Under this program, IPG implements projects adaptive to the specificities of local governments to develop and enhance capacities for effective, efficient, transparent, and participatory governance.

A long track record of participatory governance practices
Participatory governance is focused on initiatives in maximizing spaces and incentives for citizens to critically engage in governance and engender social, political, and economic change in ways that empower the marginalized and foster transformative participation in local governance. The aims of the program are to heighten and widen people’s participation; enhance the skills of local leaders; ensure effective consultations with all stakeholders in development; and encourage effective coordination among different levels of government in the formulation of policy and delivery of services. A hallmark of this program from which lessons and insights are articulated in current projects is the Barangay Bayan Governance Consortium (BBGC) of which people’s participation in governance was its bedrock. Through the BBGC, IPG, from 1997-2011, was at the helm in providing technical support and consolidating participatory governance initiatives of citizens and local governments across the Philippines. Using the participatory barangay planning technology - the BDP-PRA/Barangay Development Planning through Participatory Rapid Appraisal - developed from the BBGC experience, the IPG implements barangay/village development planning projects that have as well been scaled up to the Barangay-Bayan Municipal Development Planning since 2005. The extensive experience in the BBGC and Barangay-Bayan Municipal Development Planning became a major influence in the inception and roll-out of the national budget reform program called the “Bottom-up Budgeting” that was implemented from 2012- 2016 during the Aquino Administration.

People’s Participation in Governance: Incubation for Modelling
Currently, started in 2020, IPG in partnership with the Pasig City local government is in the process of incubation for modelling its people’s participation in governance program. IPG is facilitating processes between the Local Government of Pasig and the Civil Society Orgnaizations (CSOs) that are elected members of the different Local Special Bodies of the City. Specifically, the inclusion of the CSO’s priority projects in the City’s Annual Investment Plan (AIP) was one of the major results of the process. The thrust is to futher deepen people's participation and participatory governance and making it more meaningful, sustainable, institutionalized, empowering, and transformative. All of these are common elements in Pasig City's fundamentals of governance and IPG's program pillars. The goal is to replicate it to other partner LGUs.

Leadership in Governance Learning and Collaboration (LeadGov Hub)
Informed by its long experience and engagements in governance reform initiatives, the IPG launched a major project under this program, the Leadership in Governance Learning and Collaboration Hub (LeadGov Hub) for reform-oriented officials and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The LeadGov Hub aims to contribute to the capacity development of duty-bearers anchored on good (local) governance toward a transformative politics with an empowered citizenry for the collective good; widen the ambit of constituency of innovative and reform-oriented local officials who can competently lead a sustained conversation and action on model innovations in effectively providing public services particularly in settings of unprecedented challenges such as the pandemic; and strengthen systems to complement model innovations. There were three (3) online pilot courses offerings of the LeadGov Hub during the height of the pandemic: 1) Local Fiscal Accountability; 2) Survivor-Centered and Community-based Response to Gender-based Violence and 3) Community-Based Mental Health Program.

Electoral Campaign Management Training for Citizen-powered political participation
This training was developed to enable political officers and campaign managers to learn strategies and techniques in setting up an effective campaign strategy for local elections. The training provides clearer understanding of the different elements of a winning campaign strategy, a hands-on experience in using tools to help them in mapping their local election terrain, crafting their campaign strategy and messages, planning campaign activities and setting up their campaign machinery to generate votes within the terrain, and establishing a community of practice to share lessons and tips in engaging in local elections. IPG has been conducting this training program since 1999.