Local Communities in the Context of Co-production of Public Goods (Using the Example of TPSG Activities in the Novosibirsk Region)

The purpose of this work is to study the content and features of the process of co-production of public goods produced by the territorial public self-government (TPSG) together with the state within the framework of grant activities. The empirical basis of the study was data on 891 grant projects implemented by the TPSG of the Novosibirsk region in the period from 2018 to 2024. It is concluded that the existing grant system, on the one hand, encourages TPSG to participate in the process of co-production, but, on the other hand, imposes strict restrictions on this process. The analysis of the main areas of activity showed that the mandatory content of TPSG activities is the care of children and the organization of their leisure; landscaping of courtyards and house territories; solving problems of settlements in general or large areas of the city; in addition to communal problems, TPSG is actively engaged in preserving cultural and historical memory. An important result of the study was the discovered “effect of increasing beneficiaries”, when a relatively small group creates a public good that will be enjoyed by the entire community, significantly exceeding its size.