Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation

What Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation does

The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation (VOC) is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1993 that commemorates the victims of communism and advocates for those living under current single-party regimes in China, Cuba, Laos, North Korea, and Vietnam. Its core asset is the Victims of Communism Museum, located two blocks from the White House, which houses permanent and rotating galleries featuring the Nikolai Getman Gulag Collection, Berlin Wall sections, Operation Pedro Pan materials, and the Decades of Dissent and Veil of Silence Cuban Contemporary Art exhibitions. The foundation runs an integrated educational and advocacy portfolio that includes a K-12 and university curriculum (now in its 4th edition), an online teacher certification program, National Seminars for educators, College Events, the Witness Project oral-history documentary series, three regional Study Centers (China, Latin America, Poland), and signature events such as the annual Captive Nations Summit and Anti-Communist Film Festival.

VOC operates a diversified nonprofit revenue model with no proprietary technology stack. Funding flows from individual donations processed via victimsofcommunism.givevirtuous.org, recurring Museum Remembrance Society memberships, and corporate and individual event sponsorships for summits and festivals; most programs and museum admission are free. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees led by Chairman Dr. Elizabeth Edwards Spalding (who assumed the role after the 2025 passing of founder-era Chairman Edwin J. Feulner) and President and CEO Dr. Eric Patterson, with 26 employees. Strategic partners include Freedom House, the International Republican Institute, the National Endowment for Democracy, the Atlantic Council, and Harvard's Belfer Center, alongside wholly-owned regional entities such as the St. Louis Commission (VOC-STL). The foundation's GTM is community-led, combining physical museum visits, policy convenings, K-12 educator outreach, local commissions, earned media (op-eds in outlets such as the Wall Street Journal and Washington Times), and social channels (@VoCommunism).

Name

Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation

Legal name

Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation

Website

https://victimsofcommunism.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation is a Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit that commemorates communism's victims through a museum, K-12 curriculum and teacher certification, oral-history documentaries, regional Study Centers, and policy convenings, serving educators, students, donors, and policymakers in the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Nonprofit

NAICS

Human Rights Organizations (813311), Museums (712110), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights Monitoring, Documentation & Advocacy (BPADAGAK), Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAN)

Keywords

• Communist history education
• Human rights advocacy
• Museum collections curation
• K12 curriculum development
• Teacher certification programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations: The foundation accepts donations from individuals to support its educational, research, and human rights mission. Donations are processed through victimsofcommunism.givevirtuous.org.
2. Museum Remembrance Society Membership: The Victims of Communism Museum Remembrance Society is a membership program that provides exclusive benefits to supporters of the foundation's mission.
3. Event Sponsorships: Corporate and individual sponsorships for events such as the Captive Nations Summit, with specific sponsorship tiers available to supporters.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation is an educational, research, and human rights nonprofit that commemorates victims of communist regimes and educates the public about communist ideology, history, and contemporary threats. It operates the Victims of Communism Museum in Washington, D.C., produces K-12 curriculum and online teacher certification, runs the Witness Project oral-history documentary series, maintains regional Study Centers on China, Latin America, and Poland, hosts the annual Captive Nations Summit and Anti-Communist Film Festival, and supports advocacy initiatives such as the Captive Nations Coalition and the VOC Congressional Caucus.

Product overview

Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation is an educational, research, and human rights nonprofit organization offering a unified portfolio of programs and services centered on the Victims of Communism Museum located two blocks from the White House. The foundation operates as a platform of interconnected offerings including the physical museum with permanent galleries and rotating collections (Gulag Collection, Berlin Wall Exhibit, Operation Pedro Pan), educational programs (curriculum, teacher certification, educator seminars, college events), awards (Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom, Dissident Human Rights Award), research centers (China Studies, Latin America Programs, Polish Studies), advocacy initiatives (Captive Nations Coalition, VOC Congressional Caucus, Local Commissions), and media programs (Witness Project video series, Voices for Freedom, newsletters). The organization hosts signature events including the annual Captive Nations Summit and Anti-Communist Film Festival, and provides educational resources, a speakers bureau, and annual polling services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Victims of Communism Museum: The museum located two blocks from the White House showcasing collections and artifacts documenting the history of communism
• Witness Project
• Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom
• Captive Nations Coalition
• Voices for Freedom

