National Endowment for Democracy
How Revolutions Are Born?
In the 2016 election, Americans were outraged to hear that Russia was meddling in our democratic institutions. Anyone who has been around for awhile probably already realizes that superpowers meddle in others elections regularly. This post is just a glimpse into one of the ways the US meddles in Ukraine elections.
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) was founded in 1983 by the US Congress. According to Wikipedia, “The history of the organization shows that it was created in order to assume some activities the CIA used to do before around the world“ A reading of the grants list at the end of this post seems to lend credence to that.
After you read the grants list, try to imagine how the US government and MSM would react if NED was a Russian or Chinese organization, and those grants were being issued in either Canada or Mexico.
The following excerpt is from an article from PopularResistance.Org
WASHINGTON RUSHES TO HIDE ITS ‘OCTOPUS’ NED FUNDING IN UKRAINE
By Tim Anderson, Al Mayadeen.
March 18, 2022
Above Photo: Washington rushes to hide its ‘octopus’ NED funding in Ukraine.
Many Sections Of The Corporate Media And A Legion Of Propaganda Agencies Are Openly And Secretly Funded By The US.
As Russia finally invaded Ukraine – on a rationale similar to that of the US invasion of Iraq, but with greater substance – Washington rushed to delete funding details of Ukraine groups through its Congress-funded ‘National Endowment for Democracy’ (NED).
As US Professor John Mearsheimer said, Washington created the crisis in Ukraine, hoping to surround and fragment Russia, using NATO expansion and its Neo-Nazi allies. Instead, it seems that Russia will dismantle Ukraine. In the meantime, the U.S. in decline uses financial assets and networks to subvert most of the world.
Despite the attempt to hide this sponsorship, an 80-page document showing US government NED funding for hundreds of Ukraine groups has been leaked. Now posted on several sites this document allows us a window into some of the internal U.S. influence since the CIA orchestrated Kiev coup of 2014. Many of the allocations have to do with anti-Russian propaganda, usually in the name of ‘transparency’, human rights, ‘independent journalism’, monitoring and so on.
For example, the list shows us that a Ukraine group ‘InformNapalm’, set up “to debunk myths and expose secrets of the Russian hybrid war” and which claims to be “a purely volunteer endeavor which does not have any financial support from any government or donor”, is actually US Government funded. The group publishes anti-Russian propaganda on its website in 31 languages...
The complete article is linked here.
Below is the document referenced in the article that is alleged to be hidden. It lists grants for Ukraine organizations from NED for 2014, the year of the coup.
UKRAINE
Ukraine
Grant descriptions are from the 2014 NED Annual Report.
AHALAR Center for Humane Technologies
NGO Strengthening
$37,346
Furthering Ukraine’s Democratic Transition
To increase civil society’s influence on Ukraine’s democratic transition by facilitating cooperation between the third sector and fourth estate. AHALAR will organize three, four-day training seminars for 60 representatives from the media and civil society, conduct a four-day study visit to Warsaw for 12 participants which will focus on examples and best practices of cooperation between civil society and the media in the Polish context, award 8 small grants averaging $300 for local civic initiatives, and develop its online networking platform (www.dobrodel.org.ua).
All-Ukrainian Network of the PLWH – Mykolayiv
NGO Strengthening
$38,294
Promoting Civic Activism in Southern Ukraine
To promote civic activism in the Mykolaiv region. The PLWH will conduct four training seminars for youth and civic initiatives. Each seminar will bring together at least ten youth, community, charity, human rights and women’s NGOs from the regional centers of Voznesensk and Yuzhnoukrainsk, as well as surrounding smaller towns and villages. The trainings will focus on increasing the capacity of these organizations to engage with the public and local authorities, while also providing an opportunity for networking. The PLWH will award five small grants of up to $200 to facilitate the activities of smaller initiatives.
Apelsin Center of Progressive Young People
Political Processes
$31,289
Promoting Electoral Transparency in Northern Ukraine
To strengthen youth activism and promote cleaner elections in Ukraine’s northern Chernihiv region. Apelsin will train a network of youth activists, civic initiatives, and small business owners to monitor the May 2014 presidential election. Apelsin will host eight, one-day training seminars for 200 activists, monitor election-related coverage in regional media, and report electoral violations observed by a network of monitors at 100 polling stations on election day.
Association of Ukrainian Law Enforcement Monitors
Human Rights
$41,785
Monitoring Human Rights Compliance by Law Enforcement Agencies
To promote Ukraine’s adherence to international human rights standards. The Association will continue monitoring law enforcement practices in the country. This year, the Association will conduct three trainings on encounters with the police for a total of 60 NGO activists from the regions. It will continue tracking and documenting human rights violations by the police, develop recommendations to prevent future abuses, and publish the results in its annual report, of which 300 copies will be published in Ukrainian and English.
Association Spilnyi Prostir
Political Processes
$50,000
Promoting Free and Fair Elections through Media Monitoring
To promote free and fair elections. The Association will conduct comprehensive media monitoring in 24 regions of the country ahead of the May 2014 presidential election. The monitoring will be conducted at the national and regional level and assess whether the presidential candidates have equal access to mass media and whether voters have access to the information necessary for making an informed choice. The monitoring will also determine whether key issues of concern to citizens are being addressed. The Association will organize four press conferences to present the monitoring results and produce 1,000 copies of a final monitoring report.
Association Spilnyi Prostir
Political Processes
$26,300
Promoting Free and Fair Elections through Media Monitoring
To foster more objective, balanced political reporting on elections. The Association will conduct comprehensive media monitoring in 24 regions of the country ahead of the October 2014 parliamentary election. The monitoring will be conducted at the national and regional levels and assess whether the candidates have equal access to mass media and whether voters have access to the information necessary for making an informed choice. The monitoring will also determine whether key issues of concern to citizens are being addressed. The Association will organize four press conferences to present the monitoring results and produce 1,000 copies of a final monitoring report.
