<P> UNDP is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from member nations . The organization operates in 177 countries, where it works with local governments to meet development challenges and develop local capacity . Additionally, the UNDP works internationally to help countries achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). UNDP was one of the main UN agencies involved in the development of the Post-2015 Development Agenda . </P> <P> UNDP works with nations on their own solutions to global and national development challenges . As they develop local capacity, they draw on the people of UNDP and its wide range of partners . However UNDP offers to help only if the different nations request it to do so . </P> <P> The UNDP was founded on 22 November 1965 with the merging of the Expanded Programme of Technical Assistance (EPTA) and the Special Fund . The rationale was to "avoid duplication of (their) activities". The EPTA was set up in 1949 to help the economic and political aspects of underdeveloped countries while the Special Fund was to enlarge the scope of UN technical assistance . The Special Fund arose from the idea of a Special United Nations Fund for Economic Development (SUNFED) (which was initially called UNFED). </P> <P> Countries such as the Nordic countries were proponents of such a United Nations (UN) controlled fund . However, the fund was opposed by developed countries, especially by the United States who was wary of the Third World dominating such a funding and preferred it to be under the auspices of the World Bank . The concept of SUNFED was dropped to form the "Special Fund". This Special Fund was some compromise over the SUNFED concept, it did not provide investment capital, but only helped to bring pre-conditions for private investment . </P>

When was the united nations development programme created