United Nations Democracy Fund - Projects and Grants

Projects and Grants

In its first four Rounds of Funding, UNDEF has supported more than 330 projects in 115 countries across all continents, from China, Iran and Myanmar to the Russian Federation, Vietnam and Zimbabwe. UNDEF provides grants of up to US$500,000 per two-year project. Project proposals are subject to a highly rigorous and competitive selection process, as UNDEF receives an average of about 2,000 applications a year and only an average of 60-70 are selected. The majority of UNDEF projects are in Africa, Asia, the Americas and Eastern Europe, and fall under one or more of six main areas:

• Community development
• Rule of law and human rights
• Tools for democratization
• Women
• Youth
• Media

Comparative advantage UNDEF distinguishes itself from other parts of the UN system involved in governance work by focusing on the demand side of democracy, rather than the supply side. It also differs from non-UN funders in the field – whether bilateral donors or foundations – through the uniqueness of the UN brand. UN support for a project confers legitimacy, a convening power, an absence of historical or colonial baggage, protection, prestige and a ripple effect inspiring other civil society organizations to strive for the same. US foreign policy expert Morton Halperin argues in his 2010 book The Survival and The Success of Liberty: A Democracy Agenda for U.S. Foreign Policy: “Go multilateral: The role of coordinated international efforts to support democracy will often be crucial… UNDEF is not subject to the approval of any other body, and thus is free to distribute funds without interference from particular countries.”