Discover why IDSF exists and the investment model behind our approach
ABOUT US
The Internal Displacement Solutions Fund (IDSF) is the UN’s dedicated financing instrument for advancing nationally led solutions for people who have been forced to leave their homes due to conflict, fragility and climate change within national borders. Launched in 2024, the IDSF provides catalytic capital to help countries move beyond short-term responses to displacement and build the foundations for durable, development-led solutions.
Working through UN Country Teams and in partnership with governments, civil society and the private sector, the Fund invests in the policies, institutions, data and financing frameworks needed to address the structural drivers of displacement and deliver solutions at scale. Its role is not to finance large-scale implementation directly, but to unlock it — helping countries strengthen the enabling environment, align partners around a common approach, and mobilize larger public and private investment.
WHAT WE DO
Catalytic Capital Where it Matters Most
The IDSF addresses a critical financing gap: many displacement-affected countries lack the institutional foundations and investment readiness needed to attract larger-scale development, philanthropic and private capital. Rather than creating parallel service-delivery structures, the Fund makes targeted, risk-tolerant investments that strengthen the conditions for durable solutions. These investments can support nationally owned displacement strategies, coordination across levels of government, legal identity systems, housing and land policies, government-owned data systems, and new financing mechanisms.
The model is simple: invest upstream to unlock capital downstream. By strengthening public institutions, embedding displacement solutions in national development priorities and removing barriers to investment, relatively small IDSF investments can build a stronger pipeline for domestic, multilateral, blended and private finance — enabling larger investors to engage with greater confidence, alignment and scale.
HOW IT WORKS
Invest Upstream. Unlock Capital at Scale
The IDSF invests in creating the conditions for durable solutions at scale. Under the leadership of UN Resident Coordinators, UN Country Teams bring together government, UN entities and development partners around nationally led priorities, combining their expertise through a single, joint programme that reduces fragmentation and creates a common platform for action and investment.
IDSF provides UN Country Teams with up to US$3 million in flexible, risk-tolerant financing for up to three years, with no repeat funding for countries that graduates from the IDSF programme. This focused investment window enables teams to address structural barriers, test new approaches and build the foundations for longer-term investment. Throughout implementation, the IDSF Secretariat provides technical sup-port and brokers partnerships with development finance institutions, donors, the private sector and other strategic partners to strengthen delivery and open pathways to scale.
Our Partners
GOVERNANCE
The IDSF Steering Committee provides strategic direction and oversight for the IDSF, bringing together UN entities, donor partners and displacement-affected Member States to guide the Fund’s strategic priorities. The Chair rotates among the Champion agencies, IOM, UNDP and UNHCR; for 2026–2027, the Committee is chaired by Shoko Noda, UNDP Assistant Secretary-General.
2026 MEMBERSHIP
OUR DONORS
The Internal Displacement Solutions Fund (IDSF) is powered by donors who recognize that solving internal displacement requires investing differently. Their flexible, pooled funding allows IDSF to address critical gaps between humanitarian response and larger-scale development investment, directing capital toward nationally led priorities with the greatest potential for catalytic impact. This model also reduces fragmentation. Rather than financing stand-alone interventions, donor capital supports coordinated, government-led programmes delivered through UN Country Teams.
Crucially IDSF donors contribute more than capital. They bring expertise, strategic insight and connections to development finance institutions and other investment partners, helping strengthen the Fund’s approach and open new pathways to larger-scale investment — making donors active partners in advancing solutions, not simply funders.
OUR DONORS
Germany Contribution to date: US$ 4,758,722
Norway Contribution to date: US$ 8,886,940
Spain Contribution to date: US$ 401,324
Switzerland Contribution to date: US$12,335,639
United Kingdom Contribution to date: US$ 6,540,648
INVEST WITH US
With internal displacement reaching unprecedented levels, the need for development-oriented solutions — and the capital to unlock them — is growing. Join IDSF’s donor partners in investing in solutions that can move from catalytic funding to national ownership and investment at scale.
