The Northern Uganda Regional Development Forum (NURDEF) is a collaborative effort that brings together 29 districts, and three cities, in their capacities as local governments (LGs) to support the development of Northern Uganda. The collaborative initiative is anchored on the Uganda 1995 constitution (Articles 187) and 1997 Local Government Act (section 8), which state that two or more districts can corporate for purposes of development. The collaboration idea was originally developed by a few District Chairpersons in Northern Uganda and shared with the office of the Prime Minister (OPM) and the United States Agency for International Development USAID Uganda who both supported the arrangement and nurtured the development of the forum. The organization derives its membership from Local Governments, the private sector, civil society, cultural institutions, religious institutions, youth, and women from the subregions of Acholi, Lango, and West Nile.

The three sub-regions, while not identical, share many similarities, including geographic location, climates, household size, prolonged internal and external conflicts, and reliance on Agriculture as the main source of livelihood. NURDEF defines key strategic development drivers for Northern Uganda which are aligned to the National Development Plan and Uganda Vison 2040. It also creates a structure within which districts and regions will collaborate to ensure coordination and success in implementing development programs. It provides space for private sector participation in the regional investment opportunities in partnership with the government, development partners, investors, and the communities.