European Endowment for Democracy (EED)

We are an independent grant-making organization, founded in 2013 by the European Union (EU) and its member states. We operate as an autonomous International Trust Fund for international affairs, focusing on fostering democracy in the European neighbourhood and beyond.

Our geographical focus includes Eastern Partnership (EaP) countries, the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the Western Balkans, and Turkey. We provide flexible support to democracy activists, complementing existing democracy support programs from the EU and its member states.

We are demand-driven, supporting local initiatives and fostering democracy rather than imposing it. Our network of partners and grantees includes human rights activists, political activists, pro-democratic movements, independent media, and journalists.

In addition to direct grant-making, we use external experts to assess and audit grant financial reports. These experts review financial reports from our grant beneficiaries to ensure accuracy and compliance with budgets and contracts. Assignments for these tasks are usually short-term (one to five days) and often home-based. We process applications for support on a rolling basis.

Our core principle is fostering democracy rather than imposing it. We facilitate local initiatives that promote democratic development and support those dedicated to human rights and pro-democratic movements. This approach guides how we engage with activists, independent media, and various community groups in our target regions.

We maintain a professional environment with 51 to 200 employees. We engage with a wide network of partners and experts across various regions, emphasizing collaboration.