Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation

What Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation does

The Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation (Фонд «Демократичні ініціативи» ім. Ілька Кучеріва) is a Kyiv-based, Ukrainian-registered non-profit analytical organization founded in 1993 that operates as one of Ukraine's leading independent sociological research and think-tank institutions. Its core work consists of nationwide public opinion polling on political, economic and social attitudes, election exit polls, the longitudinal Ukrainian Democratic Barometer tracking democratic values since 1993, and analytical commentary on European integration, regional security, conflict studies and media freedom. Its flagship operational product is the National Exit Poll, conducted in consortium with the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) and the Razumkov Centre since 1998, with 16 national exit polls conducted as of 2019 and field operations scaling to 300 polling stations, ~13,000 respondents and ~750 interviewers in the 2019 presidential second round.

Methodologically the foundation employs academic-grade social science techniques including a secret-ballot exit poll technique (introduced 2004) that uses anonymous paper questionnaires to reduce refusal rates, plus controlled online experiments combined with semi-structured in-depth interviews for newer research lines such as the 2025 media self-censorship study (n=200 respondents). It publishes analytical articles, books, infographics and a news feed (Стрічка новин) continuously since 2001, distributed freely through its website dif.org.ua, Facebook, Twitter/X, YouTube (from 2025) and earned media placements in Ukrainian and international outlets (Radio Svoboda, Ukrinform, liga.net). Expert staff include Director Iryna Bekeshkina (a senior research fellow at the National Academy of Sciences' Institute of Sociology), political analyst Oleksii Haran, security analyst Taras Zhovtenko, and regional security analyst Maria Zolkina (LSE).

The foundation does not generate commercial revenue. Operations are funded through ongoing international grants from a consortium of Western democracy-support donors: USAID (via Pact Ukraine's 'Долучайся!' program), the European Union Delegation, the International Renaissance Foundation (Soros network), the Embassy of Canada, the Netherlands Embassy MATRA programme, and the Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom. Grant amounts are not publicly disclosed. The foundation employs 7 staff and does not sell products or services, distributing all research outputs at no charge to its primary stakeholder audiences — Ukrainian government institutions, parliament, media outlets, international donors, and civil society.

Name

Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation

Legal name

Фонд «Демократичні ініціативи» ім. Ілька Кучеріва

Website

https://dif.org.ua

Company type

Private

Founded year

1993

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation is a Kyiv-based Ukrainian non-profit analytical organization that conducts nationwide public opinion surveys, national election exit polls, and democratic development research, serving the Ukrainian government, media, civil society and international donor community since 1993.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Political and Social Research Services

NAICS

Marketing Research and Public Opinion Polling (541910), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

Keywords

• Sociological research
• Public opinion polling
• Exit polls
• Political analytics
• Think tank research

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The foundation is a non-governmental analytical think tank that conducts nationwide public opinion surveys, exit polls during elections, and longitudinal research on democratic values, European integration, regional security, and media self-censorship in Ukraine. Its research output is delivered as publications, analytical articles, infographics, and books distributed primarily through its website and via press conferences, media commentary, and institutional partnerships with international donors and government stakeholders.

Product overview

Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation is a non-governmental analytical organization specializing in sociological research, public opinion polling, and democratic process monitoring. The core offering is a portfolio of research products: nationwide public opinion surveys (Всеукраїнські опитування), the National Exit Poll program (Національний екзит-пол) conducted jointly with KMIS and the Razumkov Centre, the Ukrainian Democratic Barometer tracking democratic values over time, analytical publications and commentaries on politics and geopolitics, and specialized media research studies such as self-censorship research. The organization does not operate as a software platform but as a research institute producing data-driven analysis for policymakers and the public.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• National Exit Poll (Національний екзит-пол) A nationwide exit poll program surveying voters as they leave polling stations to provide independent election monitoring and real-time electoral results, conducted in partnership with Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS) and the Oleksandr Razumkov Centre using a secret-ballot methodology. The 2019 presidential election second-round national exit poll covered 300 polling stations with approximately 13,000 respondents and around 750 trained interviewers.
• National Public Opinion Surveys (Всеукраїнські опитування) Nationwide sociological surveys measuring public opinion on political, economic, and social topics, including attitudes toward European integration, NATO membership, political leaders, and national identity. The 2018 survey covered 2,017 respondents aged 18+ across all regions of Ukraine, with a theoretical sampling error not exceeding 2.3%.
• Ukrainian Democratic Barometer (Український демократичний барометр) A longitudinal research instrument tracking democratic attitudes, values, and institutional trust among Ukrainian citizens over time, providing multi-year trend data on democratic development.
• Analytics and Publications (Аналітика та публікації) Analytical articles, commentaries, research reports, books, and infographics covering Ukrainian politics, European integration, security studies, geopolitics, and media research, published regularly on the organization's website and available for free download.
• Media and Self-Censorship Research (Дослідження медіа та самоцензурування) Controlled online experiments combined with in-depth semi-structured interviews studying journalistic self-censorship practices among Ukrainian media professionals. The 2025 study used a controlled online experiment with 200 respondents from the Ukrainian media community, followed by 12 in-depth semi-structured interviews on coverage of military mobilization topics during the full-scale war.

