UNDP’s new Funding Windows are pooled, flexible funding mechanisms that help UNDP and partners align around common goals to support country-level efforts to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. The Funding Windows are organized around themes, as follows:

Sustainable development and poverty eradication

Designed to promote inclusive development that addresses income and gender inequalities; targets the drivers of poverty, migration and displacement by promoting jobs and livelihood opportunities; and identifies financing and long-term solutions for environmentally sound development. Sub-windows include (1) Development planning and inclusive sustainable growth, (2) Livelihoods and jobs, and (3) Environment and natural capital.

Climate change and disaster risk reduction

Created to build countries’ capacity to mitigate and adapt to climate change; reduce the risk of disaster; and use energy efficiently and sustainably through comprehensive risk-management programmes that are gender-sensitive. Sub-windows, each corresponding to a global flagship initiative, include (1) Climate change – “Towards Zero-Carbon Development,” and (2) Disaster risk reduction –“5-10-50.”

Governance for peaceful and inclusive societies

Developed to promote democratic governance systems; foster investments in conflict analysis and conflict prevention; support national and regional efforts to reduce vulnerability to HIV and mitigate its adverse social and economic impacts. Sub-windows include (1) Democratic governance for peace and Development, (2) Conflict Prevention, and (3) HIV, Health and Development.

Emergency development response to crisis and recovery

Created to support immediate response and recovery. Benefits include a timely, speedy, and standardized response in UNDP’s areas of expertise, including: rebuilding livelihoods and jump-starting socioeconomic recovery; restoring core government functions; strengthening recovery assessment, planning and coordination; and making the UN System coordination work for early recovery.

Gender: At least 15% of funds channeled through the windows will be used for gender-specific activities, to ensure a fully mainstreamed and integrated approach to empower women and promote gender equality. This decision is based on lessons learned from experience with the Gender TTF, which risked placing gender considerations in a silo.  Gender is now integrated across the Funding Windows.

Whatever the Funding Window, programme countries will benefit from the ability to receive more flexible resources in support of their national priorities and in line with Country Programme Documents. Partners benefit from pooled funding and lower transaction costs, while UNDP has greater flexibility to respond to the country’s needs and priorities more effectively.

Partners can make unearmarked contributions to one or more Funding Window, to allow for maximum flexibility, or earmark contributions for a particular “sub-Window” theme, or for particular region or country at the Funding Window or sub-window level.

Read more about the funding windows [pdf]