European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)

What European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) does

European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) is a Brussels-headquartered non-profit partnership (ASBL, registered in Belgium) founded in 2008, operating with 71 staff to support democracy worldwide through EU-funded programmes, applied research, and policy advocacy. EPD is structurally a coalition of 21 specialist member organisations, delivering consortium-based democracy support across Europe, Africa (Bangladesh, Moldova, Armenia, Liberia, Western Balkans, and Sahel/AU contexts). Its core product portfolio spans programmatic delivery (AHEAD Bangladesh, AHEAD Africa, WYDE Civic Engagement, EU4Accountability, EU4Women Empowerment in Armenia, Combatting Disinformation in the Western Balkans) and analytical/research platforms (the European Democracy Hub, jointly operated with Carnegie Europe, and the Global Youth Participation Index covering 141 countries).

EPD's revenue model is grant-funded managed services rather than commercial: primary income comes from European Union programme grants, supplemented by direct member-state funding (e.g., Finland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs) and foundation grants (e.g., Heinrich Böll Stiftung). Distribution is via EU project consortia, direct research dissemination, and self-serve digital platforms; there is no pricing model and no disclosed revenue. The organisation serves civil society organisations, national governments and electoral commissions (e.g., Liberia's NEC), political parties, and youth/women/minority constituencies, with a hybrid segmentation approach. Underlying technology is conventional web infrastructure — Google Analytics, Matomo, MongoDB Atlas, Complianz consent management — supporting digital research outputs rather than proprietary AI/ML systems. Six declared priority areas (2023-2026) anchor the strategic agenda: information space, institutions, inclusion, innovation, international policy, and infrastructure.

Name

European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)

Legal name

EUROPEAN PARTNERSHIP FOR DEMOCRACY ASBL

Website

https://epd.eu

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Brussels-based non-profit partnership (ASBL) of 21 specialist organisations delivering EU-funded democracy support programmes, applied research, and analytical platforms including the Global Youth Participation Index and European Democracy Hub across Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Democracy Support Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Political Organizations (813940)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Democratic Governance & Public Administration Reform (BPADAGAJ)

akta.pro secondary industries

Democracy, Voting Rights & Civic Participation Advocacy (BPAGAFAJ), Electoral Support & Election Observation (BPADAGAA)

Keywords

• Democracy support services
• Civil society programs
• Electoral integrity projects
• Democracy research publications
• Youth participation initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. EU Programme Funding: Primary funding from European Union grants and programmes for democracy support projects. EPD implements EU-funded projects in countries like Bangladesh, Moldova, Armenia, and Liberia through consortium partnerships.
2. Co-funding with EU Member States: EPD receives co-funding from EU Member States alongside European Union funds for various democracy support initiatives and programmes.
3. Ministry for Foreign Affairs Funding: Direct funding from government ministries (e.g., Finland's Ministry for Foreign Affairs) for specific research and democracy support projects.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

European Partnership for Democracy (EPD) is a Brussels-based non-profit partnership of 21 specialist organisations that delivers democracy support worldwide. Its core offering consists of research publications, policy advocacy, and implementation of EU-funded programmes covering electoral integrity, civic education, youth and women's political participation, media pluralism, and civil society protection.

Product overview

EPD is a partnership organization bringing together 21 specialist organisations to support democracy worldwide. The organization offers a portfolio of research initiatives, analytical platforms, and targeted democracy support programmes. Key products include the Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI) - a comparative assessment tool ranking youth political participation across 140+ countries; the European Democracy Hub - an analytical center operated jointly with Carnegie Europe producing research publications and expert analysis; and various country/region-specific programmes including AHEAD Bangladesh, AHEAD Africa, WYDE Civic Engagement, EU4Accountability, and EU4Women Empowerment. The organization focuses on six priority areas: Information Space, Institutions, Inclusion, Innovation, International Policy, and Infrastructure.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI) A comparative index tool that assesses and ranks youth political participation across more than 140 countries worldwide, connecting global data with lived realities to deliver insights on youth civic, political, and socio-economic engagement.
• European Democracy Hub An analytical centre jointly operated with Carnegie Europe that produces research, publications, deep dives, commentaries, and expert analyses on challenges affecting democratic politics in Europe and globally.
• AHEAD Bangladesh Project EU-funded programme supporting civil society actors and political parties in Bangladesh to participate meaningfully in electoral processes as independent election observers, candidates, or newly elected representatives, with focus on civic and voter education for youth and underrepresented groups.
• AHEAD Africa Project A project promoting the adoption of global standards for election integrity across Africa, working to enhance democratic processes on the continent.
• Youth Democracy Cohort A collaborative initiative focused on youth political participation and democratic engagement, co-hosting events and research on democratic renewal and accountability in Africa.
• WYDE Civic Engagement Civic engagement project focused on youth participation, including Youth Impact Monitoring and Advocacy Programmes that track progress and drive change.
• EU4Accountability EU-funded project supporting civil society engagement with public authorities, particularly in Moldova ahead of parliamentary elections and European integration referendums.
• EU4Women Empowerment in Armenia EU-funded project strengthening leadership and participation of the Yazidi community and women with disabilities in Armenia's sustainable development efforts.
• Combatting Disinformation in the Western Balkans Project focused on media pluralism and addressing disinformation challenges in the Western Balkans region.

