National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
Encyclopedia
National Endowment for Democracy
The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983 to promote US-friendly democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress...
(NED) to channel grants for furthering democracy
Democracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
in developing nations. It was founded in 1983, shortly after the U.S. Congress created the National Endowment for Democracy. Taxpayer funding is provided by the Federal Government
Federal government of the United States
The federal government of the United States is the national government of the constitutional republic of fifty states that is the United States of America. The federal government comprises three distinct branches of government: a legislative, an executive and a judiciary. These branches and...
, both directly from the United States Agency for International Development
United States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
and the Department of State and indirectly through the National Endowment for Democracy
National Endowment for Democracy
The National Endowment for Democracy, or NED, is a U.S. non-profit organization that was founded in 1983 to promote US-friendly democracy by providing cash grants funded primarily through an annual allocation from the U.S. Congress...
. Additional funds are raised through voluntary donations from foreign governments, multilateral institutions, and private foundations. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
Under its mission, "NDI provides practical assistance to civic and political leaders advancing democratic values, practices and institutions. NDI works with democrats in every region of the world to build political and civic organizations, safeguard elections, and to promote citizen participation, openness and accountability in government." NDI has worked in 125 different countries and territories since it was created and its six main areas of work are citizen participation, election processes, political parties, women in politics, democracy and technology, and democratic governance.
NDI is loosely associated with the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
of the United States and maintains ties with the Liberal International
Liberal International
Liberal International is a political international federation for liberal parties. Its headquarters is located at 1 Whitehall Place, London, SW1A 2HD within the National Liberal Club. It was founded in Oxford in 1947, and has become the pre-eminent network for liberal parties and for the...
, Socialist International
Socialist International
The Socialist International is a worldwide organization of democratic socialist, social democratic and labour political parties. It was formed in 1951.- History :...
, and the Centrist Democrat International
Centrist Democrat International
The Centrist Democrat International was until 2001 the Christian Democrat International and before that the Christian Democrat and People's Parties International...
(formerly Christian Democrats). However, NDI's programs are nonpartisan, and it works with various democratic and non-violent political parties and civic groups. As stated on its website, "NDI does not presume to impose solutions nor does it believe that one democratic system can be replicated elsewhere. Rather, NDI shares experiences and offers a range of options so that leaders can adapt those practices and institutions that may work best in their own political environment."
NDI Board of Directors & Senior Advisory Committee
The Institute regularly researches and releases reports on global democratic political developments in conjunction with think tanks, NGOs, and civic organizations. It also maintains offices in more than 70 countries in Asia, the Former Soviet Union, Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.Board of Directors
- Madeleine K. Albright, Chairman
- Harriet C. Babbitt, Vice Chair
- Thomas A. Daschle, Vice Chair
- Marc B. Nathanson, Vice Chair
- Patrick J. Griffin, Secretary
- Eugene Eidenberg, Treasurer
- Kenneth D. Wollack, President
- Bernard W. AronsonBernard W. AronsonBernard William Aronson was United States Assistant Secretary of State for Inter-American Affairs from 1989 to 1993.-Early life and education:...
- Elizabeth Bagley
- Richard BlumRichard BlumRichard Blum may refer to:*Richard C. Blum, American investment banker and husband to Dianne Feinstein*Richard Manitoba, born Richard Blum, American musician with the MC5 and The Dictators...
- Donna BrazileDonna BrazileDonna Brazile is an American author, professor, and political analyst affiliated with the Democratic Party. She was the first African American to direct a major presidential campaign, for Al Gore in 2000...
- Joan Baggett Calambokidis
- Robin CarnahanRobin CarnahanRobin Carnahan is an American politician, daughter of Missouri politicians Mel and Jean Carnahan and the current Missouri Secretary of State. She is a member of the Democratic Party and was the Democratic nominee for the U.S. Senate in 2010, to replace retiring Republican Sen...
- Howard DeanHoward DeanHoward Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
- Sam GejdensonSam GejdensonSamuel "Sam" Gejdenson is a former United States Representative for the 2nd Congressional District of Connecticut.Born in a displaced persons camp in Eschwege, Germany, Gejdenson was the child of a Belarussian father and Lithuanian mother. Gejdenson grew up in Bozrah, Connecticut on a dairy farm...
