National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
The National Democratic Institute for International Affairs (NDI) is a Washington, DC–based public charity that works internationally to support and strengthen democratic institutions and practices. Founded in 1983, NDI describes its work as helping people participate in governance and making governments more responsive and accountable.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs at a glance
In short: National Democratic Institute for International Affairs gave $3.9M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $391K), mostly in District of Columbia. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,906,355
- -51.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- -16.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $390,636
- -42.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $272,121
- Total assets
- $67,764,124
- -1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (1 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (62% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
- Contact
Mailing address: 455 Massachusetts Ave Nw 8Th Floor, Washington, DC 20001
Phone: (202) 728-5500
Website: https://ndi.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who National Democratic Institute for International Affairs funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Internews Network ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $3.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
38 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 10 grants of 38 (26%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
NDI says it has worked in more than 150 countries since its founding and currently has more than 50 field offices. Its website describes work across five regions: Asia-Pacific, Europe and Eurasia, Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa.
For its 2025 grants, 62% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC, 32% to California, 3% to Massachusetts, 2% to Virginia, and 1% to Oregon.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is National Democratic Institute for International Affairs open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 10 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $62K; repeat grants $427K. How we count
Medians: $62K first-time, $299K repeat.
- 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $323K (2019) to $30.9M (2022). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $3.9M.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Internews Network Arcata, CA | Political Processes | $1,268,831 |
| The Freedom House Inc Washington, DC | RIGHTS | $920,641 |
| International Citycountry Management Association Washington, DC | Political Processes | $510,601 |
| American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education Washington, DC | RIGHTS | $385,284 |
| Center for International Private Enterprise Inc Washington, DC | Political Processes | $298,870 |
| International Center for Not-for-Profit Law Inc Washington, DC | Political Processes | $245,371 |
| Nonviolent Initiative for Democracy Inc Needham, MA | RIGHTS | $116,601 |
| International Foundations for Electoral Systems Arlington, VA | Political Processes | $61,949 |
| Search for Common Ground Washington, DC | Political Processes | $50,624 |
| Mobility International USA Eugene, OR | RIGHTS | $47,583 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $67,764,124 | $107,205,654 | $107,297,356 | $3,906,355 | 10 | $139,408 |
| 2024 | $68,657,469 | $181,511,712 | $182,823,929 | $8,087,904 | 12 | $513,815 |
| 2023 | $85,161,600 | $171,388,538 | $172,467,477 | $8,200,833 | 16 | $324,406 |
| 2022 | $41,988,307 | $162,611,679 | $162,638,731 | $30,947,834 | Total only | $23,298 |
| 2021 | $41,965,686 | $141,012,119 | $139,004,437 | $27,059,204 | Total only | $7,836 |
| 2020 | $29,326,307 | $127,159,636 | $126,678,162 | $22,950,842 | Total only | $53,131 |
| 2019 | $27,025,403 | $128,065,419 | $127,476,247 | $323,276 | 7 | $154,629 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
NDI’s mission is to strive for a world where people have a say in how they are governed and leaders are accountable to them, contributing to a more stable, peaceful, and prosperous world. Its stated work includes empowering people to participate in governance; helping political parties, governments, and elected officials become more responsive, accountable, and effective; and strengthening democratic societies by supporting advocates for freedom.
In 2025, NDI reported grants to organizations whose own stated missions included empowering local media, defending and expanding freedom, advancing professional local-government management, protecting civil society and civic participation, transforming approaches to conflict, and advancing the human rights of people with disabilities. These are descriptions of the grantees’ missions, not NDI’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, NDI reported 10 grants totaling $3,906,355. The median grant was $272,120; awards ranged from $47,583 to $1,268,831. Its largest reported grants were $1,268,831 to Internews Network, $920,641 to Freedom House, $510,601 to the International City/County Management Association, $385,284 to the American Bar Association Fund for Justice and Education, and $298,870 to the Center for International Private Enterprise.
