The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a private, nonprofit foundation based in the United States provides grants to support NGO projects around the world for the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions. The foundation was founded in 1983 and it provides more than 1000 grants per year to NGOs promoting democracy in more than 90 countries. NED also offers fellowships and undertakes research and international exchange for democratic activists,human rights advocates, journalists, professors and researchers.