Quantifiable outcome

• 80% of Ukrainians are not prepared to recognize Russian sovereignty over occupied territories (as of 2026)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (КМІС / KIIS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation has maintained a longstanding consortium partnership with the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology for conducting national exit polls. KIIS has participated in every exit poll since 1999, contributing methodology and fieldwork for the foundation's electoral integrity work.
• Ukrainian Centre for Economic and Political Studies named after Oleksandr Razumkov (Центр Разумкова)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation conducts joint public opinion surveys and exit polls with the Razumkov Centre. The Centre has partnered with the foundation since 2004 on nationwide public opinion research and electoral monitoring.
• Committee of Voters of Ukraine (КВУ)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Committee of Voters of Ukraine, a civil society organization traditionally involved in election monitoring, has been referenced as a partner alongside the foundation in Ukraine's civic observation ecosystem for elections.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Democratic Institute (NDI) Ukraine: Core US party-affiliated democracy NGO operating in Ukraine on political participation, polling, and civic education. Comparable in donor base, mission, and target beneficiaries in Ukrainian democratic development.
• Ukrainian Institute for International Politics: Kyiv-based think tank producing analytical work on Ukraine's foreign policy, European integration, and security — directly overlapping with the foundation's analyst commentary on geopolitics, EU accession, and regional security.
• Razumkov Centre (Ukrainian Centre for Economic and Political Studies): Ukraine's leading economic and political policy think tank. Co-conducts exit polls and nationwide public opinion surveys with the foundation under the same consortium model, serving overlapping audiences in government, media, and donor ecosystems.
• Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS): One of Ukraine's largest independent sociological firms, conducting regular nationwide polls and exit polls. Has partnered with the foundation on every major exit poll since 1999 and addresses an overlapping donor and media client base.
• International Republican Institute (IRI) Ukraine: US-funded democracy-promotion NGO with an active Ukraine program in political analysis, polling, and civic engagement. Competes for the same donor programming pools and targets the same government and civil society stakeholders.
• Committee of Voters of Ukraine (CVU): Long-standing Ukrainian civic organization focused on election monitoring and democratic process oversight. Operates in the same civic-society / election-integrity niche and is a known partner in Ukraine's civic observation ecosystem.
• Rating Group Ukraine: Major Ukrainian sociological and polling firm running regular nationwide political, social, and electoral surveys. Directly comparable in methodology, target audience (media, government, donors), and public opinion product mix.

Regional players

• Stefan Batory Foundation (Poland): Major Polish grantmaking and democracy-support foundation active in civic society, independent media, and European integration in the Eastern Partnership region. Closely analogous in mission, funding sources, and activities targeting Ukrainian democratic development.

Broad incumbents

• Friedrich Ebert Foundation Ukraine (FES): German political foundation affiliated with the Social Democrats, active across Eastern Europe on democracy, social policy, and European integration. Operates in the same donor and policy-discourse space as the foundation with a broader programmatic mandate.

Emerging players

• Center for Political Studies 'Doslidzhennya': Ukrainian political research and polling organization conducting nationwide surveys and electoral studies. Smaller and more narrowly focused than the foundation but competes in similar survey-based research services for media and donors.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/dem_initiatives
• Facebookfacebook.com/deminitiatives
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/deminitiatives

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Ilko Kucheriv Democratic Initiatives Foundation