Bukovyna Partnership Agency
Political Processes
Supplement: $14,118
Promoting Public Dialogue and Local Government Transparency in Chernivtsi
To strengthen political processes in the southwestern region of Chernivtsi. Ahead of the October 2014 parliamentary elections, the Agency will conduct nine public debates between candidates and broadcast them on the regional television and radio stations, reaching an audience of over three million. The broadcasts will focus on pressing local and national issues. The Agency will also produce and disseminate two audio and video voter mobilization clips, and produce and distribute over 1,040 non-partisan GOTV posters and billboards.
Bukovyna Partnership Agency
Political Processes
$45,230
Promoting Public Dialogue and Local Government Transparency in Chernivtsi
To strengthen public dialogue and promote local government. The Agency will conduct eight public debates to be broadcast on the region’s television station which reaches more than 1.5 million viewers. The broadcasts will focus on pressing local and national issues, including the May 2014 presidential and mayoral elections and EU integration. In addition, the Agency will monitor and broadcast 10 sessions of local government bodies and convene four online debates focusing on east-west topics. Finally, the Agency will promote media cooperation in the region by building a partnership with the local newspaper Versions.
Center for Civil Liberties
Accountability
$31,400
Promoting Public Oversight of Human Rights Legislation
To promote human rights. The Center will monitor, analyze and propose improvements and amendments to legislation relating to human rights and freedoms. To increase its capacity and engage new activists in human rights monitoring, the Center will convene a series of two trainings, four roundtables and twelve working meetings for a total of 360 activists. To increase public awareness of human rights issues, the Center will hold three press conferences and organize at least three civic campaigns.
Center for International Private Enterprise
Accountability
$382,014
Bolstering Chamber and Coalition-Led Advocacy
To bolster cross-regional, coalition-led advocacy aimed at improving the entrepreneurial climate; to strengthen public-private dialogue on issues identified by the SME communities as priorities through cross-regional initiatives; and to strengthen the ability of Ukrainian business associations and coalitions to advocate for their members’ interests and to engage in the policymaking process with regional chambers of commerce and industry. This is part of a multi-year effort to increase the advocacy capacity of organizations representing entrepreneurs in Ukraine.
Center for International Private Enterprise
Developing Market Economy
$226,548
Strengthening Private Sector Engagement in Democratic Reform
To expand opportunities for the business community to communicate its reform priorities, strengthen the capacity of chambers of commerce and industry across Ukraine, and equip mid-sized Ukrainian enterprises with the tools to resist corrupt practices. CIPE will build the capacity of Ukrainian regional chambers of commerce and industry and will launch an internal business integrity program for directors and chief legal officers in eastern Ukraine.
Center for Policy Studies and Analysis
Accountability
$22,770
Promoting Transparency of Public Procurement
To promote accountability by increasing the transparency of public procurement. The Center will produce an online tool to facilitate the monitoring of public tenders and raise public and private awareness of and advocate for improved public procurement practices. Capitalizing on increased public interest and engagement, the Center will encourage government agencies and businesses to reduce corruption by better implementing the new Public Procurement Law.
Center for Research on Social Perspectives in the Donbas
Freedom of Information
Supplement: $37,493
Supporting Independent Regional Media
To disseminate independent information about and for Ukraine’s regions, with a focus on the May 2014 presidential election and the ongoing political transition. The Center will continue to operate its popular news website, OstriV (www.ostro.org). Initial and supplemental NED support will be used to cover the salaries of four correspondents, who will produce more than 200 analytical and 10,000 informational items for the website. Funds will also be used to cover a portion of the Center’s basic operating costs.
Center for Society Research
Human Rights
$21,740
Promoting Freedom of Assembly
To promote fundamental rights and freedoms. The Center will continue promoting a greater awareness of the freedom of assembly in Ukraine. As part of a larger national advocacy campaign, the Center will monitor assemblies throughout the country, including the reaction of authorities, and post the results at www.cedos.org.ua. As well, the results will be collected, distributed through social media, and presented at press conferences.
Cherkasy Committee Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
Supplement: $24,910
Promoting Civic Activism and Government Accountability in Central Ukraine
To promote government accountability and transparency, and free and fair elections, in the Cherkasy region. The Cherkasy CVU will hold five workshops for local councilors and activists and conduct a monitoring campaign of local elected officials and their pre-election platforms. It will also carry out an informational campaign to inform citizens of the options available to them to hold their elected officials more accountable. Ahead of the October 2014 parliamentary elections, the CVU will conduct long-term monitoring of the campaigns as well as observe on election day. The results will be disseminated through three press conferences and three monitoring bulletins.
Cherkasy Committee Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
$19,050
Monitoring Elections in Cherkasy
To promote free, fair and transparent elections in Cherkasy. The Cherkasy CVU will organize a three-month vote monitoring program of the country’s presidential election, as well as the local mayoral election, in May 2014. It will conduct long-term monitoring of the campaigns as well as observing on election day. The CVU will also carry out an information campaign to disseminate the results of its monitoring.
Chernivtsi Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
Supplement: $19,990
Promoting Accountability in Southwestern Ukraine
To promote government accountability and transparency, and free and fair elections, in southwestern Ukraine. Ahead of the October 2014 parliamentary elections, the CVU will conduct long-term monitoring of the campaigns as well as observe on election day. The results will be disseminated through three press conferences and three monitoring bulletins.
Chernivtsi Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
$29,500
Monitoring Early Presidential Elections in Chernivtsi and Khmelnytsky Regions
To promote free, fair and transparent elections. The Chernivtsi CVU will observe the early presidential election in May 2014. It will conduct long-term, medium-term, and election-day monitoring. The CVU will also hold regular meetings with media and civil society groups to publicize its findings. Finally, the CVU will provide voters with free legal consultations.
