The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is currently unable to access its Congressionally appropriated funds, which sustain nearly all of its grantmaking and operations. As a result, for the first time in the organization’s four-decade history, it has been unable to meet its obligations and has been forced to suspend support for nearly 2,000 partners worldwide.
Ninety-five percent of NED’s funding is directly appropriated by Congress and is not considered foreign assistance. This funding therefore was not subject to the executive order freezing foreign assistance for a ninety-day review. However, despite being exempt, access to these funds has been inexplicably cut off, forcing NED to halt all partner support and furlough the majority of its staff. While the U.S. Department of State has suspended a small portion of NED’s funding as part of the foreign assistance executive order, those funds represent only a fraction of the Endowment’s total budget.
The disruption is hitting hardest in highly repressive environments, where dedicated frontline organizations have been forced to lay off staff, curtail operations, and, in some cases, face increased security threats.
NED is one of the most efficient organizations in its field, directing 83 cents of every dollar into grassroots efforts that fight corruption, promote open government, and uphold rule of law. These efforts not only empower local communities, but level the playing field for American businesses and workers. When people around the world live in freedom, they can build more prosperous societies—making America safer, more secure, and more competitive.
NED’s Congressional mandate rests on a longstanding bipartisan commitment to supporting freedom worldwide. It is critical that we are able to access our funding and resume support for our partners as soon as possible.
Media inquiries can be sent to Press Secretary Carolyn Stewart, press@ned.org.
