Multi-Donor Trust Funds & Joint Programmes

About the UNDP MDTF Office

UNDP established the Multi-Donor Trust Fund Office (MDTF Office) in 2006 to provide fund management and administrative agent services on behalf of the UN system and to ensure that a uniform approach would be taken with respect to the responsibilities of UNDP as Administrative Agent (AA) of MDTFs and JPs.

Since 2004 the role of UNDP as AA, using the pass-through fund management model, has grown to include the management of $4 billion on behalf of the UN system and donors.

When UNDP is selected as the AA, the accountability for UNDP’s function as AA has been delegated to the Executive Coordinator of the MDTF Office, reporting to the Assistant Administrator and Director of the Bureau of Management, in accordance with the policy governing “UNDP’s Accountability when acting as Administrative Agent in MDTFs and/or UN Joint Programmes using the pass-through fund management modality”. The UNDP MDTF Office performs the AA functions in accordance with the UNDG “Protocol on the Administrative Agent for Multi Donor Trust Funds and Joint Programmes, and One UN Funds”.

The MDTF Office builds on the successful experience of UNDP as the AA of the United Nations Development Group Iraq Trust Fund (UNDG ITF), which with the World Bank Iraq Trust Fund (WB ITF), constitute the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI). The MDTF Office is designed to provide focused support and service to UN Country Teams (UNCTs) to enhance aid effectiveness and the UN’s accountability for its growing role in MDTFs and joint programmes. It executes UNDP’s increasing responsibilities as AA established by the UN system in the context of humanitarian, transition, reconstruction and development programmes.

On behalf of the Participating UN Organizations, and in accordance with the UNDG AA Protocol, the MDTF Office performs the full range of AA-functions, including:

1. Receipt of contributions from donors;
2. Administration of funds received;
3. Disburse funds to each of the Participating UN Organizations in accordance with instructions from the Steering Committee/Resident Coordinator (on behalf of the Steering Committee);
4. Consolidate statements and reports, based on submissions provided to the AA by each Participating UN Organization;
5. Provide final reporting, including notification that the MDTF/JP has been operationally completed;
6. Disburse funds to any Participating UN Organization for any additional costs of the task that the Steering Committee may decide in accordance with TOR/Joint Programme Document/One UN Programme.

* In July 2008, the existing Central African Republic (CAR) Emergency Response Fund (ERF) was developed into a Common Humanitarian Fund (CHF).
** The Expanded Delivering as One Funding Window for the Achievement of the MDGs, for which the MDTF Office has been appointed the Fund Manager, is a global facility set up to support eligible Delivering as One countries, with current contributions from Norway, Spain and the United Kingdom. EFW Commitments and Deposits are reflected in the table, but to avoid double-counting, only the “EFW balance” (total amount – allocations or transfers made) have been included in the Total Commitments and Total Deposits figures. EFW “Transfers to Part. Orgs” represents allocations transferred to Delivering as One Funds.
*** Transfer to Participating UN Organizations figures are as of 30 September 2009.
- Pledges: A pledge is an indication of intent to contribute funds.
- Commitments: Contribution as per signed Letter of Agreement/Standard Administrative Arrangement.
- Table does not include Country-Level Joint Programmes, with present commitments of $79,296,152.
- Any minor discrepancies in totals are due to rounding.