The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is an independent, nonprofit foundation established in 1983. Its core mission is to support the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions worldwide. It achieves this by providing grants to nongovernmental organizations that work toward democratic objectives.
Funded largely by the U.S. Congress, NED operates with a steadfastly bipartisan character. Its governance structure features a board balanced between both political parties, and it maintains broad Congressional support across the political spectrum. This nongovernmental status provides the organization with flexibility to work in difficult circumstances and respond to opportunities for political change.
In practice, NED makes more than 2,000 grants annually, supporting organizations in more than 100 countries. Its work focuses on strengthening civil society, independent media, the rule of law, and democratic governance globally.
