Barbara Boyd discusses the ongoing unrest in Minneapolis, framing it as a meticulously orchestrated regime change operation influenced by CIA veterans and organizations like the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) and USAID.
She delves into the connections between well-known figures such as Dr. Maria Stephan and Rachel Sayre, revealing how they have applied overseas regime-change tactics in the United States to destabilize the government.
She also features insights from Mike Benz and James O’Keefe, who highlight the depth of coordination and funding behind the street riots.
Boyd calls for an organized effort to expose and counter these operations in order to support President Trump and protect the integrity of American democracy.
Chapters
00:00 The Midweek Update - UNMASKED: The Regime Change Veterans Leading the War on Trump - January 28, 2026
02:22 Maria Stephan's Fingerprints: Tracing the Training to the Streets
07:55 81 Republicans Just Voted to Keep the Regime Change Machine Running
10:12 Fight, Fight, Fight: Defeating Cultural Warfare with American Purpose
Snapshots and Notes
Get to know this name and face - she is the educational root behind all ths faiscos, riots, and stand offs this country has been experiencing for quite a while… as for financial root, that would be Neville Roy Singham and George Soros’ Open Society Foundation.
What is happening right now in Minneapolis is a military-grade regime change operation right here in the United States.
It starts with Dr. Maria Stephan, the CIA regime change veteran who probably trained every single rider on the Minneapolis streets.
From the Colbert show, talking about the frog costumes everyone saw in Portland and now in Minnesota....
Colbert: “I love some of the things that I’ve seen this past year, like all the frog costumes in Portland.”
Stephan: “So the frog costumes, like it has lit people on fire, young people are inspired, it’s a way for people to show up, to get involved.”
Colbert: “Also, people don’t look like a threat when they’re an inflatable frog costume. It really drives home the whole thing like, they’ve got guns, I’ve got a little fan on my butt.”
Stephan: “Exactly.”
The media claims these are organic revolts against President Trump,
the evidence in this video will prove otherwise.
We are witnessing a textbook color revolution directed by the exact same regime change veterans the CIA used overseas, like Dr. Maria Stephan.
And in this video, Barbara is going to show you the names, the files, and exactly who is pulling the strings.
Winning this battle requires seeing a full map.
We need to look past the foot soldiers on the street and identify the captains and lieutenants, the people trained in regime change operations under Barack Obama and Joe Biden.
And we need to open the files of the National Endowment for Democracy, USAID, and the U.S. Institute for Peace if we’re going to solve this.
Maria Stephan’s Fingerprints: Tracing the Training to the Streets (02:22)
Barbara Boyd has followed NED and its offshoots ever since Ronald Reagan first called for “a global infrastructure of democracy” in his 1982 speech to the British Parliament, a speech that laid the groundwork for the very apparatus now turned inward against us.
In her Monday update on the YT Promethean Updates channel, Susan Kokinda pointed to USAID veteran and Minneapolis Emergency Services Director Rachel Sayre as a representative of the former US and British-sponsored color revolutionists deployed now against President Trump.
As a reminder, here is Sayre’s admitted background and seditious rhetoric from last Saturday...
“My background is an international humanitarian response in conflict zones in Yemen, Haiti, Syria, Iraq, and Ukraine.
“What I’ve seen here is what I’ve seen there, a powerful entity violently and intentionally terrorizing people.”
And yesterday (Tues, Jan 27), investigative reporter James O’Keefe released a shocking video showing the deep levels of funding and training of the street rioters in Minneapolis.
O’Keeffe says that the people on the streets are part of a highly trained network of NGOs and unions, such as the Service Employees International Union1 (SEIU) and Road to New York, which received direct and indirect U.S. government funding.
Most importantly, he says they are willing to kill and die for their cause…
“Yeah, it’s is, you know, it’s pretty terrifying and the reason why is because there’s no one there to help, like there’s no police, the police have stood down.
“I mean, you know, and you tell them they’re press, we have more footage, they’ll kill you, they don’t care - anybody who’s not them is their enemy.
“If you are a journalist, you’re a Fed.
