"In light of the positive evolution in the mobilization of voluntary contributions over recent years, UNESCO can be more ambitious in setting its resource mobilization targets. At USD 453 million, the funding gap in the draft programme and budget for 2020- 2021 represents an increase of 30% over that identified for 2018-2019. Going forward, in order to meaningfully play its role in the achievement of the SDGs, and to maintain its relevance and visibility in an increasingly competitive environment, UNESCO needs to step up its resource mobilization performance – leveraging additional financial resources, diversifying its financial partners, working to increase the predictability of its resources, and accessing know-how and capacity from its public and private partners. To realize this ambition every entity in the Organization – whether Sector or Section, Field Office or Institute is called to play its part. To help colleagues contribute in the most efficient way to this house-wide resource mobilization effort, and ensure that we are all pulling in the same direction, the Resource Mobilization Guidebook gives a step-by-step overview of the process of mobilizing resources. It explains who does what as part of a closely coordinated resource mobilization effort, and explains in detail at each stage in the process. It gives an overview of the tools, templates, modalities, and other knowledge resources available to all staff from the preliminary assessment of needs to the final programme evaluation. Most importantly, the Resource Mobilization Guidebook places resource mobilization in the wider context of partnerships, which constitute themselves a separate SDG (SDG 17). Resource mobilization at UNESCO is not simply a transaction. It is a mutual commitment to build a long-term partnership based on a common purpose, mutual accountability and a shared commitment to deliver results. The Guidebook shines a light on the principles, values and priorities that underpin the way we mobilize resources. Its overarching purpose is to facilitate the work of the staff, to encourage the development of house-wide standards, and to foster excellence in the way we nurture and manage partnerships at UNESCO." (Preface)