Government is the arena in which the balancing of demands of all constituents that compete for services and attention occurs. Community organizations bring issues to the table for debate, discussion and validation. In reality, community organizations include multiple constituency groups with different agendas. Government, through a complex political process, sorts through numerous issues, determines the validity of information and demands, makes trade-offs and compares issues against its own stated and informal policy agendas. However, it is equally important to address the limitations of community representation in this process.
Community organizations articulate and channel issues through their own representatives.
Often, NGOs operate democratically, electing leaders and acting with the explicit consent of their constituency. Formal and informal public participation processes in the United States favour those that are willing to take more public and visible stances. Government will react, either positively or negatively, to those that speak up. Depending on the manner community leaders emerge, their strategies may accurately or inaccurately reflect the views and priorities of their constituency. These leaders manage the process of selecting issues, articulating positions and defining strategies and tactics on behalf of their constituents.