The Inclusive Urban Sanitation Initiative aims to produce a series of publications – books, position papers, and discussion papers. The discussion papers present analyses and findings from research and/or reports of projects, and programmes of the sanitation sector to instigate discussion among the sanitation community.

This paper examines key aspects related to utility and government financing for urban sanitation in eight cities in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia, including the types of policies that influence decisions on finance allocation within the sanitation sector, resource sufficiency and gaps, equitable allocation to the poor and financial monitoring. The paper discusses general motivations and targets for sanitation financing at the country level, policies and regulations, roles and responsibilities, and strategies adopted for coping with funding gaps.