Collaboration between Grassroots Civil Society and Rural Local Government in Responding to Development Challenges in Tanzania

Abstract

Civil society–government collaboration remains contested in public sector management. Existing research has focused largely on partnerships between governments and national-level civil society organizations ( CSO  s), with limited attention to grassroots CSO  s. This article addresses that gap by examining collaboration between local government authorities and grassroots CSO  s in rural Tanzania. A qualitative design was used, drawing on in-depth interviews and document review, with data analysed thematically. The findings show that grassroots CSO  s collaborate with government institutions to address social and development challenges but that collaboration is selective due to historical state–society relations and limited collaborative governance. The study highlights the important yet underexplored role of grassroots CSO  s in supporting community initiatives and complementing government service delivery. Their effectiveness, however, is constrained by limited financial resources and a restrictive operational environment, undermining the scale and sustainability of interventions.