“And I was trying to reason with them, Megan. I was trying to like talk to them rationally, like I’m not here.
“I’m not taking a position for or against ICE, I’m a reporter.
“They said they’ll kill me.
“So that was kind of perhaps a glimpse into the future, I suppose.”
O’Keefe is frightened because he does not see that same will and attitude in the Washington Republicans who must fight now for President Trump and for our republic.
Yesterday, Mike Benz also released another of his deep dives into the players in this ongoing insurrection, which sheds more light on what James O’Keefe is talking about.
Mike’s Video is NOT on YouTube but on Rumble as YT would either strike his account or terminate it altogether… Mike traces the Minneapolis insurrection to NED veterans and color revolution tactics, and identifies Maria Stephan and the Horizons Project as key players…
If you do not want to watch the entire video (nearly 5 hours long), Mike starts drilling down on Stefan and NED at the 3h20m mark (Rumble does not yet have a duration or end marker in its programming, so pay attention). We have intentionally backtracked the video by 10 minutes, as the foundation of what he talks about from the 3h30m mark onward is presented in those 10 minutes.
MORE: We HIGHLY suggest everyone undertake a due diligence of viewing Mike’s videos concerning Nationals Endowment for Democracy (NED) on both Rumble and YT
Yes, it is more work; however, the days of getting your news in 21 minutes every night are long gone - it is precisely that convenience is why the cabal, the blob, the establishment were able to get away with things as long as they have been.
Benz starts his deep dive with a January 22nd inflammatory appearance of Dr. Maria Stephan on Stephen Colbert’s late-night show.
She was hyping the tactics used by the Minneapolis color-revolution rioters.
It is more than likely that Stephan has played a leading role in training the Minneapolis street rioters.
Here’s Mike Benz discussing Stephan....
“The U.S. Institute of Peace instructed its sponsored riot mobs to block roads, occupy government buildings, and deliberately seek to get arrested.
“This is Maria Stephan....”
Stephan: “The third category of nonviolent tactics is nonviolent intervention. These include such actions as sit-ins, blocking roads, overloading facilities, and establishing parallel or alternative institutions.”
“And we saw establishing (a) parallel, that means creating CHAZ or MAZ in Minnesota.
“We saw in her training guides what she means by establishing like the parallel institutions.
“She means like established parallel zones of control.
“It’s literally the U.S. Institute of Peace, which is CIA, Riot Planning Network.
“NED, Youssef, CIA, they all use the same best practices guide because this is how they organized the Arab Spring.
“This is how they organized the 2014 Euromaidan.
“This is how they organized the 1999 Oatport.
“They have a system for this, and these people teach this system.
blocking roads
overloading
creating barricades
creating an autonomous zone where no law enforcement is allowed ...”
Stephan:
“occupying buildings
“acts of civil disobedience, and
“even deliberately seeking imprisonment.”
“Civil disobedience means disobeying the law, breaking the law.
“So this is blockading roads, creating autonomous zones where law enforcement is blocked off, occupying and taking over buildings and government buildings, breaking laws, and deliberately seeking imprisonment.”
After training foreign color-revolution rioters abroad for the U.S. Institute of Peace, Stephan founded a domestic organization to do the same here in the United States.
It’s called The Horizons Project.2
Mike Benz documents how the Horizons Project is funded by an NED cutout called the New Ventures Fund3.
He believes that if you dig deeper into the records of the U.S. Institute for Peace, USAID, and the NAD and color revolutions abroad, and investigate what the veterans of those operations, like Maria Stephan and Rachel Sayre, are doing now, you’ll find the real leaders of this insurrection.
And he’s right…
Now we need to shut down the funding and prosecute and expose the color revolutionists who have waged a coup against our government since 2016.
So once again, Promethean Action is showing you the real actors in our national drama.
81 Republicans Just Voted to Keep the Regime Change Machine Running (07:55)
Now, about the National Endowment for Democracy.
The 1970s Church Committee investigations exposed and crippled the CIA’s regime change operations.
So they needed a new vehicle, one with plausible deniability.
Enter the National Endowment for Democracy.
