Multi-Donor Trust Funds & Joint Programmes

Strategies

Multi-Donor Trust Funds | Joint Programmes | Governance | Oversight

Multi-Donor Trust Funds (MDTFs) and Joint Programmes (JPs) are not one-size-fits-all instruments; they are designed to fit the realities of a specific country or global situations. They nevertheless are established based on common core principles and strategies, such as:

• Supporting humanitarian, recovery, reconstruction and development processes that are nationally owned.
• Involving a broad range of stakeholders, including national authorities, donors, Participating UN Organizations and Implementing Organizations in the decision-making process, as appropriate.
• Building on existing frameworks or plans rather than creating new and parallel structures.
• Strengthening aid effectiveness through coordination and harmonization of interventions to ensure increased coherence, efficiency, reduction of management and reporting burdens and associated transaction costs.
• Ensuring that the funding, operations and implementation modalities provide for full transparency and accountability.

MDTFs are generally established following needs assessments, usually undertaken jointly by the UNDG organizations and the World Bank, that involve a broad range of national stakeholders and donors, which result in the development of a joint assistance strategy/action plan for supporting the identified needs. Through consultations among representatives of national authorities, donors, the UN system and the World Bank, an MDTF is then designed as a funding facility for the provision of assistance by the international community.

JPs using the pass-through fund management model are established when two or more Participating UN Organizations agree to develop a common work plan to support common results and working with national or sub-national partners. Donors are invited to provide funding through one of the Participating UN Organizations that has been appointed as the Administrative Agent.

Further information on specific strategies for individual MDTFs and JPs can be found under each fund/JP.