Fosters democracy and supports civil society in various regions.
The European Endowment for Democracy (EED) is an independent grant-giving organisation established in 2013 by the European Union and EU member states. Its primary focus is on fostering democracy in the European Neighbourhood, including the Eastern Partnership and Middle East and North Africa regions, as well as the Western Balkans and Turkey. EED supports civil society organisations, pro-democracy movements, civic and political activists, and independent media platforms and journalists working towards a pluralistic, democratic political system. The organisation provides fast and flexible technical and financial support to democratisation and human rights promotion, particularly in challenging local contexts where other donors may not be able to operate. The EED has a total organisational budget of €36,236,000 for the year 2022, with major funding coming from the European Commission and various EU member states. The organisation acts as a "gap-filler," supporting groups and activists that cannot be supported by existing EU instruments or other programmes. Funding decisions are made by the EED Executive Committee based on adherence to democratic values, respect for human rights, and observance of principles of non-violence. Specific project financing amounts and recent projects financed are not publicly disclosed.