The Joint SDG Fund works across the UN system and with international financing partners to translate policy reform and coordination into scaled investment for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. UNCDF is a key delivery partner at country level, deploying grants, loans, and guarantees to complement UN-supported programmes. Multilateral development banks and other financing institutions are engaged to crowd in additional financing into UN-led investment vehicles.
For example, in Uruguay, a UN-supported Renewable Energy Innovation Fund co-invested in a green hydrogen project, leveraging $20–25 million in parallel financing from Santander and the International Finance Corporation. This demonstrates how Joint SDG Fund investments can catalyze private and IFI finance at scale.
SDG localization is a central pillar of the Fund’s 2023–2026 strategy, reflecting that at least 65% of SDG targets are directly linked to local and regional governments. The Fund manages a dedicated SDG Localization portfolio of 30 Joint Programmes, with $17.8 million in combined funding, engaging 177 local governments and expected to benefit 12.4 million people. Tools such as the SDG Localization Marker and catalytic programmes for food systems and green economies further strengthen local impact, mobilizing over $160 million through an initial $24 million allocation.
The Fund has consistently prioritized least developed countries (LDCs), landlocked developing countries (LLDCs), and small island developing states (SIDS), with 53.7% of its $404.3 million approved budget allocated to these categories. Since inception, the Fund has unlocked more than $6.6 billion in additional SDG financing, including support for sovereign SDG bond issuances in Indonesia, Uzbekistan, Fiji, and Cabo Verde, and blended finance vehicles in Fiji, North Macedonia, Uruguay, and Kenya.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Fund will expand its use of financing instruments—such as thematic bonds, climate and environmental facilities, SME financing vehicles, and guarantees—to support transitions in digital transformation, food systems, energy, and employment. The private sector is a central partner, both as a co-financier and beneficiary, particularly SMEs accessing de-risked capital. Collaboration with international financial institutions and global climate finance vehicles will continue to translate country-level innovations into scalable investment pipelines.
The SDG Ambition Roadshows are planned as high-level field and policy engagements to showcase catalytic Joint SDG Fund investments. These Roadshows aim to connect Member States, investors, and development finance partners with governments and UN country teams, illustrating pathways from policy coordination to investable solutions and fostering alignment around integrated SDG transitions.
Through these approaches, the Joint SDG Fund strengthens understanding of catalytic financing models, improves visibility of scalable solutions, and mobilizes public and private resources to accelerate progress toward the SDGs.