The NAD campaigns under the flag of “promoting Democracy” but here’s what it actually does.
It recruits dissident politicians, journalists, trade unionists, and corporate leaders in targeted countries.
It trains street agitators and coordinates the media narrative to make regime change appear to be a popular uprising.
The structure is designed for maximum reach.
You’ve got the National Democratic Institute4 and the International Republican Institute5 - that’s your political parties…
The Solidarity Center6 handles organized labor…
The Center for International Private Enterprise7, an affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, brings in the corporations.
And in 2006, they added a media arm, the Center for International Media Assistance8.
And with all that? Members of Congress and senators serve on the NAD’s board.
They went from overseeing intelligence operations to participating in regime change.
Working alongside USAID and the U.S. Institute for Peace, the NAD ran color revolutions across the globe...
The Arab Spring, the Maidan coup in Ukraine, and George Soros’ Open Society Foundation, the Ford Foundation, and the Rockefeller Foundation all worked directly with the NED, providing funding and receiving government grants in return.
And then came 2016.
With President Trump’s election, this entire apparatus was deployed here against the American people...
censorship
controlled media narratives
total social media manipulation
The same playbook they used to overthrow foreign governments was turned inward.
Now, President Trump has reorganized and defunded both USAID and the US Institute for Peace - BUT Congress has refused to touch the NED.
In the latest vote, 81 Republicans joined the Democrats to keep this regime change machine fully funded.
Think about that - 81 Republicans.
So how do we defeat this?
Fight, Fight, Fight: Defeating Cultural Warfare with American Purpose (10:12)
Well, President Trump was in Iowa yesterday, presenting his American system economic revolution to the American people.
He plans to campaign for the midterms as if they were a presidential election.
As they are.
If we allow the Democrats to control either the House or the Senate, Trump’s America First foreign and domestic economic revolution comes to a grinding halt.
If spineless Republicans are allowed to keep acting spineless, we will have a similar result.
Save for 4, There Are No Blue States
If Conservatives vote as they should and not wave it off as they have in the past, in the next election, there should be only a FEW local Democrats elected. With the exception of New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, there should not be ONE Democrat Governor, Congressman, nor Senator elected; there should be nothing but Conservatives for 46 States.
If not, we know the conservatives of each State that has a Democrat winner do not care about our future, nor the future of their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Period.
The type of sedition being practiced here is a form of cultural warfare, akin to what the Chinese call people’s war.
Only a very small portion of this type of warfare involves the use of direct, overwhelming force to achieve victory.
James O’Keefe saw the true nature of the problem when he said the Minneapolis insurgents are willing to die for their cause, and Washington’s Republicans, as the President reconstituted, lack the political will for victory.
President Trump has more than demonstrated that he has the will, standing up from an assassin’s bullet and beseeching us to fight, fight, fight.
More than anything else, this is a war of the spirit.
Our founding and our history reject the idea that humans are like beasts living by the rules of the jungle.
Instead, our founding documents and our best history celebrate our participation in God’s Divine creation.
We use our talents to increasingly perfect life here on earth for future generations, for the children.
On the 250th anniversary of our founding, our citizens need, once again, to embrace that Divine mission.
If we do so fully, we’ll win this war.
By bringing forward the full might and beauty of our cultural and spiritual history, Prometean Action and every content creator like Decisive Liberty News, is strengthening the will of this nation’s patriots.
“A government of the people,
“by the people,
“and for the people”,
as President Lincoln said, is worth fighting and dying for.
It is the only form of government consistent with the divine nature of human beings.
YOU NEED TO JOIN THIS FIGHT.
You have already started by enrolling with us, Decisive Liberty News - we encourage you to find at least two or three other organizations to follow closely, like Promethean Action; organizations that are spreading the word of what is REALLY happening, as well as guide you on what to be vigilant about and what you need to do.
The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) is a labor union with approximately 2 million members across healthcare, public services, and property services.
It was established on April 23, 1921, in Chicago as the Building Service Employees International Union (BSEIU), initially representing janitors, elevator operators, and window washers.
The union’s name changed in 1968 to reflect its diversified membership, with over half of its members now working in healthcare.
