Investing in Women
A call to action pivotal to all development agendas. UNCDF deploys gender-lensed investment tools in the most vulnerable countries. By investing in women, we unlock latent potential, and drive transformative change.
media
Investing in Women
A call to action pivotal to all development agendas. UNCDF deploys gender-lensed investment tools in the most vulnerable countries. By investing in women, we unlock latent potential, and drive transformative change.
media
Investing in Women
A call to action pivotal to all development agendas. UNCDF deploys gender-lensed investment tools in the most vulnerable countries. By investing in women, we unlock latent potential, and drive transformative change.
media

STORIES

About UNCDF

The UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) is the United Nations' flagship catalytic financing entity for the world’s 45 Least Developed Countries (LDCs). With its unique capital mandate and focus on the LDCs, UNCDF works to invest and catalyse capital to support these countries in achieving ​the sustainable growth and inclusiveness envisioned by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Doha Programme of Action for the least developed countries, 2022–2031.

Featured
Financing Locally-Led Adaptation
The impact of climate change is acutely experienced at the local level – where we work, go to school and live our lives. In the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, adaptation is critical and all too often, under-resourced.
Featured
Inclusive Digital Economies
Equip people with innovative digital services in their daily lives that will empower them and contribute to achieving the SDGs.
Featured
Local Transformative Finance
Addressing the lack of productive, service-oriented infrastructure in urban and rural areas is a key obstacle to local development.
Featured
Women's Economic Empowerment
Creating equal economies, where every woman has equal access, equal agency and equal leadership within her community.
Featured
LDC5: From Potential to Prosperity — A new global partnership to support the 46 LDCs
A once-in-a-decade opportunity to accelerate sustainable development in the LDCs, helping them make progress on the road to prosperity.
Featured
LDC5: From Potential to Prosperity — A new global partnership to support the 46 LDCs
A once-in-a-decade opportunity to accelerate sustainable development in the LDCs, helping them make progress on the road to prosperity.
Featured
Financing Locally-Led Adaptation
The impact of climate change is acutely experienced at the local level – where we work, go to school and live our lives. In the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, adaptation is critical and all too often, under-resourced.
Featured
Inclusive Digital Economies
Equip people with innovative digital services in their daily lives that will empower them and contribute to achieving the SDGs.
Featured
Local Transformative Finance
Addressing the lack of productive, service-oriented infrastructure in urban and rural areas is a key obstacle to local development.
Featured
Women's Economic Empowerment
Creating equal economies, where every woman has equal access, equal agency and equal leadership within her community.
Featured
LDC5: From Potential to Prosperity — A new global partnership to support the 46 LDCs
A once-in-a-decade opportunity to accelerate sustainable development in the LDCs, helping them make progress on the road to prosperity.
Featured
LDC5: From Potential to Prosperity — A new global partnership to support the 46 LDCs
A once-in-a-decade opportunity to accelerate sustainable development in the LDCs, helping them make progress on the road to prosperity.
Featured
Financing Locally-Led Adaptation
The impact of climate change is acutely experienced at the local level – where we work, go to school and live our lives. In the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, adaptation is critical and all too often, under-resourced.
Featured
Inclusive Digital Economies
Equip people with innovative digital services in their daily lives that will empower them and contribute to achieving the SDGs.
Featured
Local Transformative Finance
Addressing the lack of productive, service-oriented infrastructure in urban and rural areas is a key obstacle to local development.
Featured
Women's Economic Empowerment
Creating equal economies, where every woman has equal access, equal agency and equal leadership within her community.
Featured
LDC5: From Potential to Prosperity — A new global partnership to support the 46 LDCs
A once-in-a-decade opportunity to accelerate sustainable development in the LDCs, helping them make progress on the road to prosperity.
Featured
LDC5: From Potential to Prosperity — A new global partnership to support the 46 LDCs
A once-in-a-decade opportunity to accelerate sustainable development in the LDCs, helping them make progress on the road to prosperity.
Featured
Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
On 20 September 2023, the General Assembly will convene its second High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development since the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
Featured
Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
On 20 September 2023, the General Assembly will convene its second High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development since the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
Featured
Financing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development
On 20 September 2023, the General Assembly will convene its second High-level Dialogue on Financing for Development since the adoption of the Addis Ababa Action Agenda.

Sustainable Development Goals

The UNCDF vision is that LDCs are able to access and leverage the development impact of capital to enable sustainable and inclusive economic growth and achieve the Sustainable Development Goals.

Five Priority Areas

The work of UNCDF is based on its development expertise across five priority areas, including the well-established flagship areas of inclusive digital economies and local transformative finance, as well as the emerging areas of women's economic empowerment, climate, energy, and biodiversity financing, and sustainable food systems financing.

Inclusive Digital Economies

Local Transformative Finance

Women’s Economic Empowerment

Climate, Energy and Biodiversity Finance

Sustainable Food Systems Finance

UNCDF by the Numbers

329
financial products and services were piloted with support from UNCDF
390
localized strategic investments in local development finance
588
local governments supported in 42 countries
+3M
Benefitted From Financial/Digital Solutions In 35 Countries

0
loans & guarantees in 9 countries
$0M
in direct financing unlocked by $37M in grants
0
financial inclusion strategies supported
$0M
in climate-resilient infrastructure

News and Media

Videos

Tender and Funding Opportunities

To make it easier for you to stay up with the most recent Tenders and Funding Opportunities, as well as Frequently Asked Questions at UNCDF, we have produced the following helpful resources:

Calls for tenders

Access to our online calls for tenders providing a rapid lifeline for local businesses and local governments, enabling us to support the SMEs and public partners at the local level.

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Plug and Play e-grants

Our ability to assist SMEs and public partners at the regional level is made possible through the availability of our Plug and Play e-grants platform, which provides a swift lifeline for local enterprises and local governments.

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Report fraud, abuse and misconduct

In order to strengthen UNCDF's accountability framework and to provide opportunities for bringing to light any misconduct, wrongdoing by any individuals working for or doing business with us, UNCDF has established an Investigations Hotline to ensure that persons wishing to report fraud may do so using the link below.

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