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 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.

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

All proposed projects must be consistent with NED’s general purposes as outlined in the NED Statement of Principles and Objectives.

For more information on the types of programs NED supports in each region, please see Where We Work.

Decisions are made three times a year 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.

Upcoming Board of Directors meeting dates and proposal submission deadlines are as follows:

Please note that we have updated our application forms to PDF. Please apply using only those forms. The old Excel versions will not be accepted.

Applications must include the following items:

Organizational Profile Form
This form collects the same basic organizational information. Organization Profile Form

Application Proposal Form
This form collects project specific information. Application Proposal Form

Proposal Narrative
Please 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. Please 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)
Please 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, please 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: africaproposals@ned.org

Asia: asiaproposals@ned.org

Eurasia: eurasiaproposals@ned.org

Europe: europeproposals@ned.org

Latin America & the Caribbean: americalatina@ned.org

Middle East & North Africa: menaproposals@ned.org

Global (takes place in more than one country not in the same region): globalproposals@ned.org

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

If you need help submitting your proposal, you may contact NED staff who can provide assistance specific to your region:

• Africa: AFRICAPROPOSALS@NED.ORG
• Asia: ASIAPROPOSALS@NED.ORG
• Eurasia: EURASIAPROPOSALS@NED.ORG
• Europe: EUROPEPROPOSALS@NED.ORG
• Latin America & the Caribbean: AMERICALATINA@NED.ORG
• Middle East & North Africa: MENAPROPOSALS@NED.ORG
• Global (takes place in more than one country not in the same region): GLOBALPROPOSALS@NED.ORG

Organization Profile Form

Application Proposal Form

Proposal Guidelines

Budget Template and Sample

Scam Advisory: Recent reports indicate that individuals are posing as the NED on email and social media.  Read more.