The present paper consists on the analysis of a set of initiatives promoted by the subnational J] level of government in Brazil, which are part of the Social Policy System Reform that begun since the 80's. The analysis is based on a data bank created by the "Gestão Pública e Cidadania" Program (Public Administration and Citizenship), developed by Fundação Getulio Vargas and Fundação Ford, with the support of the BNDES. These initiatives are seen as part of a more comprehensive process of State crisis and are related to the constitution of a Reform Agenda, established since the late 70's. Taking into account this agenda, the paper identifies some trends, which suggest that a gradual change is happening in the Social Policies and in the Public Administration in Brazil. These trends point to an increase of the citizenship - through the democratization of the decision making process and through the extension of the access to public services - and to the modernization of public management, as the result of the creative action of the state and the local government.