The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) is a private, nonprofit organization created in 1983 to strengthen democratic institutions around the world through nongovernmental efforts. The Endowment is governed by an independent, nonpartisan board of directors. With its annual congressional appropriation, it makes hundreds of grants each year to support prodemocracy groups in Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union.

The United States has a long history of extending a helping hand to those people overseas struggling to make a better life, recover from a disaster or striving to live in a free and democratic country. It is this caring that stands as a hallmark of the United States around the world -- and shows the world our true character as a nation.U.S. foreign assistance has always had the twofold purpose of furthering America's foreign policy interests in expanding democracy and free markets while improving the lives of the citizens of the developing world. Spending less than one-half of 1 percent of the federal budget, USAID works around the world to achieve these goals.USAID's history goes back to the Marshall Plan reconstruction of Europe after World War Two and the Truman Administration's Point Four Program. In 1961, the Foreign Assistance Act was signed into law and USAID was created by executive order.

StatoilHydro is an integrated technology-based international energy company primarily focused on upstream oil and gas operations. Headquartered in Norway, we have more than 30 years of experience from the Norwegian continental shelf, pioneering complex offshore projects under the toughest conditions. Our culture is founded on strong values and a high ethical standard.

We aim to deliver long-term growth and continue to develop technologies and manage projects that will meet the world’s energy and climate challenges in a sustainable way. StatoilHydro is listed on NYSE and Oslo Stock Exchange.

The Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) is Switzerland’s international cooperation agency within the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). In operating with other federal offices concerned, SDC is responsible for the overall coordination of development activities and cooperation with Eastern Europe, as well as for the humanitarian aid delivered by the Swiss Confederation.

The Urban Institute gathers data, conducts research, evaluates programs, offers technical assistance overseas, and educates Americans on social and economic issues — to foster sound public policy and effective government.

The Open Society Institute (OSI), a private operating and grant making foundation, aims to shape public policy to promote democratic governance, human rights, and economic, legal, and social reform. On a local level, OSI implements a range of initiatives to support the rule of law, education, public health, and independent media. At the same time, OSI works to build alliances across borders and continents on issues such as combating corruption and rights abuses.

Action Against Hunger / Action Contre la Faim (ACF) was founded in France in 1979 among the so-called “second generation” humanitarian organizations— those agencies whose identities were forged in response to the perceived limits of traditional humanitarianism. Seeking a less deferential role for humanitarian actors, these organizations sought a brand of humanitarian politics that could influence political actors and outcomes, not just mitigate atrocities on the ground. The resulting organizational shift revolutionized how humanitarian professionals responded to international crises and interacted with key actors, institutions, and agencies.

ICNL strives to create a world where civil society can freely develop in all its forms and participate in public decisions. In pursuit of that goal, ICNL's programs and research focus on promoting an enabling legal environment for civil society and public participation worldwide.

"Giving people a voice in their own future through smart partnerships offering options and access to tools for sustained social, economic and environmental development."Founded in 1965, Counterpart International is a nonprofit organization dedicated to building a just world through service and partnership.Counterpart gives people a voice in their own future through smart partnerships, offering options and access to tools for sustained social, economic and environmental development.We have forged strategic partnerships in the public and private sectors to help people improve the quality of their lives and revitalize their communities in more than 60 nations. Counterpart International provides people access to the tools they need for a life of dignity for themselves, their communities and their countries. Counterpart is known as "the NGO which builds NGOs".

Eurasia Partnership Foundation’s (EPF) mission is to empower people to effect change for social justice and economic prosperity through hands-on programs, helping them to improve their communities and their own lives. With locally registered office in Azerbaijan , EPF is the legacy institution of Eurasia Foundation (EF), a privately managed non-profit organization established in 1992 to deliver seed capital to emerging civil society organizations in the former Soviet countries. Supported by the United States Agency for International Development and other public and private donors, EF has invested nearly $18 million in Azerbaijan through grants and technical assistance since 1993.