Chernivtsi Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Accountability
$37,920
Promoting Accountability in Southwestern Ukraine
To promote government accountability and transparency in southwestern Ukraine. The Chernivtsi CVU will monitor the activities of city council deputies in the Chernivtsi and Khmelnytsky regions and publish and distribute 1,600 copies of two monitoring reports in its Krok Zakhid newspaper. The CVU will hold nine training seminars for local council deputies focusing on local self-government reforms and promoting transparency within the decision making process. It will also hold four round tables, launch an information campaign to promote public participation in the reform process, and continue to update its website (www.buktoloka.cv.ua) with relevant news and information during an important election year.
Civic Union “Educational Human Rights House Chernihiv”
Human Rights
$56,305
Promoting Human Rights in Southern and Eastern Ukraine
To promote human rights and support civic initiatives in southern and eastern Ukraine. The Civic Union will hold a one-week human rights training and two coordination meetings for lawyers, journalists and civil society activists, as well as a mini-grants program to assist civic activities focusing on southern and eastern Ukraine. The Civic Union’s Human Rights House will also serve as a base for displaced human rights organizations from these regions and provide human rights assistance.
Data Journalism Agency
Freedom of Information
$31,369
Promoting Government Transparency through Media
To enhance public awareness and stimulate debate on government performance and other accountability issues. For its website www.texty.org.ua, the Agency will publish 10 monthly articles on civic activism, accountability, transparency and reform issues, and produce 16 data visualizations that will help citizens to understand better complex political, economic and social issues regarding reforms in Ukraine.
Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF)
Political Processes
$30,000
Monitoring Electoral Processes
To promote free and fair parliamentary elections. DIF will stimulate informed debate and dialogue among civil society, government and the general public on issues relating to Ukraine’s transition to democracy and the October 2014 parliamentary elections. Through more than three dozen surveys, roundtables and publications, DIF will help ensure that Ukraine’s leaders are informed about public opinion, while at the same time informing the public about important policy debates. DIF will also monitor the October elections by conducting a nationwide exit poll.
Democratic Initiatives Foundation (DIF)
Political Processes
Supplement: $70,095
Stimulating Dialogue on Transition Processes
To stimulate informed debate and dialogue among civil society, government and the general public on issues related to Ukraine’s transition to democracy. Through three national polls, eight expert surveys, eight roundtables, monthly bulletins and a quarterly scholarly journal, the Foundation will help ensure that Ukraine’s leaders are informed about public opinion, while at the same time informing the public about important policy debates. Supplemental funding will be used to monitor the May 2014 presidential election by conducting a nationwide exit poll and producing four additional publications on political developments, democratic initiatives and reform recommendations.
Dniprovsky Center for Social Research
Freedom of Information
$25,000
Promoting Freedom of Information and Accountability in Dnipropetrovsk
To promote access to independent news in the eastern region of Dnipropetrovsk. The Center will expand its online newspaper Novyi Format (www.nf.dp.ua), which features regional news and analysis in Ukrainian and Russian. It will also convene three roundtables to strengthen the professionalism of 60 journalists and NGO representatives. Finally, the Center will monitor the performance of elected officials with a focus on protecting citizens’ rights. It will produce and disseminate three monitoring reports through its website, (www.dcsi.dp.ua), which also presents information on civil society developments in the region.
Donetsk Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Freedom of Information
$55,840
Promoting Civic Journalism in Eastern Ukraine
To promote citizen education and voter mobilization ahead of the October 2014 parliamentary elections and strengthen civic journalism in the eastern region of Donetsk. The Donetsk CVU will operate an election hotline and create a special section devoted to election-related topics on its informational portal, (NGO.donetsk.ua). It will also produce and distribute over 15,100 pieces of nonpartisan informational materials and four mobilization video and audio clips that will be broadcast via local radio stations and the Internet. On election day, the CVU will operate a press center. In addition, it will conduct a four-month school of multimedia journalism for 20 civic activists. The CVU will select 10 of the most promising participants to intern for six months at its portal. It will also hold a public competition for the best reporting by local civic journalists and bloggers.
Donetsk Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
$10,000
Promoting Voter Education, Mobilization and Monitoring in Eastern Ukraine
To educate citizens, mobilize voters and monitor the polls for the country’s May 2014 presidential election. Through a nonpartisan program, the CVU will organize 15 public meetings, produce and distribute 10,000 pieces of informational materials and three mobilization videos that will be aired on local television stations and over the Internet. The CVU will also train and deploy 50 short-term election observers and maintain a press center on election day.
Education for Democracy Foundation (FED)
Human Rights
$15,010
Providing Humanitarian Aid to Victims of Repression in Ukraine
To facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid to victims of repression in Ukraine. In cooperation with other Polish NGOs, the Warsaw-based FED has been collecting public donations to cover the costs of medical and other urgently needed materials to assist those who suffered from the violence in Ukraine. NED support will cover the FED administration costs facilitating the provision of this assistance throughout Ukraine. In partnership with Ukrainian organizations, FED will also support relief initiatives by helping to build cross border networks to support victims of repression and their families.
Foundation for Promotion of Civil Activity
NGO Strengthening
$33,790
Supporting Local Civic Activism
To foster civic engagement at the local level. In cooperation with a network of youth activists in southern Ukraine, the Foundation will conduct two series of trainings, provide support to 10 local initiatives through a small grants competition, and create a detailed action plan to boost youth participation in local communities. In addition, it will engage and mobilize youth ahead of the May 2014 presidential election by organizing at least 10 public meetings, conducting six election-related public debates on the radio, and distributing 13,000 pieces of nonpartisan informational materials, including flyers, posters and stickers. The Foundation will also train 50 youth activists to serve as election observers and organize a final network forum.