NDI’s 2024 request for concept notes sought Afghan diaspora civil society organizations to provide technical assistance, capacity building, or resources for convening visioning and consensus-building sessions. Its submission deadline was July 31, 2024, so that was a past cycle. NDI’s 2024 filing also states that grantees must submit periodic narrative and financial reports, which are reviewed and approved by professionals at its headquarters.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Thomas A. Daschle as chairman; Harriet C. Babbitt as vice chair; Frank M. Rusty Conner III as secretary; and Robert G. Liberatore as treasurer. Directors listed are Stacey Abrams, Alice Albright, Bernard W. Aronson, J. Brian Atwood, Donald A. Baer, and Rye Barcott.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs is led by Tamara Cofman Wittes, President since 2024 (on filings since 2019); 15 of 46 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Tamara Cofman Wittes
President
Secretary → President, 2024
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$341K (2025)
Thomas A. Daschle
Chairman
Vice Chair → Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Manpreet Anand
Regional Director
Senior Associate & Regional Director → Regional Director, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$187K (2021) → $215K (2025)
Deborah Ullmer
Regional Director
Senior Associate & Regional Director → Regional Director, 2023
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$173K (2022) → $200K (2025)
Chris Fomunyoh - Senior
Associate & Regional Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$228K (2023) → $255K (2025)
Eva Busza
Regional Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$193K (2023) → $212K (2025)
Leslie Campbell - Senior
Associate & Regional Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$239K (2023) → $268K (2025)
Robert Benjamin - Senior
Associate & Regional Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$235K (2023) → $260K (2025)
Julian Quibell
Resident Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$227K (2025)
Marcin Walecki
Resident Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$212K (2025)
Bernard W. Aronson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donna Brazile
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Kessler
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
J. Brian Atwood
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Johnnie Carson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Karl F. Inderfurth
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn Walt Hall
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael R. Steed
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nancy H. Rubin
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Peter Kovler
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rye Barcott
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sam Gejdenson
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caryn Halifax
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Toni G. Verstandig
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bonnie S. Glaser
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dana Shell Smith
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dean Fealk
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael McFaul
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shanthi Kalathil
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stacey Abrams
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donald A. Baer
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maureen White
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Randi Weingarten
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alice Albright
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anna Eshoo
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Teresa Carlson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tom Perez
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sander Schultz
Chief Financial Officer
CFO → Chief Financial Officer, 2023
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$231K (2019) → $299K (2025)
Jennifer Ganem
Counsel
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$218K (2023) → $256K (2025)
Jerry Hartz - Chief Gvt
Relations & Committee Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$219K (2023) → $247K (2025)
Olya Catto
Chief Operating Ofc
Chief Operating Officer → Chief Operating Ofc, 2025
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$208K (2023) → $299K (2025)
Janella Ferguson
Chief Development Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$239K (2024) → $251K (2025)
Stephanie Rust
Chief Programs Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$256K (2024) → $278K (2025)
Harriet C. Babbitt
Vice Chair
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert G. Liberatore
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Frank M. Rusty Conner III
Secretary
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (42)
- Former: Maurice Tempelsman (2019–2025) — Director · Filing note: Thru 82325
- Former: Clyde C. Tuggle (2023–2025) — Director · Filing note: Thru 8125
- Former: Derek Mitchell (2019–2024) — Former President
- Former: Lionel C. Johnson (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Dickson Omondi (2021–2024) — Regional Director
- Former: David C. Leavy (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Judith Reed (2023–2024) — Chief Hr Officer
- Former: Barbara Mikulski (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Elizabeth F. Bagley (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Howard Berman (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Shari Bryan (2019–2023) — Former Vice President
- Former: Nisha Biswal (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Sonal Shah (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Steven Driehaus (2022–2023) — Resident Director
- Former: Aubrey McCutcheon (2019–2022) — Senior Country Director
- Former: Christopher Fomunyoh (2019–2022) — Senior Associate & Regional Director
- Former: Howard Dean (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: James Van Der Klok (2019–2022) — Director & Development
- Former: Laura Jewett (2019–2022) — Senior Associate & Regional Director
- Former: Leslie Campbell (2019–2022) — Senior Associate & Regional Director
- Former: Madeleine K. Albright (2019–2022) — Chariman
