A partner of choice

Partnership is at the heart of everything UNDP does. We offer a nearly universal presence. Our substantial expertise—both intellectual acumen and practical experience—cuts across diverse development issues and settings. These valuable assets combined with our long legacy of trust have made us a global partner of choice.

Governments 

At approximately US$5 billion annually, donor and programme country contributions to UNDP represent one-quarter of all contributions to the United Nations development system. Learn more about the contributing countries that make UNDP’s work possible. 

United Nations System 

The UNDP Administrator is the Vice-Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Group, which unites the 40 UN entities that contribute to the attainment of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development at the country level and which collectively constitute the UN development system (UNDS). The UNSDG provides strategic direction and oversight to ensure UNDS entities deliver coherent, effective, and efficient support to countries seeking to achieve sustainable development.   

International Financial Institutions 

International Financial Institutions (IFIs) are an important source of development funding. They account for a substantial portion of the non-core (earmarked, project-specific) funding of UNDP. UNDP has formal agreements with some IFIs (the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank), and is working on additional agreements. 

Private Sector 

The private sector can make an important contribution to development by fostering innovation, providing funding, and promoting entrepreneurship in developing countries. In many of our programme countries, the preconditions for private sector development and the emergence of inclusive markets (i.e., markets that extend choice and opportunity to the poor as producers, consumers, and wage earners) are not yet in place.  

Foundations 

Both global and local foundations are providing strong backing for UNDP's development activities. We recognize the tremendous knowledge that foundations offer, ranging from governance and environment to health and financial inclusion; and work with them at the community level to better address local issues. 

Civil Society Organizations 

For UNDP, civil society constitutes the full range of formal and informal organizations that are outside the state and market. This includes social movements, volunteer organizations, indigenous peoples' organizations, mass-based membership organizations, non-governmental organizations, and community-based organizations, as well as communities and citizens acting individually and collectively.   

Goodwill Ambassadors and Advocates 

UNDP has long enlisted the voluntary services and support of prominent figures as Goodwill Ambassadors and Advocates to shine a spotlight on critical issues affecting our planet and its people. These well-known individuals are at the top of their field—whether it is film, television, music, art, or sports— and share a commitment to making the planet a better place.