- Shirley Robinson Hall
- Rachelle Horowitz
- Peter Kovler
- Robert G. Liberatore
- Kenneth F. Melley
- Vali NasrVali NasrVali Nasr is a leading expert on Middle East and Islamic world, a best-selling author, influential commentator and Professor of International Politics at the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy of Tufts University, Senior Fellow in Foreign Policy at Brookings Institution, and a columnist for...
- Molly Raiser
- Nancy H. Rubin
- Elaine K. Shocas
- Bren Simon
- Michael R. Steed
- Maurice TempelsmanMaurice TempelsmanMaurice Tempelsman is a Belgian American businessman and diamond merchant. He moved to the United States as a child and attended New York City’s public schools and New York University...
- Lynda ThomasLynda ThomasLynda Aguirre Thomas is a singer, songwriter and producer formerly known professionally as Lynda, born on December 21, 1981, in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico....
- Richard VermaRichard VermaRichard Verma was the Assistant Secretary of State for Legislative Affairs, at the U.S. Department of State until March 2011. He was nominated by President Obama in 2009....
- Randi WeingartenRandi Weingarten'Randi Weingarten is an American labor leader, attorney, and educator, the current president of the American Federation of Teachers , a member of the AFL-CIO, and former president of the United Federation of Teachers. New York magazine called her one of the most influential people in education in...
- James WolfensohnJames WolfensohnSir James David Wolfensohn AO KBE FKC was the ninth president of the World Bank Group.-Early life:James Wolfensohn was born in Sydney, Australia, on 1 December 1933...
- Paul G. Kirk, Jr., Chairman Emeritus
- Walter F. Mondale, Chairman Emeritus
- Charles T. Manatt, Chairman Emeritus
Senior Advisory Committee
- William V. Alexander
- Michael D. BarnesMichael D. BarnesMichael Darr Barnes represented the eighth district of Maryland in the United States House of Representatives from 1979 to 1987 and was the president of the Brady Campaign gun control organization from 2000 through 2006.After serving in the Marine Corps , being discharged with the rank of...
- John BrademasJohn BrademasJohn Brademas is an American politician and educator originally from Indiana. He served as Majority Whip of the United States House of Representatives for the Democratic Party from 1977 to 1981 at the conclusion of a twenty-year career as a member of the United States House of Representatives...
- Bill BradleyBill BradleyWilliam Warren "Bill" Bradley is an American hall of fame basketball player, Rhodes scholar, and former three-term Democratic U.S. Senator from New Jersey. He ran unsuccessfully for the Democratic Party's nomination for President in the 2000 election.Bradley was born and raised in a suburb of St....
- Emanuel Cleaver, II
- Mario M. Cuomo
- Patricia M. DerianPatricia M. DerianPatricia Murphy "Patt" Derian is a United States civil rights and human rights activist, who served as Assistant Secretary of State for Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs from 1977 to 1981.-Biography:...
- Christopher J. Dodd
- Michael S. Dukakis
- Martin FrostMartin FrostJonas Martin Frost III is an American politician, who was the Democratic representative to the U.S. House of Representatives for Texas's 24th congressional district from 1979 to 2005.-Personal life:...
- Richard N. GardnerRichard N. GardnerRichard Newton Gardner served as the United States Ambassador to Spain and the United States Ambassador to Italy. He is currently a professor of law at Columbia Law School.-Education:...
- Richard A. Gephardt
- John T. Joyce
- Peter G. KellyPeter G. Kelly-Education:After education at Georgetown University and Yale Law School. Kelly founded his own law firm, Updike, Kelly and Spellacy.-Career:He served as Democratic National Committee finance chair, 1981-1985. He served as senior political advisor to Albert Gore, Jr...
- Paul G. Kirk, Jr.Paul G. Kirk, Jr.Paul Grattan Kirk, Jr. is an American politician and lawyer who served as a United States Senator from Massachusetts from 2009 to 2010, having been appointed to fill the vacancy created by the death of Ted Kennedy. From 1985 to 1989, he served as chairman of the Democratic National Committee...
- Elliott F. Kulick
- John LewisJohn Lewis (politician)John Robert Lewis is the U.S. Representative for , serving since 1987. He was a leader in the American Civil Rights Movement and chairman of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee , playing a key role in the struggle to end segregation...
- Donald F. McHenry
- Abner J. MikvaAbner J. MikvaAbner Joseph Mikva is a Democratic former U.S. Representative, federal judge and law professor from Chicago.-Biography:Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Mikva attended the University of Chicago Law School, from which he graduated in 1951...
- Charles S. Robb
- Esteban E. Torres
- Andrew J. Young