在全球化、資訊化與政府改造三大潮流衝擊下，府際合作制度的建立已成為當代政府的重要課題。本文在垂直、水平、時間、決策的府際關係四維分析架構下，先對美國府際關係的特質進行描述，以作為瞭解特定計畫運作的基本框架，其次針對建構協力式府際關係具有標竿意義的美國「全國鄉村發展夥伴關係」計畫進行個案分析，透由對該計畫的發展歷程、相關組織架構的安排、運作的成效與隱憂等層面的探討，吾人可以發現，以協力夥伴關係的角色規劃府際合作機制，實為一值得學習與經驗汲取的可行方向。但由美國的運作經驗中，可知體制環境的確立，包括中央與地方的權限劃分、過往運作經驗的改變、以及國際潮流的接軌，是建立府際合作關係時所必須面對的體制性條件，而府際論壇機制的制度化、中央政府角色的重構、以及協力關係的建立，則是建立府際合作關孫的要項。

The convergence of three trends-globalization, information technology and government reinvention, make the institutional design of intergovernmental cooperation an important issue. This article utilizes a four-dimension analysis framework, including vertical, horizontal, time and decision-making, to describe the chartcteristics of American intergovernmental relations, then it discuss the experience of National Rural Development Partnership (NRDP), a benchmarking case of intergovernmental cooperation. It examines the historical development, the contents of organizational structure, the effects and tacit threat of NP. Drawing lessons from the case of NRDP, the finds show four critical issues in design a intergovernmental cooperation institution, they are the clarification of institutional environment, the institutionalization of intergovernmental forum, the restructuring of central and local government relations, and the establishment of collaborative relationship.