Quantifiable outcome

• GYPI covers 141 countries on youth political participation
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• AfrobarometermajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2025Collaboration on Youth Democracy Cohort side event during the 5th African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) Youth Symposium, focusing on youth's role in democratic renewal and accountability in Africa.
• EU System for an Enabling Environment for Civil Society (EU SEE)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 June 2024EPD participates in EU SEE spanning 86 countries, equipping civil society actors with data, tools, and resources to respond to shifts in civic space.
• Carnegie EuropecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint initiative establishing the European Democracy Hub, an analytical centre bringing together expertise on democracy challenges affecting democratic politics in Europe and worldwide. The Hub serves as a platform for research, publications, and policy dialogue on democracy support.
• Demo Finland (Political Parties of Finland for Democracy)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on China's Development Playbook publication examining China's growing influence in development financing, political-party engagement, media development, and digital technology cooperation.
• European Endowment for Democracy (EED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual co-organization of International Democracy Day Brussels, a flagship event bringing together democracy stakeholders from across Europe and beyond.
• International IDEAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of International Democracy Day Brussels alongside EED, European Network of Political Foundations and Carnegie Europe.
• European Network of Political FoundationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of International Democracy Day Brussels alongside other democracy support organizations.
• University of AmsterdammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in development of the Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI), a comprehensive assessment tool covering youth political participation across 141 countries.
• University of BirminghammajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in development of the Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI) alongside University of Amsterdam and Merrimack College (USA).
• Merrimack College (USA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner in development of the Global Youth Participation Index (GYPI) alongside Universities of Amsterdam and Birmingham.
• AHEAD Bangladesh Consortium PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerEPD leads consortium implementing AHEAD Bangladesh project supporting civil society and political parties in electoral processes, funded by the European Union with over 4 million euro assistance.
• UNDP LiberiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on capacity-building for Liberia's National Elections Commission officials through BRIDGE workshops on election management and institutional excellence.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Democratic Institute (NDI): US-based non-profit supporting democratic institutions and political participation globally. Direct peer: comparable scope (election integrity, women's participation, civic education) and a similar multi-donor grant-funded delivery model.
• European Endowment for Democracy (EED): Brussels-based EU-funded organisation supporting democratic actors in the European neighbourhood and beyond. Direct peer: EPD co-organizes International Democracy Day Brussels with EED and several of EPD's staff previously worked at EED.
• International Republican Institute (IRI): US-based democracy and political-party support organisation with global programmes. Direct peer: works on political party strengthening, civic participation, and electoral integrity — overlapping directly with EPD's AHEAD, WYDE, and counter-disinformation projects.
• European Network of Political Foundations (ENoP): Brussels-based network of European political foundations active in democracy support. Direct peer: co-organizes International Democracy Day Brussels with EPD and serves as a partnership-style network for member foundations.
• Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD): UK government-funded democracy support organisation working with parliaments, political parties, and civil society. Direct peer: similar programme model of EU/UK-funded governance support and a multinational partnership footprint.
• National Endowment for Democracy (NED): US-based foundation that funds democracy support projects worldwide. Direct peer: similar mandate of channelling grants to civil society and political actors for democratic governance, operating as a partnership-like grantmaker.
• International IDEA: Intergovernmental organisation supporting democratic institutions globally. Direct peer: co-organizes International Democracy Day Brussels with EPD and works on overlapping electoral integrity and democratic governance mandates.

Broad incumbents

• OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR): OSCE's main institution for electoral observation and democratic governance in the OSCE region. Broad incumbent: a much larger established intergovernmental player in election observation and democratic governance — overlapping with EPD's AHEAD electoral integrity work.
• Carnegie Europe: Brussels-based international affairs think-tank. EPD's European Democracy Hub is jointly operated with Carnegie Europe; both produce research and policy commentary on European democracy, making them overlapping peers in the same niche.
• Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES): German political foundation with global democracy support programmes. Broad incumbent: overlapping work on political party support, civic education, and progressive policy — and a similar multi-donor grant-funded model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xbsky.app/profile/epd.eu
• Facebookfacebook.com/EuropeanPartnershipforDemocracy
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/european-partnership-for-democracy
• Instagraminstagram.com/epd.eu

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about European Partnership for Democracy (EPD)