The Committee for Open Democracy (COD) is a U.S.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida. Founded in 2010, COD operates as an international election monitoring organization with a network of over 400 experienced volunteer observers. The organization has observed 25 elections across 9 countries and is committed to ensuring free, fair, and transparent democratic processes worldwide.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$27K
-75.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$52K
-91.0% YoY
Grant Count
1
-92.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$52K
+26.0% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: The Committee for Open Democracy promotes open and fair elections throughout the world. The organization works to ensure that elections are free from corruption, voter suppression, and other tactics that undermine democratic processes. COD believes that every person has the right to cast their vote and have it counted.
Vision: A world in which every person has the right to participate in open, fair, and transparent elections, with democracy serving as the cornerstone of freedom and human rights.
Primary Focus Areas:
- International election monitoring and observation
- Democratic transparency and governance
- Humanitarian aid and relief (Ukraine-focused since 2022)
Grantmaking
COD awarded approximately $578,000 in 2023 through 14 grants, with a median grant size of $7,000 and a grant range of $1,000 to $365,000. The organization is open to new applicants and funded approximately 12% of new applicants in recent periods.
Grant Range
of $7,000 and a grant range of $1,000 to $365,000. The organization is open to new applicants and funded approximately 12% of new applicants in recent periods.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
COD funds initiatives in multiple locations including:
International locations:
- Ukraine: Brusyliv Village, Dnipro, Kramatorsk, Kyiv, Lutsk, Lviv, Ternopil, Yasnozirya Village
United States:
- Georgia
- Washington (including Martinez and Snoqualmie)
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $111,338
- Annual Expenses: $790,498
- Annual Revenue: $304,567
- Total Awarded (2023): $578,000
- Number of Grants (2023): 14
- Median Grant Size: $7,000
- Grant Range: $1,000 – $365,000
The organization operates with a giving rate exceeding 100% of assets, indicating it distributes more than its annual asset base.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $27,318 | $111,338 | $598,608 |
| Revenue | $64,912 | $304,567 | $2,539,204 |
| Expenses | $148,927 | $790,498 | $1,944,103 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $133,403 | $695,974 | $1,830,881 |
| Net Investment Income | $67 | $61 | $40 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 1 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
65 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Thomas P. Nolan – President
- Bruce Barcelo – Vice President
- Brian Mefford – Executive Director
- David Wilcox – Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| THOMAS P NOLAN | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| BRUCE BARCELO | VICE PRESIDE | — | — |
| BRIAN MEFFORD | EXECUTIVE DI | — | $7,500 |
| DAVID WILCOX | DIRECTOR | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
COD has issued official statements and findings on recent international elections, including:
A statement on the Moldova Parliamentary Elections
Findings on the Albanian parliamentary election
Analysis of the Bulgarian election, which was plagued by low turnout
The organization continues to recruit election observers and volunteers through its website and actively engages the public to participate in its democracy monitoring efforts.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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