Foundation for the Development of the City of Mykolaiv
NGO Strengthening
$15,803
Strengthening Civil Society
To increase the capacity of civil society organizations in the southern region of Mykolaiv. The Foundation will train 21 civic activists in Mykolaiv on budget monitoring. The Foundation will publicize the project through press conferences, an enhanced website (www.frgn.mk.ua), and articles in the regional media. The Foundation will award four small grants to support the development of nascent NGOs in Mykolaiv’s regions.
Garage Gang Collective
Accountability
$49,300
Promoting Civic Engagement and Transparency
To increase government transparency and accountability. Focusing on three cities in different parts of Ukraine, Kyiv (central), Dnipropetrovsk (east) and Ivano-Frankivsk (west), the Garage Gang will continue increasing the capacity of civil society to interact constructively with administrative and business structures. Building on last year’s program, the Garage Gang GG will select and support three to six projects proposing resolutions to local problems in the three cities, facilitate working meetings with the local administrations and businesses, and help develop and implement fundraising strategies using the successful Spilnokotsht mechanism on (Biggggidea.com).
Independent Association of Broadcasters
Human Rights
$74,496
Promoting Youth Human Rights Awareness
To raise awareness of human rights, protect freedom of speech, educate youth about the role of media in a democratic society, and increase voter awareness ahead of the October 2014 parliamentary elections. The Association will produce 15 nonpartisan video clips analyzing political parties’ platforms and distribute them to at least 12 regional TV companies. It will also assist 14 independent broadcasters in holding east-west telebridge conferences. The Association will organize its fifth annual Kinomedia Festival, which will include film screenings, seminars, and public lectures at universities in seven Ukrainian cities. Finally, it will convene media-related debates for 20 students from five regions, and conduct a short film contest focusing on media freedom, democracy and human rights for students and young professionals.
Independent Association of Broadcasters
Political Processes
$54,753
Promoting Voter Education and Media Professionalism
To professionalize media coverage ahead of the May 2014 presidential election. The Association will use NED funding to improve the standards of media and election committees in providing fair and balanced information about party candidates and election processes. The Association will create 15 nonpartisan news clips about presidential candidates’ platforms, assist 12 regional broadcasters to produce programs highlighting voter priorities, and conduct 10 seminars on best electoral practices for media and election commissions in 10 cities throughout Ukraine.
Information and Analytical Center “Civic Space”
Political Processes
$42,120
Promoting Information Exchange in the Third Sector
To improve communications and networking among civil society organizations and provide objective news and information ahead of the May 2014 presidential election. Civic Space will improve its web portal, (www.civicua.org), facilitating the creation of an online community for NGOs, and create a separate section dedicated to the election. To improve the outreach and communications strategies of NGOs and newly formed civic initiatives from the Euromaidan movement, the portal will provide a venue for organizations and initiatives to post events, news and announcements, and monitor proposed laws during the transition process, ensuring that civil society is informed and can take part in shaping legislation. Civic Space will also work with other NGOs and initiatives to conduct a coordinated election monitoring campaign.
Institute for War and Peace Reporting (IWPR)
Freedom of Information
$115,809
Increasing the Safety and Reporting Skills of Journalists
To increase the skills and safety of Ukrainian journalists working in conflict environments. The United Kingdom-based IWPR will select 20 journalists, with a focus on those working in eastern conflict regions, to receive specialized training on working in hostile environments, digital security and war and ethical reporting. Each training will last from three to five days. Journalists who attend and complete all of the courses will receive protective gear and medical kits.
Institute of Mass Information
Freedom of Information
$46,290
Monitoring Freedom of the Media
To analyze current and pending legislation on the media, and monitor violations of press freedom in Ukraine. The Institute will conduct independent field investigations in cases of extreme pressure or intimidation against journalists, spotlight the cases, publish an annual report on its monitoring, and convene four press conferences to disseminate the findings to government representatives, media outlets and the public.
Institute of Political Education
Accountability
$64,500
Strengthening Local Democracy
To continue fostering reforms in local and regional government. The Institute will conduct seven, three-day training seminars in Lviv, Ternopil, Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi and Rivne for 175 local and regional councilors, mostly drawn from the country’s southeastern regions. The trainings will focus on preparing local governments for the increased autonomy that would result from planned administrative reforms.
Institute of Political Information
Democratic Ideas and Values
$13,400
Fostering Tolerance and Dialogue in Odesa
To foster dialogue among civic actors in the southern region of Odesa. To promote tolerance and reconciliation, the Institute will convene eight meetings in Odesa and seven regional towns that will bring together local journalists, politicians and civic activists. Up to 600 participants will engage in moderated discussions and be exposed to new ways to communicate on divisive topics. The Institute will also produce and distribute 600 copies of a brochure on the program.
Institute of the Republic
Human Rights
$37,000
Promoting Freedom of Assembly
To promote of freedom of assembly. As part of a larger, national advocacy campaign to defend and advance this important value, the Institute will conduct five, two-day training sessions for 24 campaign activists, organize five roundtables on proposed legislation regulating freedom of assembly in Ukraine and the country’s international commitments, and print and distribute 200 booklets and 500 flyers publicizing campaign events.
International Republican Institute
Strengthening Political Institutions
$476,630
Reaching Out to Voters
To enhance the capacity of campaign teams to conduct effective voter outreach in the pre-election period and during the election season by developing the necessary campaign skills, and to enhance the capacity of political party poll watchers to monitor the transparency and legitimacy of the May 2014 presidential election by equipping them with the skills to detect and publicize violations
Internews Ukraine
Accountability
$40,000
Promoting Transparency and Accountability Through Investigative Journalism
To promote the transparency and accountability of local governments. Internews Ukraine will assist a network of ten regional journalists to conduct at least five in-depth investigations of cases of corruption at the regional level. The journalists will also produce blogs and short pieces on corruption-related stories for Corruptua.org. Internews will help citizens to take advantage of new access to information laws by developing a downloadable information request form with detailed instructions. It will also continue providing legal assistance to journalists and maintain its interactive corruption map.
