Development finance is increasingly diverse and complex. Beyond official development assistance (ODA), it includes other public resources, private investment, portfolio flows and grants, as well as remittances and innovative forms of public–private partnerships. The OECD regularly publishes data and analysis on this website to help monitor those flows.
Finance for sustainable development
Under its mandate to track and promote financing for sustainable development from various public and private sources, the OECD undertakes data collection and reporting, analyses flows and policies, and establishes statistical measurement frameworks. On that basis, the Organisation engages with governments and private actors, and recommends more efficient and sound approaches.
Key messages
The smart use of public resources to shift private investment towards sustainable development in low- and middle-income countries is a growing priority for both recipient and provider countries. By setting standards, documenting and sharing best practices, the OECD encourages development partners to improve their ways of working. The Organisation also works to draw private investment into the countries and sectors most in need, including through blended finance.
Faced with the dual challenge of investing in long-term, sustainable development and responding effectively to global crises, the world needs a more transparent, accountable and coherent development finance architecture. The OECD feeds the discussion by monitoring the financing and governance of the multilateral system, and exploring ways of mobilising all resources for sustainable investments in the regions and communities that need them the most.
Context
The role of transition finance in sustainable development
As low- and middle-income countries progress in their sustainable development journey, their financing needs and conditions evolve, creating complex challenges. To help donors adapt their support, and improve transparency and co-ordination, the OECD has created a Transition Finance Toolkit.
The role of philanthropy in sustainable development
Philanthropic funding for development is on the rise. It can be more flexible and disruptive than funding from other sources. It is a force for change in the international development system. Yet, philanthropic flows remain modest compared to those from governments, bilateral and multilateral donors, and most philanthropic foundations do not have a presence in the field. By engaging with development partners, foundations can identify unmet needs, learn from effective approaches and co-ordinate their actions.
Total Official Support for Sustainable Development
Total Official Support for Sustainable Development (TOSSD) is an international standard for measuring the full array of resources driving sustainable development in low and middle-income countries, whether official, private, or mobilised through official means, and including indirect contributions to global public goods. Initially developed at the OECD, the project is now an independent International Forum.
