NED details $4.6 million in Cuba grants

The National Endowment for Democracy reported spending $4,643,525 in Cuba grants in 2018.That was a 22 percent increase over $3,814,328 reported for 2017.

The top recipients in 2018 were the Cuban Democratic Directorate with $650,000; Grupo Internacional para la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa en Cuba, $230,000; and Cubanet News Inc., $220,000. Click below for interactive graphic.

NED did not disclose the name of recipients of $716,964 in grants. Grant details are shown below.

Advocating for a Human Rights Framework for CubaInternational Platform for Human Rights in Cuba

$88,000

To advocate for inclusion of human rights and the perspectives of Cuban civil society as part of EU engagement with the Cuban government.

Project activities will include monitoring the implementation of the EU-Cuba bilateral treaty, identifying opportunities to present human rights concerns of Cuban democrats, enhancing the understanding of the new framework of EU-Cuba relations of Cuban activists, and strengthening their advocacy capacity before European actors.

Building Democratic Citizenship in Cuba

Asociacion Mexicana para las Naciones Unidas de Jovenes

$65,722

To foster a democratic civic culture among youth in Cuba. Activities include workshops on democratic culture and human rights as well as the practice of civic values such as tolerance and fair play through sports activities with youth.

Educating Cuban Youth Activists on Democracy and Leadership Skills

Instituto Politico para la Libertad Peru

$99,997

To strengthen the leadership capacity of Cuban pro-democracy youth activists and to promote interaction between citizens in Cuba and individuals from Latin America. The grantee will provide youth activists with training on democratic rights, youth participation, and international standards of freedom of expression.

Empowering Cuban Hip-Hop Artists as Leaders in Society

Fundacion Cartel Urbano

$70,000

To empower Cuban artists as cultural leaders to promote citizen participation and social change in society. The group will carry out workshops in Cuba and Colombia including professional trainings, cultural exchanges, and artistic events. The organization will also assist the artists in developing their own social projects which they will implement in their local communities.

Fostering a Plural Information Space in Cuba

Freedom of Information

$60,000

To promote freedom of expression and a plural and independent information space in Cuba, and to strengthen the institutional and professional capacity of the organization. The organization will expand its coverage of Cuban reality, with an emphasis on topics that the Cuban government censors. It will conduct investigative journalism, and diversify its journalistic and media products. It will also seek several channels to make information available to a larger audience on the island and will develop alliances with its counterparts in Latin America to reach a broader audience.

Fostering Democratic Ideas in Latin America

Centro de Estudios Constitucionales Iberoamericanos

$70,000

To promote greater awareness of the political situation in Cuba among Latin American audiences and to foster greater engagement between Cuban scholars and intellectuals in academic and public forums in Latin America. The organization will convene discussion forums in Latin America on the current situation in Cuba and will encourage the participation of a new generation of Cuban intellectuals and scholars in those events.

Fostering Dialogue and Exchange between Cuban Democrats and Colombian Policymakers to Promote Change in Cuba

Universidad Sergio Arboleda

$85,000

To foster greater dialogue between Cuban democrats and Colombian political elite regarding Colombia’s experience with democracy and to raise awareness about the political situation in Cuba. The organization will carry out a series of public and private discussions between Cuban democrats and Colombian historians, economists, and business leaders. It will also regularly publish articles and bulletins based on studies it carries out about Cuban politics and society. The group will also convene Colombian policy makers and professionals to reflect on the role Cuba is playing in the region.

Fostering Independent Thinking and Writing in Cuba

Editorial Hypermedia Inc.

$72,324

To promote freedom of expression and a plural and independent information space in Cuba, and to strengthen the institutional and professional capacity of the media outlet. The organization will expand its coverage of Cuban reality, and will also make information available to a larger audience on the island and in Latin America.

Fostering New Democratic Leadership in Cuba: Phase II

Latin American Center for Nonviolence

$56,817

To strengthen the leadership and organizational skills of particularly disenfranchised groups in Cuba. Working with its network of two on-island independent labor associations, the grantee will identify and train emerging leaders of nascent interest groups and marginalized sectors of society to organ