Kharkiv Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
$26,150
Monitoring Early Presidential Elections in Kharkiv
To promote free, fair and transparent elections. The Kharkiv CVU will organize a three-month monitoring program for the country’s early presidential election in May 2014. It will conduct long-term monitoring of the campaign as well as observing on election day. The CVU will also carry out an information campaign to disseminate the results of its monitoring.
Kharkiv Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
$20,759
Monitoring Early Parliamentary Elections in Kharkiv
To promote free, fair and transparent elections. The Kharkiv CVU will carry out a monitoring program for the October 2014 parliamentary elections. It will conduct long-term monitoring of the campaign as well as observe on election day. The CVU will also carry out an information campaign and final press conference for leading media outlets to disseminate the results of its monitoring.
Kharkiv Human Rights Protection Group (KHPG)
Human Rights
Supplement: $14,479
Providing Information and Analysis on Human Rights in Ukraine
To promote and safeguard human rights in Ukraine. The KHPG will produce a series of publications on human rights in Ukrainian, Russian, and English; maintain a virtual human rights library on its website www.khpg.org; and operate a separate website documenting and assisting human rights abuse victims. It will also continue monitoring draft legislation and providing recommendations to lawmakers. The KHPG will organize a School for Human Rights Leaders, enabling 40 activists from human rights organizations to develop management and financial skills. The KHPG will use supplemental funding to continue supporting its legal aid program and website, which provides information about human rights violations and political prisoners. For protesters who participated in the Maidan events, the KHPG will provide legal and medical assistance to those who were beaten or tortured.
Kherson Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
$35,730
Promoting Free and Fair Presidential Elections
To promote free, fair and transparent elections. Together with a local coalition of NGOs, the Kherson CVU will monitor the early presidential election in May 2014. It will conduct long-term monitoring of the campaign, as well as observing on election day. The CVU will also hold regular meetings with media and civil society groups to publicize its findings. Finally, the CVU will produce a final brochure and provide voters with free legal consultations.
Kherson Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
$23,730
Promoting Free and Fair Parliamentary Elections
To promote free, fair and transparent elections in the Kherson region. Together with a local coalition of NGOs, the Kherson CVU will monitor the October 2014 parliamentary elections. It will conduct long-term monitoring of the campaigns as well as observe on election day. The CVU will also hold regular meetings with media and civil society groups to publicize its findings. Finally, the CVU will provide voters with free legal consultations.
National Democratic Institute for International Affairs
Accountability
$253,396
Supporting Advocacy on Reforms
To promote political processes and support the Reanimation Reform Package coalition in cooperating with the government to pursue political and economic reforms in post-Euromaidan Ukraine. NDI will assist coalition leaders to build their skills and knowledge related to political reform processes by facilitating study trips for consultations with peers in Eastern and Western Europe. NDI also would field a high-level pre-election delegation in advance of the October 2014 parliamentary elections to contribute to public confidence in the electoral process.
New Generation Youth Organization
NGO Strengthening
$41,619
Strengthening Local Civil Society in Rural Communities
To increase the capacity of NGOs and local initiatives in rural regions of southern Ukraine. New Generation will hold three, two-day trainings, one in each of the neighboring Mykolaiv and Kherson regions, for 60 representatives of local NGOs. New Generation will also work with 30 participants from nine regions to carry out regional exchanges to strengthen local organizations in rural towns in the Lviv and Kherson regions. To assist civil society in solving problems in their communities, the organization will also award eight small grants for up to $700 each to local groups.
NGO “On Time”
NGO Strengthening
$15,000
Promoting Youth Activism
To strengthen youth activism in Ukraine. The NGO On Time will expand its diya-ua.com (Action-Ukraine) online platform that promotes cooperation and networking between youth activists and more experienced project managers and coaches. Together, they will carry out at least 15 social, environmental or educational projects aiming at mobilizing youth and promoting cross-sectoral cooperation. In addition, On Time will organize three networking seminars in Odesa, Kharkiv, and Dnipropetrovsk, a conference in Lviv, and 15 online workshops for approximately 1,000 activists.
NGO “The Krytyka Community”
Democratic Ideas and Values
$25,000
Fostering Democratic and Civil Society Solidarity
To provide support and solidarity to Ukrainian democratic activists and the country’s democratic transition by highlighting and publicizing the democratic aspects of the Maidan Revolution. In partnership with the Vienna-based Institute for Human Sciences, the Kyiv-based Krytyka Community will convene the first major international conference to take place in Ukraine since the Maidan Revolution. Krytyka and the Institute will convene the Ukraine Solidarity Initiative, featuring a conference and related events, on May 16-19, 2014. The Initiative will bring together more than 100 Western and Ukrainian civil society leaders and intellectuals to discuss, better understand and highlight the democratic aspects of the Maidan Revolution one week prior to the country’s crucial presidential election. It will include more than 20 panels, lectures, briefings, informal discussions, exhibitions and other public events.
NGO “South”
Human Rights
$71,495
Promoting Human Rights through a Documentary Film Festival
To raise awareness of human rights by organizing the 11th annual human rights film festival, Docudays UA. Endowment support will be used to cover a portion of the festival’s seven-day inauguration in Kyiv, which will be held in March 2014, as well as the traveling film festival, which will cover 24 regions of Ukraine. The theme of this year’s anniversary event is ‘Ideoruptsiya’, the corrosive entrenchment of corruption in Ukrainian society. The festival will again feature domestic and international human rights documentary films and will include public discussions, seminars, performances and debates led by human rights activists, NGO representatives and experts.
