The article investigates the characteristics of development and the territorial distribution of regional development institutions. The methodical approach to assessing the level of development of regional institutions taking into account the systemic nature and activity of territories in the creation and development of regional institutions is introduced. The results of evaluation of the development level of regional institutions have allowed to identify the regions using various institutions and instruments of development most actively in their territories (22 Federal subjects of Russia) and the regions where are no institutes for development (45 Federal subjects of Russia). Following parameters of performance evaluation of regional development institutions are offered: the indicators of intensity of innovation in production, performance intensity of innovation in society and the resulting performance of the dynamics of economic development. The results of evaluating the effectiveness of regional development institutions in the subjects of the Russian Federation are presented in the paper. The main problem of the formation of institutions and institutional environment in the regions of the Russian Federation due to the lack of unified science-based theoretical and methodological framework and the lack of integration links between science, business, education and government are defined.

In the article, the essential questions of spatial development and self-development of territorial systems are revealed. The attention is paid to the possibility of a role increase for the regional and municipal socioeconomic systems in the spatial development of the Russian Federation with the use of their self-development and self-repayment. The most discussed and debating question — definition of the concept of «self-development of territorial system» is considered. The core conditions of self-development of territorial economic systems, especially the regional (internal self-sufficiency and environment) are allocated. Stages of formation and development of territorial socioeconomic systems are described. Readiness criteria of territorial socioeconomic systems for self-development are presented. Some countries, especially European, are seeking after conditions ensuring socioeconomic systems, it is shown on the basis of studying the world and domestic experience, and practice of the regional development. The assessment of stability of self-developing socioeconomic systems is carried out.

Motives of improving public regulation influence to socio-economic and social processes, increasing quality and effectiveness of public (PR) and market (MR) regulators, their optimal and flexible cooperation were examined in the article. The essence and content of public-legal regulators (PLR) in the sustainable and balanced development of territories, regions and country as a whole was reviewed. The PLR was classified by criteria of the “scale” of their regulation influence, regulation methods and consequences. Special attention was paid to the quality of PLR of federal and intergovernmental relations at the regional and municipal levels. Recommendations to improve the effectiveness of public and market regulators in regional and territorial development were suggested.