Flexible Funding in 2024
Flexible Funding in 2024
Unlike earmarked contributions, flexible funding allows UNHCR to respond rapidly in emergencies, sustain support in protracted crises, and uphold a principled, accountable approach to humanitarian action.
Manal Mohammed Abdallah, 27, holds her 5-month-old son Amir in their shelter at the Adré spontaneous site in Chad, where thousands of Sudanese refugees have sought safety. Located in Ouaddaï province, Adré - once home to 40,000 Chadians - now hosts over 230,000 refugees awaiting relocation inland. Most are women and children, many urgently needing education and protection.
In 2024, UNHCR received $1.470 billion in flexible funding contributions or 28% of the total funds available of $5.178 billion.
This flexible funding included $764 million in fully unearmarked funding. By way of comparison, in 2023, UNHCR received $1.678 billion in flexible funding, which amounted to 35% of the $4.835 billion in voluntary contributions raised. Of that total, $718.4 million was fully unearmarked funding. Unearmarked funding increased from $718.5 million in 2023 to $764 million in 2024, a rise of $45.6 million or 6%. However, at $706 million in 2024, softly earmarked funding decreased by $253.5 million or 26%.
In 2024, flexible funding was allocated to critical operations across the globe, with the majority of the funding directed to where it was needed most. The top 10 operations receiving flexible funding were Lebanon, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ukraine, Jordan, Uganda, Ethiopia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Sudan, and Chad.
2024 | Indicative flexible funding allocations (USD)
2024 | Indicative unearmarked funding allocations (USD)
Allocations of flexible funding to impact areas in 2024
Sources of funding and top donors in 2024
Relevant resources
Explore key documents from 2024 that showcase the impact of flexible funding and where resources were directed by the end of the year. The allocation data file also breaks down how flexible contributions were used throughout the year.
Previous Flexible Funding Reports
The Flexible Funding Reports contain an overview, financial tables, and case studies of how and where flexible funding made a difference. You can find the previous years' versions of the reports in the dropdown below.
Please note that from 2022 onwards, the report is fully accessible online, and no full PDF version is produced; nevertheless you can find case studies available as PDFs.