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UNDEF’s Advisory Board met on 9 March 2023 and endorsed a short-list of 34 projects for its 17th Round of funding totaling over $8 million. In this Round, UNDEF received 1,872 project proposals from organizations in 133 countries, the vast majority local NGOs, reflecting continued high demand. Proposals originated from Asia, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean, Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa, adding further to the growth the Fund has experienced since its creation in 2005 and bringing the total number of projects supported by the Fund to more than 970. Projects fall under one or more of six areas: the rule of law and human rights, youth engagement, women’s empowerment, support to electoral processes, strengthening civil society capacity for interaction with government, and media and freedom of information. 

The short list is the product of a thorough and rigorous process. A team of 11 international experts - combining extensive programme and project experience – assessed each proposal against 10 set criteria and produced a long list of 186 project proposals. To narrow down the list further, UN Resident Coordinators were invited to provide comments, quality vetting, and views on how proposed activities would fit with existing work in the countries and fields. Based on this collective input, the short list was produced. Once no-objection has been sought from the Governments of countries where projects are envisaged, the list goes to the Secretary-General for review and approval. The proposals move into the final stage in the selection process: the negotiation of a project document, which is in effect the contract between UNDEF and the grantee. This requires the applicant to provide a more elaborated project design and involves comprehensive guidance, input, and review by UNDEF. Only upon the successful conclusion of this process will the project formally be approved for funding. The Advisory Board comprises those UN Member States who have made the largest cumulative financial contributions to the Fund over the previous three years; a number of UN Member States reflecting geographical diversity; international civil society organizations; and individuals serving in a personal capacity.