Deadline: September 20, 2023
Applications for the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) Grants Program 2023 are now open. Each year, the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) makes more than 2,000 grants to support the projects of nongovernmental groups abroad who are working to advance democratic goals and strengthen democratic institutions in more than 100 countries.
NED is interested in proposals from local, independent organizations for nonpartisan programs that seek to:
- Promote and defend human rights and the rule of law
- Support freedom of information and independent media
- Strengthen democratic ideas and values
- Promote accountability and transparency
- Strengthen civil society organizations
- Strengthen democratic political processes and institutions
- Promote civic education
- Support democratic conflict resolution
- Promote freedom of association
- Strengthen a broad-based market economy
Eligibility
- NED funds only nongovernmental organizations, which may include civic organizations, associations, independent media, and other similar organizations.
- NED encourages applications from organizations working in diverse environments including newly established democracies, semi-authoritarian countries, highly repressive societies and countries undergoing democratic transitions.
- NED does not make grants to individuals, governmental bodies, or state-supported institutions such as public universities.
Evaluation Criteria
Decisions are made on a quarterly basis by the NED Board of Directors. The Board considers the following factors:
- how a program fits within the Endowment’s overall priorities
- its relevance to specific needs and conditions in a particular country
- the democratic commitment and experience of the applicant
Application
Applications must include the following items:
- Organizational Profile Form: This form collects the same basic organizational information.
- Application Proposal Form: This form collects project specific information.
- Proposal Narrative: Follow the Proposal Guidelines to prepare in advance the Proposal Narrative in English or your local language. The narrative should describe the project.
- Proposal Budget: This is the financial description of the project you would like to conduct with NED funds and should correspond to the activities in the Proposal Narrative. Follow the Proposal Guidelines for additional instructions and use the Microsoft Excel Budget Template whenever possible. You will attach this file to your online application.
- Registration Documents (if applicable): Include your Certificate of Registration or other documentation showing the legal status of your organization. If your organization is not registered, this documentation is not required. Instead, please include an explanation (in the transmittal email) as to why your organization is not registered and the status of any pending applications for registration.
To apply for a grant, complete the required forms and write a narrative proposal describing your project. Submit the forms and proposal via email or secure communication to the appropriate address based on the region in which your project will take place:
- Africa: [email protected]
- Asia: [email protected]
- Eurasia: [email protected]
- Europe: [email protected]
- Latin America & the Caribbean: [email protected]
- Middle East & North Africa: [email protected]
- Global (takes place in more than one country not in the same region): [email protected]
To apply by post, send all of the application materials to
National Endowment for Democracy:
Attn: Grant Proposals
1201 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20004 USA
Apply by fax: +1 (202) 378-9407
For more information, visit NED Grants.
