The comparative research described in this report is meant to support the development of options for more effective urban service delivery in India. The primary audience for this work will be found in state and ULB governments in India, though the topic also may be of interest in academic, media, and civil society circles. In this report, the authors compare institutional models for managing specific services in two American cities, two South African cities, and four Indian cities. The going in hypothesis was that some institutional forms may be more effective in ensuring efficient and sustainable service delivery. We have not found clear evidence to support that hypothesis. Rather, the conclusion that comes through from our work is that a variety of institutional forms can be effective at delivering high quality services, provided there is a reasonable degree of institutional coherence, accountability and autonomy.