Odesa Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
$43,680
Monitoring Local Government in Southern Ukraine
To monitor elected officials in southern Ukraine. The Odesa CVU will conduct two training seminars on monitoring for seven persons, three roundtable discussions and three presentations on the monitoring results. It will also continue to monitor regional and local councils in Odesa, Kotovsk, Rozdilnya, Bilhorod-Dnistrovsk, Izmail, and Reni, produce and distribute over 21,000 copies of the preliminary and final monitoring results in the bulletin IzbirKom, while regularly publishing articles on them in local Internet media, print media and on its website www.izbirkom.od.ua.
Odesa Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
Supplement: $16,728
Monitoring Local Government in Southern Ukraine
To promote free, fair and transparent elections in the Odesa region. Ahead of the October 2014 parliamentary elections, the Odesa CVU will conduct a long-term monitoring of the campaigns as well as observe on election day. The results will be disseminated through three press conferences and three monitoring bulletins.
Odesa Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
Supplement: $18,660
Monitoring Local Government in Southern Ukraine
To monitor elected officials in southern Ukraine. The Odesa CVU will conduct two training seminars on monitoring for seven persons, two roundtable discussions, and two presentations of monitoring results. It will also continue to monitor regional and local councils, produce and distribute three editions of preliminary monitoring results, at 8,000 copies each, and 13,000 copies of the final monitoring results in the bulletin IzbirKom, while regularly publishing articles through local Internet and print media, and its website (www.izbirkom.od.ua). Ahead of the May 2014 early presidential election, the CVU will conduct long-term monitoring of the campaign as well as observing on election day. The results will be disseminated through seven press conferences.
Open Society Foundation (OSF) – Ukraine
Accountability
$32,280
Promoting Legislative Accountability
To continue monitoring and spotlighting the activities of deputies and political parties represented in the Ukrainian parliament. The OSF will publish quarterly monitoring reports, prepare two versions of its annual monitoring report, and produce a series of regionally-focused quarterly reports, all of which focus on the performance of elected MPs. All the reports will be available online at the OSF’s website, www.osf.org.ua, and distributed electronically to parliamentarians, NGOs and the media.
Policy Association for an Open Society (PASOS)
NGO Strengthening
$35,240
Strengthening Pro-Democratic Think Tanks
To strengthen the capacity of democracy and human rights think tanks in Ukraine. The Prague-based PASOS will continue a fellowship program that is enhancing the capacity of pro-democracy think tanks from Ukraine. In its third year, the Ilko Kucheriv Democracy Fellowship Program will allow four activists from Ukraine to spend a year, including at least two months in residence, working, studying and learning with PASOS member think tanks in Central Europe, while working on joint projects designed to promote democracy and human rights in their home country. Fellows will also travel to Chisinau to attend PASOS’s annual public conference and think-tank networking and capacity-building meeting.
Polish-Czech-Slovak Solidarity Foundation
Freedom of Information
$46,850
Developing Independent Media Skills in Conflict-Prone Regions
To foster freedom of information in Ukraine’s conflict prone regions. The Foundation will organize media-related study visits for 20 media practitioners from Ukraine. Participants will spend two weeks in Poland, visiting and interning at selected radio and television stations and newspapers, and receiving practical training in accordance with their specialties and the work they are currently performing. A series of media-related seminars and meetings will also introduce the participants to important Polish and EU democracy building and media organizations, activists and events.
Polissya Foundation of International and Regional Research
Accountability
$39,000
Promoting Reforms and Accountability in Ukraine’s Regions
To increase the capacity of regional think tanks to impact and influence reforms in Ukraine. Together with the Association of Regional Think Tanks, the Foundation will organize 14 regional roundtables, a working meeting and a national roundtable, bringing together representatives from 14 regional think tanks, to analyze proposed reforms from a regional perspective and propose appropriate and relevant amendments. The program will produce and distribute 500 copies of the recommendations. The analytical centers will also propose a communications strategy to strengthen support for reforms in the regions as well as establish a public consultation mechanism with Kyiv-based institutions. Finally, Polissya will disseminate the program’s materials on its website at www.pfirs.org.
Public Advocate Center
Human Rights
$50,975
Supporting Journalists and Civic Activists
To provide technical and legal assistance to journalists and civic activists in Ukraine. Working with the Fund for Regional Initiatives and the Dniproderzhynsk Human Rights Protection Union, the Center will establish five offices and organize five training seminars to help participants better understand their rights and the means to defend them. Through the offices, lawyers will offer free legal assistance. The Center will also monitor the media and human rights situation in the run up to the May 2014 presidential election and analyze proposed legislation being discussed by the new government.
Public Organization Telekritika
Freedom of Information
$71,861
Promoting a Pluralistic and Balanced Media Environment in Ukraine
To continue fostering transparency and promoting the professionalism of the media sector. While serving as an independent resource to assist journalists, Telekritika will monitor Ukraine’s media outlets for censorship, restrictions on freedom of the press, and harassment and physical attacks against journalists as the country prepares for important elections in May 2014. Results will be published on Telekritika’s website (www.telekritika.kiev.ua) and in its print journal, Telekritika.
Rivne Committee of Voters of Ukraine
Political Processes
$19,396
Monitoring Early Parliamentary Elections in Rivne
To promote free, fair and transparent elections in the Rivne region. For the October 2014 parliamentary elections, the Rivne CVU will operate a hotline, conduct long-term monitoring of the campaign, and observe on election day. The CVU will also carry out a nonpartisan information campaign and hold a series of press conferences for leading media outlets to disseminate the results of its monitoring.
