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Democracy Service Medal

National Endowment for Democracy

Foundation Annual Human Rights Grants

Funding Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Grant Type

foundation

Deadline history & next window

Cycle
Annual
Tracked since
April 2026

Source: the cycle recorded on this listing. Confirm dates with the funder.

Overview

Democracy Service Medal

Program Type: Annual recognition award (not a grant)

Overview: An award presented by the Board of Directors of the National Endowment for Democracy to honor distinguished service to democracy.

Recurrence: Annual

Recent Honorees:

  • 2025: Pastor Wang Yi, The 11th Panchen Lama (Gedhun Choekyi Nyima)

  • 2024: Evgenia Kara-Murza, Vladimir Kara-Murza, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi, Sikyong Penpa Tsering, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya

    • Legacy: The award honors the legacy of Oswaldo Payá, a Cuban dissident and democracy advocate.

    Contact:

  • Phone: (202) 378-9700

  • Email: INFO@NED.ORG

  • Address: 1201 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20004

    • What National Endowment for Democracy actually gave

    Source: IRS Form 990, 2025

    Grants in 2025
    65
    Total given
    $118.48M
    Median grant
    $157K
    Range
    $9,500–$33.26M
    • By dollars: District of Columbia 94%, New York 2%, California 1%. Top recipient cities: Washington, DC; New York, NY; Miami, FL.
    • 0% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
    • 26% of recipients were new grantees, not repeat recipients.

    Example grants

    • American Center for International Labor Solidarity · Washington, DC

      Pluralism

      $33.26M

    • National Democratic Institute for International Affairs · Washington, DC

      Democratic governance & political parties

      $28.65M

    • International Republican Institute · Washington, DC

      Democratic governance & political parties

      $23.69M

    • Center for International Private Enterprise · Washington, DC

      Pluralism

      $21.64M

    • China Digital Times Inc · Berkeley, CA

      Education, communication, & culture

      $1.03M

    IRS Form 990, 2025. Amounts as reported by the funder. Full 990 history →

    Focus Areas & Funding Uses

    Fields of Work

    human-rights

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