period (FY): 2004 – 2006
• Keywords: NPO / Local Government / Collaboration / Entrusted Project / Evaluation

Research Abstract

The research focuses on projects entrusted to NPOs by local governments, for the purpose of grasping the current situation, examining problems, clarifying challenges, and setting directions for the future. To achieve the purpose, we conducted case surveys on the NPO-and-government collaboration policies in all 47 prefectures in Japan. Regarding entrusted projects, we interviewed 24 prefectures and five NPOs. As a consequence, the following four issues emerged.
First, the collaboration guidelines and/or manuals in almost all the prefectures are made in a unilateral way on the basis of the need on the government's side. The second issue pertains to the system design/operation of the collaboration project proposal system. In some cases, such systems are adopted as pilot or model systems where the budgets are often determined with the timed targets from two to three years. The third relates to entrustment in collaboration projects. The number of local governments is increasing where different standards from existing entrustment are set by limiting projects and organizations and making the selection process fair and transparent, in order to operate entrustment contracts exceptionally. In most cases, however, the systems only deal with the selection process to alternate price competition in general competitive bidding; therefore, insufficient are the collaboration systems with NPOs in the implementation stage including contract entries, price setting, and payment. The fourth is concerned with evaluation of collaboration projects. In practical cases, there are two sorts of evaluation: One emphasizes reflection/evaluation of collaborative relationship and the other evaluates the collaboration project itself. It is imperative to raise awareness of the need of collaboration projects and gain understanding by clearly displaying the results of collaboration projects and disclosing merits/demerits as well as differences from the existing local governmental services.