World Heritage Fund
© Okavango Delta © Joyce Bestelink
The Fund for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Outstanding Universal Value,
called "the World Heritage Fund", was established in 1977
under Article 15 of the World Heritage Convention.
The World Heritage Committee makes decisions on the amount of the budget of the World Heritage Fund as well as on its use. The World Heritage Fund amounts to 5.6 million dollars for the biennium 2020-2021, plus 0.4 million dollars for Emergency assistance as defined in article 21.2 of the World Heritage Convention.
Financial regulations of the World Heritage Fund
What does it finance?
© Petroglyphs within the Archaeological Landscape of Tamgaly / © Ko Hon Chiu Vincent
The World Heritage Committee allocates most of the budget of the World Heritage Fund for the services of the Advisory Bodies on one hand, and for International Assistance on the other hand.
There are also budget lines, among others, for Periodic Reporting, Reactive monitoring, activities in relation to sites inscribed on the List of World Heritage in Danger, the World Heritage Education Programme, the Upstream process, the World Heritage Review.
Financial resources
© Historic Centre of Siena/ © Bruno Doucin
The resources of the World Heritage Fund consist primarily of assessed contributions paid by the States Parties, i.e. the countries which have ratified the World Heritage Convention. These resources are complemented by various types of voluntary contributions provided by governments, foundations, private sector, or the general public.
Assessed contributions
paid by States Parties
When they ratify the World Heritage Convention, States Parties commit to pay regularly compulsory (Article 16.1) or voluntary (Article 16.2) assessed contributions to the World Heritage Fund.
The corresponding statements of contributions are updated and published every month:
Statement of assessed compulsory
and voluntary contributions
as at 31 May 2021
Letters for assessed contributions to the World Heritage Fund for 2021 can be found hereUnrestricted voluntary contributions
It is also possible to make unrestricted voluntary contributions, whether you are a State Party, a private entity or an individual. Online donations can be made here
For States Parties, these contributions can be made in accordance with one of the following options recommended by the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention in its Resolution 19 GA 8:
- Option 1: Increasing the standard percentage used in the calculation of the contributions to the World Heritage Fund from 1% to 2%,
- Option 3.1: Increasing the contributions by a flat rate of US$3,300 per property inscribed,
- Option 3.2: Increasing the contributions by an additional 4% of the current assessed contribution per property inscribed,
- Option 3.3: Increasing the contributions by an additional amount per property inscribed, according to a percentage increasing with the number of properties inscribed,
- Option 3.4: Increasing the contributions by an additional amount per property inscribed, according to a percentage decreasing with the number of properties inscribed,
- Option 4: Increasing the contributions on the basis of the number of tourists arrivals at World Heritage Sites,
- Option 5: Contributing per activity;
Voluntary contributions
to the sub-accounts
of the World Heritage Fund
States Parties, but also public bodies, private companies, foundations… can make voluntary contributions to the various sub-accounts of the World Heritage Fund.
Sub-account dedicated to specific activities.
This sub-account has been in operation since 1995. The funds received under this sub-account are allocated to specific activities, in line with the purposes defined by the World Heritage Committee.
Sub-account for Promotional funds
This sub-account has been in operation since 1995. The funds received under this sub-account are allocated to World Heritage activities related to communication, partnerships and education.
Sub-account for staff support
This sub-account has been created in 2013 by the General Assembly of States Parties to the World Heritage Convention, via its Resolution 19 GA 8. The funds received under this sub-account are used for temporary support to the Secretariat of the World Heritage Convention.
Sub-account for International Assistance
This sub-account has been in operation since 2013. The funds received under this sub-account allows for the approval of International Assistance requests submitted by States Parties when the International Assistance budget is not sufficient. See more here.
Sub-account for upstream support
This sub-account has been created in 2017 by the World Heritage Committee, via its Decision 41 COM 9A. The funds received under this sub-account are allocated to requests for upstream support.
Sub-account for the evaluation of nominations
This sub-account has been created in 2019 by the World Heritage Committee, via its Decision 43 COM 14. The funds received under this sub-account are allocated to the funding of evaluation of nominations.