PIP: An initiative launched in Bangladesh as a means of supporting government decentralization efforts eventually became the means by which the government now carries out its national family planning programs at the local level. The Local Initiatives Program over the course of eight years grew from a small program experimenting with giving communities a role in managing local family planning activities to a program which covers almost 20% of the country. The national policy to decentralize the planning and financial management of family planning programs to the sub-district level greatly helped to start the process. Even when national decentralization policies were rescinded and local administrative powers terminated, however, the community approach remained strong and was key in pushing the family planning program decentralization ahead. By then, contraceptive prevalence had increased on average by 20% in the community-managed programs. Program successes convinced government officials and program managers at all levels that community participation was the way to achieve national goals. Local governments were therefore allowed to continue allocating locally-generated funds to their family planning programs so that local plans could be implemented. The practice became increasingly popular and in November 1994 became national policy. Forming a local family planning management team, developing action plans, and providing effective support are considered.