School for Policy Analysis of the Kyiv-Mohyla Academy
Democratic Ideas and Values
$40,200
Promoting Constitutional Reform
To promote constitutional reform. Building on previous projects supported by the Endowment, which developed a series of proposals for constitutional changes, the School will deepen public engagement and broaden public debate on constitutional reform and decentralization by conducting a nation-wide poll, publishing a set of online informational resources, producing 1,500 copies of a brochure and a series of monthly articles, and convening a public roundtable with 30 experts, government officials and NGO representatives.
Sumy Regional Committee of Youth Organizations
Political Processes
Supplement: $44,890
Promoting Civic Activism in Northeastern Ukraine
To foster free, fair and transparent elections. The Committee will train 125 election monitors and conduct a nonpartisan public information campaign in seven eastern regions of the country ahead of the October 2014 parliamentary elections.
Sumy Regional Committee of Youth Organizations
Political Processes
Supplement: $75,855
Promoting Free and Fair Elections
To foster the development of civil society in rural areas of northeastern Ukraine. The Committee will work with its network of over 30 NGOs to increase civil society initiatives. It will hold three trainings for 60 NGO activists, maintain its website at www.molod.sumy.ua, publish seven issues of its bulletin Spalakh, support five local initiatives through a mini-grants competition, and convene a regional conference for 30 activists. Additionally, the Committee will train election monitors and conduct a nonpartisan public information campaign in seven eastern regions of the country ahead of the May 2014 presidential election.
Sumy Regional Committee of Youth Organizations
NGO Strengthening
$59,966
Promoting Civic Activism in Northern and Eastern Ukraine
To continue developing the NGO sector in rural areas of northeastern Ukraine. The Committee will work with its network of over 30 NGOs to expand local civil society initiatives in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. It will hold three training seminars for 60 NGO activists, maintain its website (www.molod.sumy.ua), publish five issues of its bulletin Spalakh, support seven local initiatives through a mini-grant competition and convene a regional conference.
Sumy Regional Organization “Bureau of Political Analysis”
Accountability
$32,327
Strengthening Transparency over Procurement Procedures in Northeastern Ukraine
To promote transparency and accountability in the use of public funds at the local government level in the Sumy, Poltava, Donetsk, Chernihiv, Luhansk and Kharkiv regions of northeastern Ukraine. The Bureau will conduct six seminars for 45 civic activists to familiarize them with procurement procedures. The activists will monitor 80 procurement cases in the education and health care fields. The Bureau will release the results of the monitoring through online and print articles, three press club events and a final report with a print run of 150 copies.
The Institute of Public Affairs (IPA)
Political Processes
$57,305
Promoting the Transition from Civic to Political Activism
To increase the political skills of civic activists. In partnership with the Ukrainian Civic Initiatives Network, the Warsaw-based IPA will organize three, 2-day training sessions in Sumy, Vinnitsya, and Odesa for a total of 36 participants. Subsequently, IPA will select ten of the most promising activists to participate in a week-long study visit to Poland to gain a greater understanding of practical politics. Participants will work individually with tutors to develop local reform action plans, with the three best receiving support for further development in the targeted regions.
Ukrainian Catholic University
Human Rights
Supplement: $34,905
Promoting Religious Freedom in Ukraine
To promote freedom of conscience through an informed analysis of religious rights and obstacles to religious freedom. The UCU will continue to operate its Religious Information Service of Ukraine (RISU), an online news agency (www.risu.org.ua) that covers issues of church-state relations, religious rights, and conflict between Ukraine’s various faith-based communities. NED support will cover the costs of staff salaries, website development and maintenance, news correspondents, and four roundtables. The unique website will publish more than 2,000 articles and analyses in the coming year. Supplemental funds will be used to acquire additional office equipment, hire a Russian editor for RISU’s online news, and continue publishing daily news.
Ukrainian Center for Independent Political Research (UCIPR)
Political Processes
$75,000
Promoting Transparency in Political Processes
To promote greater transparency in the Ukrainian political and electoral system and increase access to unbiased information on the activities and decisions of Ukraine’s government and political actors. UCIPR will continue promoting public discussion on democracy-related topics. It will publish 25 issues of its e-bulletin Research Update, conduct two polls on political risks facing the country and organize four focus groups bringing together representatives of civil society and the authorities. This year, UCIPR will focus on informing voters and analyzing the state of Ukraine’s democracy ahead of the May 2014 presidential election.
Ukrainian Coalition for Legal Aid (ULAC)
Human Rights
$81,050
Protecting Civil and Human Rights
To protect legal and civil rights. ULAC will provide legal aid through 10 of its 16 regional offices to Ukrainians dislocated due to the conflict in the country’s east. It will also produce 40 informational radio and television talk shows and 10 newspaper columns to raise public awareness regarding the plight of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). To inform IDPs and vulnerable activists about access to legal aid, ULAC will produce three public service announcements and five leaflets with a total distribution of 100,000 copies. It will also organize two trainings and a national conference to inform 90 NGO activists, journalists and lawyers about legal aid and to support IDPs from the Donbas and Crimea regions.
Ukrainian Coalition for Legal Aid (ULAC)
Human Rights
$98,714
Protecting Civil Rights and Promoting Voter Education
To encourage and protect legal and civil rights. Through its 14 regional offices, ULAC will provide legal aid to citizens whose rights have been violated, especially those resulting from the Maidan protests. It will also produce 10 informational radio and television talk shows to raise the legal literacy of Ukrainians around the country. To promote a freer, fairer and more inclusive presidential election in May 2014, ULAC will raise awareness of the process for participating in elections. It will produce and air two nonpartisan public service announcements to educate and turn out voters in the regions. ULAC will also hold informational meetings on voter registration in 10 villages in 11 of Ukraine’s regions and produce and disseminate three nonpartisan GOTV leaflets with print runs of 11,000 copies each.
