The World Development Report 2004 investigates how countries can accelerate progress towards the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) by making services work for poor people. Success in reaching the MDGs will depend not just on faster economic growth and the flow of sources, but on our ability to translate those resources into basic services, especially in health, education, water, and sanitation. Too often, the delivery of services falls far short of what could be achieved, due to issues such as weak incentives for performance, corruption, imperfect monitoring, and administrative logjams. Some countries have addressed the problem by involving poor people in service delivery; the results have been impressive. Giving parents input into their children's education, patients a say over hospital management, and making agency budgets transparent all contribute to improving outcomes in human development. Celebrating the successful innovations--while taking a hard look at some of the failures--this Report offers guidance to policymakers, donors, and citizens on improving the delivery of basic services. It serves to deepen understanding and highlight the importance of empowering and investing in poor people.