Products and services

• Victims of Communism Museum A physical museum located two blocks from the White House in Washington, D.C., serving as the foundation's primary educational hub. The museum features permanent galleries, temporary exhibitions, and collections of art, archives, and artifacts documenting over 100 years of communist history.
• Curriculum A comprehensive curricular resource program for educators teaching about communism, including the 4th edition launched by the foundation for middle and high school students.
• Online Teacher Certification An online certification program enabling educators to receive professional development credit for teaching about communism and its historical impacts.
• Witness Project An award-winning short video series featuring oral history mini-documentaries of courageous men and women who experienced life under communism, screened across the country and internationally.
• Truman-Reagan Medal of Freedom An annual award program recognizing individuals who have demonstrated exceptional commitment to freedom and the fight against communism.
• Dissident Human Rights Award An award program recognizing dissidents and human rights advocates who have suffered under communist regimes and continued to fight for freedom.
• Study Centers (China, Latin America, Poland) Research centers focused on specific regions including China Studies, Latin America Programs, and Polish Studies, producing research and analysis on communist regimes.
• Captive Nations Summit An annual summit held during Captive Nations Week, bringing together policymakers, dissidents, and advocates to discuss issues related to communist regimes and human rights.
• Anti-Communist Film Festival An annual multiday film festival featuring films that depict the struggle of living under communist tyranny and the heroic fight for freedom.
• Annual Poll/Surveys Annual surveys and polls documenting attitudes toward communism and tracking public opinion on related issues.
• Museum Remembrance Society Membership A recurring membership program providing exclusive benefits to supporters of the foundation's mission.
• Museum Collections Museum-grade collections including art, archives, and artifacts documenting communist history, including the Gulag Collection (50 paintings by Nikolai Getman), Berlin Wall Exhibit, Operation Pedro Pan, Decades of Dissent, and the Veil of Silence Cuban Contemporary Art Exhibition.

Quantifiable outcome

• The foundation documents that communism has killed over 100 million people worldwide.
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Freedom HousecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2026Freedom House CEO Jamie Fly participated as a panelist at the Captive Nations Summit 2026, discussing the prospects for increased freedom and the fight against authoritarianism with other democracy advocates.
• International Republican InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2026IRI President Daniel Twining participated in the Captive Nations Summit 2026 panel discussion on democracy and freedom, contributing to the foundation's advocacy efforts.
• National Endowment for DemocracycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2026NED President and CEO Damon M. Wilson participated in the Captive Nations Summit 2026, discussing U.S. policy on democracy and authoritarianism.
• Atlantic CouncilcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2026VOC Trustee Ambassador Paula J. Dobriansky serves as Vice Chair of the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security and moderated the Captive Nations Summit 2026 panel.
• Harvard University Belfer CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 20 July 2026VOC Trustee Ambassador Paula J. Dobriansky is a Senior Fellow at Harvard University's Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, connecting the foundation to academic policy research.
• Umbrella Art FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 October 2021The foundation co-organized 'The Veil of Silence' Cuban Contemporary Art Exhibition with Umbrella Art Foundation, held at the Art Museum of the Americas of the Organization of American States. This partnership supported VOC's Latin American Programs and Cuban advocacy mission.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• National Endowment for Democracy: U.S.-funded nonprofit that promotes democratic institutions and human rights abroad. Highly comparable to VOC as both operate as advocacy nonprofits with the Captive Nations Summit participation, Congressional engagement, and a shared mission of countering authoritarianism.
• United States Holocaust Memorial Museum: Federal memorial museum in Washington D.C. that commemorates victims through exhibits, education, and research. Comparable as a peer memorial museum with a similar educational mission, Washington D.C. footprint, and K-12 curriculum distribution.
• Freedom House: Nonprofit watchdog that monitors global freedom and democracy. Directly comparable to VOC through its annual freedom index reporting, U.S. Congressional advocacy, and partnership with VOC at the Captive Nations Summit on anti-authoritarian work.
• International Republican Institute: Democracy-promoting NGO focused on political and civil society development. Comparable as a peer democracy-promotion organization partnering with VOC at the Captive Nations Summit and sharing overlapping funder and Congressional audiences.

Peers

• National Democratic Institute:

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/VoCommunism
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/victims-of-communism-memorial-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation