Locations
How portfolios work in practice
This spiral shows the four phases of portfolio work.
The process rarely follows a straight line, and each cycle deepens the work.
Access ready-to-use templates here
PHASE 1
Identify Mission
New development pathway that triggers coherence, mobilizes politics & builds coalitions
Complex problems rarely persist for lack of effort. They persist because the effort is scattered, with many actors working on the same issue separately, each with different priorities and views.
This phase pulls that effort together. It builds a shared understanding of the underlying dynamics driving the problem, not just the symptoms on the surface. That common ground is what lets partners agree on a shared direction. The result is a new value proposition: an alternative development pathway that has political resonance, gains local traction, and mobilizes multiple partners behind it.
FEEDBACK FROM PARTNERS:
“We do not have the luxury of not coordinating the processes related to the green transition. Donors have their own needs and results, but institutions must set priorities and coordination mechanisms. The Portfolio is an opportunity to mainstream the process and connect it with other government priorities.”
— Government partner, Green Transition Portfolio Advisory Board, November 2025. From Bosnia Herzegovina
Principles
IN PRACTICE
In Mozambique,
Infrastructure maintenance is mandatory by law, but it rarely happens. Administrative delays, limited technical capacity, and donor fragmentation have kept it a cost rather than an investment, and in some local languages, the word itself has no direct translation.
The portfolio brought together UNDP, UN Habitat, Ministries of Public Infrastructure, Education and Health, and cooperation agencies around a different framing: maintenance as a driver of local businesses, jobs for youth and marginalised groups, and a renewed sense of pride and belonging.
PHASE 2
Grow Political Support & Alliance
Nurturing political support requires a constant finger on the pulse to identify policy opportunity windows and to toggle your 'play':
- Are you shaping the existing momentum or generating a new one?
- Are you supporting the incumbent positions or reframing the narrative?
It also asks for a deep understanding of how decisions are made, the institutional incentives and dynamics, and the constraints and risks of the current moment the portfolio is operating in.
FEEDBACK FROM PARTNERS:
“Our ambition is clear: by creating a coalition of public institutions, development partners, the private sector, and young people themselves, we aim to unlock the potential of every young person supporting them to develop their talents, fulfill their ambitions, access diverse economic and employment opportunities, and fully exercise their leadership within society. We are fully aware that young people face challenges and that traditional responses, often sectoral and fragmented, are no longer sufficient. That is why we are convinced that the “Youth Well-being and Prosperity” portfolio, based on an integrated and systemic approach, placing young people at the heart of public development policies. For investing in youth is investing in peace, stability, growth, and the sustainable prosperity of our nation.”
— Fardoussa Moussa Egueh
Minister of Youth and Culture, Djibouti
“The real value of UNDP’s portfolio methodology was creating a shared vision and roadmap that aligned all efforts toward one coordinated, nationwide mission. The greatest beneficiaries of this process were local economies, which were strengthened and achieved far greater impact than we would have reached through separate, individual efforts.” (2025)
— Romina Da Re, Director General of Information and Internationalization for MSMEs – Ministry of Industry and Commerce of Paraguay
Principles
IN PRACTICE
In Paraguay,
mapping stakeholders and initiatives linked to the entrepreneurial and labor ecosystem has been key to creating spaces for collective intelligence. As of early 2026, the portfolio focuses on the Paraguay Emprende Network, which includes more than 40 public and private institutions and academic entities that will work to strengthen entrepreneurs and MSMEs in Paraguay. The portfolio includes initiatives related to the digitalization of MSMEs and inclusive value chains, among others.
In Djibouti,
where more than three-quarters of the population are young, youth wellbeing is seen as a priority to be addressed alongside economic policies. Building Vision Djibouti 2035 and the National Development Plan 2025-2030, the Ministry of Youth and Culture and UNDP initiated the Youth Wellbeing and Prosperity Portfolio around a shared reframe: positioning youth wellbeing and prosperity as an economic strategy. The portfolio has fostered dialogue and engagement at the highest levels of national ownership, bridging together government, young people, the private sector, and financing institutions.
