The rising costs of care, and the effects of declining allocations, have significant implications for equity. This has made involvement in decisions on resource mobilization and allocation a critical area. Yet it is precisely in these areas that public participation is weakest and where systems of priority setting, allocation criteria and budget processes are least transparent or understood. Nevertheless, there is some evidence of civic input to promote community priorities, with positive impacts on pro-poor allocations.

Such inputs have been made in higher income communities, such as in Oregon, USA, and also in poor communities, such as Brazil.

Civil society influences decisions on resource allocation in various ways. Some of them are listed here.