United Nations Office for Partnerships

UN Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP)

The United Nations Fund for International Partnerships (UNFIP) was established by then-Secretary-General Kofi Annan in March 1998 to serve as the interface between the United Nations system and the United Nations Foundation—the public charity responsible for administering Ted Turner's $1 billion contribution in support of UN causes.

The work of UNFIP is overseen by the UNFIP Advisory Board, which is chaired by the Deputy Secretary-General.

Since its inception, 592 projects have been implemented or are under implementation by 43 United Nations entities in 124 countries.

The United Nations Foundation was founded by Ted Turner as a public charity in the United States of America to demonstrate the value of investing in the United Nations, encourage other sectors to work with the United Nations, and promote strong United States leadership at the United Nations. The Foundation’s activities have evolved from its early years, which were focused more exclusively on grant-making, to the current model of communicating, championing, convening and fostering collaboration, in addition to continuing to channel resources in support of United Nations goals.

UNFIP priorities

The Foundation collaborates with the United Nations to foster innovative partnerships, campaigns and initiatives to secure better and healthier lives for people across the globe by focusing on global health; women, girls and population; and energy and climate.

UN Democracy Fund (UNDEF)

The United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF) was established by the Secretary-General in July 2005 to support democratization around the world. It focuses on strengthening the voice of civil society, promoting human rights and ensuring the participation of all groups in democratic processes. Through the Fund, the Office supported almost 600 projects in more than 130 countries around the world, ranging from strengthening civil society leadership skills and promoting the participation of women and youth to media programmes that allow civil society to project its voice.

UNDEF Priorities

The United Nations Democracy Fund was established during the 2005 World Summit as a United Nations General Trust Fund and launched in April 2006, with the United Nations Office for Partnerships/UNFIP providing administrative support and resource-sharing. Since then, the grant-making body has become clearly defined as a fund for civil society organizations. It is the only United Nations entity that has the word “democracy” in its name, the only United Nations body with the primary purpose of supporting democracy through empowering civil society and one of the youngest entities in the United Nations system. The large majority of project funds go to local civil society organizations in countries in both the transition and consolidation phases of democratization. By supporting the “demand” rather than the “supply” side of democratization, the Fund plays a new, distinct and unique role in complementing and enhancing the more traditional work of the United Nations — the work with governments — to strengthen democratic governance around the world.

In the years since its creation, the Fund has experienced considerable growth in its portfolio, its donor base, its impact and its visibility. Its projects aim to strengthen the voice of civil society, promote human rights and encourage the participation of all groups in democratic processes. It also supports a number of major global and regional projects with a normative and policy focus. In its first nine rounds of funding, the Fund supported almost 600 projects in more than 130 countries. The projects ranged from supporting civil society efforts for accountability and transparency to building capacity for strengthening good governance and the rule of law.

A key part of the Fund’s mission is to ensure that all levels of government are accountable to those they serve by increasing the knowledge, capacity, voice and reach of citizens’ organizations. With the adoption in September 2015 of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, the Fund undertook to prioritize projects that, inter alia, hold governments accountable with regard to working to meet the Sustainable Development Goals.

Partnership Advisory Services and Outreach

The Office also provides partnership advisory and outreach services in response to demand from the United Nations system, governments and non-State actors to catalyse public-private partnerships through high-impact events and advice to potential partners regarding opportunities and good practices to promote the Sustainable Development Goals as a framework for action.

Outreach

The United Nations system has collaborated with the private sector, academia and civil society for a number of years. In the 2005 World Summit Outcome (see General Assembly resolution 60/1), Member States recognized the importance of, and expressed strong support for, the active engagement of non-State actors in promoting the development agenda of the United Nations system.

Likewise, the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by the Member States at the United Nations summit for the adoption of the post-2015 development agenda, includes, under Sustainable Development Goal 17, entitled “Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the Global Partnership for Sustainable Development”, a call for enhanced global partnership for sustainable development, complemented by multi-stakeholder partnerships that mobilize and share knowledge, expertise, technology and financial resources, to support the achievement of the Goals. The 2030 Agenda also encourages effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.

To promote the Sustainable Development Goals, the United Nations Office for Partnerships collaborates with the United Nations Foundation, United Nations programmes, funds and agencies, Member States, the private sector and non-governmental organizations to convene innovative events and provides advice to potential partners regarding collaborative opportunities and good practices.