In June 2026, the National Assembly, the Ministry of Youth and Culture, and UNDP signed a Statement of Intent to advance this collaboration, with youth at the centre of the country's development efforts. To sustain this momentum, the Ministry is exploring a cross-institutional body to steer youth-centred policies and investments - turning shared commitment into lasting collaboration and systemic action.
PHASE 3
Co-design Interventions
At this stage, the coalition designs concrete interventions: several coherent actions, each touching a different leverage point in the system. The starting point is always what already exists: ongoing programmes, active partnerships, available resources. These are connected deliberately into a coherent whole.
FEEDBACK FROM PARTNERS:
“There should be awareness raising across different institutions both vertically and horizontally about the green transition and the green growth strategy. Institutional strengthening is paramount. The agenda needs to be mainstreamed across the government; policies need to speak to each other. We need to mainstream green growth in all the key sectors driving the agenda.”
— Mr. Hedges Tembo, Zambia Ministry of Green Economy and Environment
“Circular economy is no longer just about reducing waste. For the women we train, it’s about reclaiming agency, about pride in what they create—and seeing circularity as a path to stability.”
— Anna Lagon of Bayo, Circular Economy Portfolio in the Philippines
Principles
IN PRACTICE
In Phillipines,
The country generates over 61,000 tonnes of solid waste a day, and for years project-based fixes multiplied without connecting. Pasig and Baguio took a different route, treating circular economy as a portfolio and letting implementation reshape it. Each city tracked what was working on the ground and adjusted rather than holding to a fixed plan. In Baguio, early evidence led the team to drop a planned waste-to-energy plant and switch to a waste-to-resource model; within six months, daily residual waste to landfill fell by 50 tonnes. In Pasig, a former waste transfer facility was transformed into the Innovation for Circular Economy (ICE) Hub - a platform for innovation, livelihoods, enterprise development, and community engagement that has helped catalyze circular economy solutions and inform city policies and investment priorities.
PHASE 4
Implement Interventions and Portfolio Dynamic Management
Once actions are underway, the work shifts to managing them as a connected set. The key discipline is paying attention: to what is working, what is not, and what is changing in the wider context. When something unexpected surfaces, the portfolio adjusts, responding to what is actually happening rather than continuing with the original plan regardless.
FEEDBACK FROM PARTNERS:
"As we navigate the challenges of rebuilding and reimagining Mykolaiv, our focus is on leveraging our rich maritime heritage to drive forward a sustainable and innovative future. The transformation of our city is not just about physical reconstruction but about redefining our economic and social fabric. By embracing the 'blue' economy, we are not only preserving our historical identity but also creating new opportunities for growth and resilience. This journey requires the collective effort of our community, businesses, and international partners, and together, we are laying the groundwork for a vibrant, sustainable Mykolaiv that stands as a beacon of hope and progress."
— Mr. Oleksandr Syenkevych, Mykolaiv City Mayor, Ukraine
"At first, the culture of experimentation felt unfamiliar, but today, it is recognized as an essential part of development - an opportunity to learn. We try different solutions, analyze the results, and only then choose the best option,”
— Gor Tadevosyan, Deputy Head of the Kapan community in Armenia
Principles
IN PRACTICE
In Mykolaiv,
Ukraine's former shipbuilding capital, which had seen the collapse of its defining industry since the end of the Soviet era, the full-scale invasion in 2022 triggered a profound crisis, pushing the city to the front line amid daily shelling, the destruction of its water system, and the departure of nearly half its population. The portfolio, run through the EU-supported Mayors for Economic Growth facility, worked from a different framing: not resurrecting large-scale shipbuilding under wartime conditions, but building on the surviving web of maritime expertise to grow a new blue economy. As the work progressed, new ideas emerged from local businesses, institutions, and residents committed to the city's future. Building on the vision of revitalizing the historic shipyard, transforming the waterfront through the development of an Aquaport, and establishing a Maritime Industrial Park, the portfolio also captured a range of market-driven innovations taking shape across the local economy. These included the production of small vessels, engineering solutions for maritime industries, and a growing number of blue and green innovations. Rather than adhering to a rigid recovery blueprint, the portfolio evolved alongside these emerging opportunities, adapting in real time to support locally driven pathways for economic renewal and transformation.