- Former: Marc B. Nathanson (2019–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: P. Maureen White (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Paul Boskind (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Richard C. Blum (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Robert Benjamin (2019–2022) — Senior Associate & Regional Director
- Former: Suzy George (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Patrick Merloe (2020–2022) — Senior Associate & Director Program on Elect
- Former: Omondi Dickson (2022) — Resident Regional Director
- Former: Denis McDonough (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: James C O'Brien (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Joan Baggett Calambokidis (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Lynda L Thomas (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Robin C Carnahan (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Arianit Shehu (2021) — Senior Country Director
- Former: Jerry Hartz (2021) — Director of Govt Relations & Committee
- Former: James Swigert (2019–2020) — Senior Associate & Regional Director
- Former: Kenneth Wollack (2019–2020) — President
- Former: Laura Thornton (2019–2020) — Senior Resident Director
- Former: Martin Colburn (2020) — Chief Technology Officer
- Former: Keith Jennings (2019) — Senior Associate & Regional Director
- Former: Peter Manikas (2019) — Senior Associate & Regional Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $341K, to Tamara Cofman Wittes (President). 15 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
How much does National Democratic Institute for International Affairs give each year?
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs gave $3.9M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $8.1M across 12 grants.
What is National Democratic Institute for International Affairs's typical grant size?
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs's median grant in 2025 was $272,121, and its average grant was $390,636, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from National Democratic Institute for International Affairs that year got $62K on average.
Where does National Democratic Institute for International Affairs give grants?
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs gives mostly in District of Columbia: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (32%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (6 grants).
Does National Democratic Institute for International Affairs give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on National Democratic Institute for International Affairs's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Political Processes" (6 grants) and "Rights" (4 grants).
Who are National Democratic Institute for International Affairs's largest grantees?
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs's largest 2025 grantees include Internews Network ($1,268,831), The Freedom House Inc ($920,641) and International Citycountry Management Association ($510,601), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 69% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is National Democratic Institute for International Affairs?
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs reported $67.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $107.2M.
What does National Democratic Institute for International Affairs fund?
NDI’s mission is to strive for a world where people have a say in how they are governed and leaders are accountable to them, contributing to a more stable, peaceful, and prosperous world. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from National Democratic Institute for International Affairs?
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check ndi.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is National Democratic Institute for International Affairs's EIN?
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 52-1338892. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 15, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 17, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 13, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 15, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Other open foundation grants in District of Columbia
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Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Freedom House
Washington, DC
Freedom House supports human rights defenders and civil society organizations working on freedom, democracy, rule of law, and civic participation, including through emergency and rapid-response assistance. Its 2025 grants ranged from $30,050 to $6,002,831, with a median of $236,998, and its work is global. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$34.2M
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Total Given
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National Endowment for Democracy
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Humanity United
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Democracy Fund Inc
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Democracy Fund supports nonpartisan nonprofits working to strengthen inclusive, multiracial democracy in the United States, including free and fair elections, civic information and participation, and representative, accountable government. Its 2024 grants ranged from $10,000 to $1.5 million, with a median of $165,000, and went to organizations across the country. It does not accept unsolicited requests; it identifies potential grantees through research and its networks.
Assets
$15.8M
Grants
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Total Given
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). National Democratic Institute for International Affairs funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/national-democratic-institute-for-international-affairs-morg_ea6d6658f7fc4ff093aed489623f544d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_521338892_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{National Democratic Institute for International Affairs funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/national-democratic-institute-for-international-affairs-morg_ea6d6658f7fc4ff093aed489623f544d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from National Democratic Institute for International Affairs's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs down — hundreds of funders to go?