Ukrainian Congress Committee of America (UCCA)
Political Processes
$14,655
Promoting Voter Education in Eastern and Southern Ukraine
To conduct nonpartisan town hall meetings, in which candidates and representatives of political parties and coalitions will answer questions put to them by the press and the public ahead of the country’s May 2014 presidential election. The meetings will be convened and broadcast over radio stations in seven district centers. The UCCA will produce a series advertising materials to promote interest in the events. It will also stream the town meetings live over the Internet to reach a broader audience.
Ukrainian Helsinki Human Rights Union
Human Rights
$46,058
Promoting Human Rights
To promote awareness about human rights in Ukraine. The Union will increase the capacity of and support for the activities of seven local human rights centers, provide seven small grants to the centers for local human rights projects, conduct a summer school training program to increase the skills of 55 activists from the centers, and publish a series of methodological training materials on defending human rights.
Ukrainian People’s House in Chernivtsi
NGO Strengthening
$34,390
Enhancing Civic Journalism and NGO Cooperation
To develop the communications skills of youth activists and enhance cross regional NGO cooperation. The Society will organize 10 training seminars on civic journalism, which will incorporate leading examples of civic journalism produced during the Euromaidan protests, for 110 activists. The Society will also organize three web conferences to foster civil society in the three regions and produce three issues of its Toloka (Community) newspaper. Finally, the Society will also convene a two-day conference in Chernivtsi for 32 participants from the three regions, as well as two press conferences.
Ukrainian Youth Association of Ukraine (SUM)
NGO Strengthening
$38,185
Strengthening Civil Society in Central and Eastern Ukraine
To strengthen civil society organizations in the Chernihiv and Donetsk regions of Ukraine. SUM will conduct four trainings for up to 30 civic and NGO leaders from the Donetsk and Chernihiv regions, organize four working meetings for 35 NGO leaders and a two-day conference for 40 participants, and hold a mini-grant competition that will provide funding for six local civic initiatives.
Vinnitsa Regional Youth Organization “Nashe Podillya”
NGO Strengthening
$48,448
Developing and Supporting Local Civic Initiatives in Ukraine’s Regions
To strengthen youth organizations and informal civic movements in 16 of the country’s regions. Nashe Podillya will develop its Network of Civic Initiatives by conducting five two-day trainings, holding two strategic planning meetings for representatives of 18 NGOs, awarding 8 mini-grants to local initiatives, overseeing an internship program in which 30 local NGO leaders will gain experience by working with more advanced organizations, and convening a national forum on local initiatives in Chernihiv.
Vinnitsa Regional Youth Organization “Nashe Podillya”
Political Processes
Supplement: $42,596
Development and Support Civic Initiatives in Ukraine’s Regions
To strengthen youth organizations and informal social movements in 16 regions, particularly in eastern Ukraine. Supplemental funding will be used to inform and mobilize voters in the 16 regions ahead the May 2014 presidential election, including the production and distribution of more than 400,000 nonpartisan banners, flyers, and other GOTV materials.
Vinnitsa Regional Youth Organization “Nashe Podillya”
Political Processes
Supplement: $35,362
Development and Support Civic Initiatives in Ukraine’s Regions
To build the capacity of civic organizations and initiatives, and support civic activism, including voter education and mobilization programs, in 16 regions. The NGO will use supplemental funding to inform, educate and mobilize voters in 12 regions ahead the October 2014 parliamentary election, including the production and distribution of more than 400,000 nonpartisan banners, flyers, and other GOTV materials.
Youth Alternative
Democratic Ideas and Values
$151,940
Preparing the Future Leaders in Ukraine
To build the skills of the country’s future leaders through government internship and regional exchange programs.
The organization will select 30 students from leading Kyiv universities to participate in eight-month fellowships in Ukraine’s parliament. In addition, it will select 126 students to serve five-month fellowships at local councils in 18 regions. The interns will participate in 46 events, including orientations, training seminars and roundtables. An additional 180 students from 12 regions will participate in 8 cross-regional exchanges, trainings and presentations designed to produce greater east-west understanding and reconciliation.
Youth Organization STAN
Human Rights
$17,240
Promoting Human Rights Awareness
To increase the awareness of human rights among youth.
The organization will organize screenings of human rights documentaries, public debates and lectures devoted to the freedoms of speech, assembly and movement. In addition, it will convene a human rights training for young activists and organize its seventh annual Spring Festival.
Democratic Ideas and Values
$26,381
Analyzing Regional Security
To stimulate public discussion on challenges to democracy.
The organization will identify and foster debate on key political and social issues while developing and advocating for effective policy responses. It will organize roundtables, print and distribute its bulletin, publish articles in regional newspapers, and maintain its website.
Freedom of Information
$34,360
Promoting Access to Independent Information
To inform and educate citizens about regional issues.
The organization will report on pressing social, political and economic developments in the country’s regions. Approximately 3,000 news pieces and 120 longer analytical articles will be published.
$28,960
Supporting Journalists in Ukraine’s regions
To increase the skills and safety of journalists.
The organization will organize a five-day workshop in Prague for 10 Ukrainian journalists. The workshop will include skills training and the sharing of practical field experiences designed to maximize the reporters’ use of social media and outreach to younger news readers, as well as instruction in operating in a hostile media environment.
Human Rights
$29,620
Protecting Against Police Abuse
To raise awareness of human rights and counteract abuse by law enforcement bodies.
The organization will conduct workshops and seminars to train journalists, civic activists, youth and the broader population to better defend their civic rights. It will also publish a booklet on legal defense.
NGO Strengthening
$29,990
Promoting Civic Activism
To support local civic initiatives and stimulate networking and cooperation.
The organization will select local activists from communities to participate in a series of trainings, and support projects addressing pressing local problems. The program will conclude with an evaluation meeting to facilitate further cooperation among the initiatives. The organization will also convene a coordination meeting for civic initiatives from around Ukraine and a meeting that will activists to present their work and build partnerships.