Public—private partnerships have excited discussion about the possibilities of creating a more responsive welfare state in contemporary American society that empowers local communities. Sceptics see these partnerships as inherently unequal such that non-profit organisations play `junior partner' to government agencies by prioritising governments' agendas. This paper contributes to the debate by examining the role of non-profit organisations that work with government agencies to provide social services. It is argued that non-profits attempt to balance both roles—playing `junior partner' and empowering community. The experiences and practices of non-profits thus show that the role of non-profits amidst state restructuring is to negotiate the multiple obligations they have to funding agencies and local communities that seek assistance. The paper draws on a case study of non-profits providing social services to immigrant and refugee communities in Minneapolis—St Paul in order to develop the argument.
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