Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the purpose of the Peacebuilding Fund  
The Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) aims to address immediate peacebuilding needs in countries emerging from conflict at a time when other funding mechanisms may not be available for specific peace process activities. On the basis of agreed-upon priorities, the PBF can support a variety of interventions to strengthen national capacities in sustaining peace and will therefore help to reduce the risk of a relapse into conflict.

2. Who can access the Peacebuilding Fund?
The Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) will finance projects agreed as priorities by the Government of the country and the United Nations. Projects may be implemented by national authorities, UN agencies, other international organizations or non-governmental organizations (NGOs), provided that  they are submitted through a partner UN entity (a ‘Recipient UN Organization’) in order to facilitate consistent accounting and reporting. With the exception of Emergency Window projects, all projects and respective implementation arrangements will be subject to approval by the respective in-country Peacebuilding Fund’s Steering Committee. The PBF cannot consider projects submitted outside this framework.

3. What is the relationship between the Peacebuilding Fund and the Peacebuilding Commission?
The Peacebuilding Fund (PBF) is established under the authority of the Secretary-General and funding decisions therefore do not require the approval of the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC). It is anticipated, however, that best practice projects funded by the PBF provide insights for the work of the PBC in other countries.
 
4. How is a country chosen?
Any country under consideration by the Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) will, in principle, be eligible to receive support from the Peacebuilding Fund (PBF), following a formal declaration by the Commission. The United Nations Secretary-General may also declare a country in similar circumstances but not currently on the agenda of the PBC as eligible for PBF funding.

5. What are priority plans?
Priority plans are designed to identify critical issues requiring immediate support in the context of broader peacebuilding.

6. Who approves priorities for Peacebuilding Fund support?
A Priority Plan would be submitted through the UN presence in the country for review by the Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office at UN Headquarters in New York in consultation with other senior officials from various part of the UN systems.

7. What is the country envelope?
The country envelope is the amount of funding made available for a given country within which projects can be approved. Once a Priority Plan has been formally endorsed at UN Headquarters, the Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office determines the overall funding envelope for the country, on the basis of available balances and an indicative costing of the priority plan.

8. How are projects approved?
An Executive Committee co-chaired by the Government and the United Nations reviews and approves projects to be funded by the Peacebuilding Fund, using the priority plan as its main reference. The Executive Committee is modeled on existing coordination mechanisms and includes representatives from the Government, UN Country Team, donors and civil society. All projects are approved at country level and do not require any further review by UN Headquarters.

9. How are payments effected?
Once the Executive Committee at country level approves a project, this serves as the payment instruction for the Fund Manager (Administrative Agent), UNDP’s Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) Office, to process the transfer. To receive funds, UN entities are required to conclude a Memorandum of Understanding with UNDP, as the Administrative Agent.
 
10. What is the timeline for the Peacebuilding Fund disbursements?
The Peacebuilding Fund country specific priority plan has an initial timeframe of one year, given its focus on immediate peacebuilding challenges and its catalytic function in seeking to attract longer term financial support. This one year period can be extended while the priority plan itself can also be amended to take account of new priorities.

11. What is the role of the United Nations Development Programme?
UNDP has been appointed as the Fund Manager (Administrative Agent) for the Peacebuilding Fund, exercised by its Multi-Donor Trust Fund (MDTF) Office, which includes all fiduciary responsibilities, such as the receipt of donor contributions and the disbursement of funds, and the fulfilment of reporting requirements. UNDP can also serve as a recipient, just like other UN Organizations, and receive PBF funding for the implementation of projects in the countries concerned through its country offices.

12. What is the role of the Peacebuilding Support Office?
Under the authority of the Secretary-General, the Head of the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) provides overall direction and guidance on the programme management of the PBF and monitors its operations. In consultation with the Senior Policy Group, the Head of the PBSO reviews the country priority plan and endorses the priority plan. Once the priority plan has been endorsed, the Head of the PBSO determines the overall funding envelope for the country, on the basis of available balances and an indicative costing of the priority plan.