How is the United Nations funded?
Funding sources

The UN is largely funded by governments. Around two-thirds (73%) of total UN revenue in 2021 came from direct government contributions. 58% of total UN funding originated from the 31 UN Member States that are OECD-DAC members. In 2021, 17% of total UN revenue came from multilateral channels, much of which is indirect government investment via funds, international financial institutions and the European Union. UN funding from non-state actors remains relatively small (US$ 4.7 billion in 2021) but continues to grow, especially from the private sector.

Figure 5
UN system funding sources, 2021
2023 figure 5 un-system-funding-sources-2021
Key insights in a flash
The UN is mainly funded by governments