Fundraising – the UNODC context

8 | Fundraising Strategy

4. Basic features and issues of the UNODC fundraising strategy

In implementing its medium-term strategy for 2012-2015, the Office has responded to the growing demand for its services by establishing an integrated mode of programme planning and implementation. In particular, by building on the normative and technical skills of its staff, the Office has realigned its work to ensure continuity between its normative and operational work. The seven thematic UNODC sub-programmes have in common: a to assist Member States in ratifying and implementing relevant international conventions; b to promote more effective policy directions; and c to improve the capacity of Member States to implement relevant programmes in their countries. Regional programmes aim to build on the in-house technical expertise by establishing operational priorities that meet the differential needs among the various regions and countries. Accordingly, the UNODC fundraising strategy will encompass a two-dimensional approach: • focus on agreed priorities at the thematic and regional programme levels ; and • establish effective funding mechanisms to sustain the core infrastructure and delivery capacity of the Office. While alignment of planning, full costing budgeting and funding mechanisms is a precondition for successfully implementing the UNODC medium-term strategy, there is also the as yet unresolved issue of having the systems in place to enable UNODC to conduct meaningful reporting and evaluation at the programmatic level, a key accountability requirement to underpin a system of results based management. Such issues relate to the adequacy of the core infrastructure of the Office to deal with a rapidly increasing demand for technical assistance services compounded by an overall donor propensity to apply “double earmarking” criteria, i.e. both at the policy level regions, themes, domestic legislative considerations and technical level performance, reporting and accountability criteria. The next chapter II provides an analysis of the development in the UNODC resource base, the subsequent chapter III will focus on the fundraising benchmarks for regional and thematic programmes, whereas chapter IV will concentrate on issues and possible solutions with regard to the core funding strategy in respect to the UNODC technical assistance programmes chapter V will outline the organisational aspects of the fundraising functions. Finally, the concluding remarks and key points for following are summarised in chapter VI.

II. DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNODC RESOURCE BASE - FUNDING AND

TREND ANALYSIS While internal issues institutional efficiency, governance, effectiveness and external issues institutional relevance, donor funding priorities directly impact on the capability to mobilise resources, UNODC has consistently applied two critical principles in its fundraising approach: • Strategic partnering – systematic institutional engagement with donors in terms of policy, programme, funding budgetary instruments and accountability; and • Diversification of the resource base – broader support to underpin the work of the Office. Fundraising Strategy | 9 Graph 1 Since 2002 and most visibly since 2005 this approach has delivered positive results: UNODC has tripled its annual volume of XB funding from a base of 81.3 million to 248 million in 2011. The biennium 2010-2011 delivered a volume of XB funding of 487.2 million 29 which represents a 2.5 per cent increase over the unprecedented high level of the previous biennium 475.5 million. During the last budget cycle the top donor league included: Australia, Brazil, Canada, Colombia, Denmark, the European Union European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Piracy Trust Fund, Qatar Foundation, Russian Federation, Sweden, UNAIDS, United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom and the USA. 29 The consolidated budget 2010-2011 targeted XB funding at a level of 426 million.