SEIU engages in political organizing, advocating for a just society in which all workers are valued and respected, and families and communities can thrive (where have we heard that before?).
SEIU and its various local chapters are actively involved in negotiations, protests, and legislative advocacy across the United States.
For example, SEIU Local 521 is in contract negotiations with Fresno Unified, and members have criticized the school board for increasing stipends amidst a budget deficit.
SEIU Healthcare Michigan, representing over 50,000 healthcare workers, is advocating for improved wages and working conditions.
In Virginia, SEIU Virginia 512 is pushing for collective bargaining rights for home care workers, livable wages, and fair pay.
SEIU Healthcare PA union workers expressed relief after the state approved the acquisition of financially struggling hospitals in Scranton.
Additionally, SEIU has been involved in protests against ICE operations in Minnesota, with SEIU Local 26 and 1199 SEIU frontline healthcare workers participating in demonstrations and rallies.
SEIU also engages in policy initiatives, such as supporting a proposed “Billionaire Tax” in California to fund healthcare, including for undocumented immigrants, a measure that some critics describe as a “Trojan horse” and the “pinnacle of progressive envy.”
In Massachusetts, SEIU is involved in a political debate over ballot questions aimed at lowering the state income tax, arguing that these measures would benefit the wealthy and reverse gains from a previous “Millionaires Tax.”
In New York, the 1199 SEIU Healthcare Workers Union honored Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy and is advocating for prison reform laws and other changes.
The union also provides members with various benefits and discounts, including on auto insurance, travel, and car purchasing
The Horizons Project is an initiative focused on strengthening connections and collective action among pro-democracy movements and networks in the United States.
The project serves as an organizer, trainer, and facilitator, with the goal of addressing systemic injustices, advancing societal healing, and building an inclusive and pluralistic democracy.
The Horizons Project was launched in early 2021 with seed funding and support from Humanity United.
In 2022, control of the project was transferred to the New Venture Fund, which is an incubator for activist initiatives.
The project’s leadership describes themselves as organizers, conveners, and facilitators of activist networking, drawing on examples of peacebuilding and civil resistance from around the world.
Perspectives
Networking for Left-Leaning Activism
The Horizons Project is a networking initiative for left-of-center activists and advocacy groups.
The project aims to protect democracy while also reimagining the current system of democratic governance in America.
It advocates that increased ethnic and cultural diversity is a necessary component for a just and peaceful democracy.
The project was initially a trial run by the PartnersGlobal Institute, a philanthropic organization that supports democratic, left-leaning governance, before being transferred to the New Venture Fund.
Strengthening Pro-Democracy Movements
The Horizons Project focuses on building relationships and connections among communities of social justice, peacebuilding, and democracy in the United States.
The project provides resources and recommendations for resisting authoritarianism and managing internal conflict within pro-democracy coalitions.
It addresses the issue of political violence, emphasizing ways social movements and organizers can handle it effectively.
The project aims to reinforce the work of activists, bridge-builders, and organizers to foster constructive tension.
The New Venture Fund (NVF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides fiscal sponsorship and project management, aiming to support a healthier and more equitable world across various social and environmental issues.
It was founded in 2006 and is based in Washington, D.C.
The fund seeks to maximize the impact of charitable dollars by focusing on race, equity, diversity, and inclusion in its work, and it aims to increase and diversify opportunities.
NVF provides operational expertise and support to leaders, allowing them to focus on driving change.
Its projects are designed to have a positive impact on communities and the world.
The fund supports initiatives such as the Media Democracy Fund, which works to create conditions for an open and secure media, and Governing for Impact, which develops regulatory ideas and legal analysis to advance the public interest.
New Venture Fund has also been a principal source of funding for Water.org to research and develop new approaches to provide access to safe water and sanitation.
This funding has allowed for the acceleration of access to safe water in new markets and the successful empowerment of more people more quickly, while also decreasing philanthropic costs per person reached.
Additionally, the fund supports projects that uphold election integrity, ensure trusted elections, and improve the social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health of children.
Perspectives
Role in Social and Environmental Impact
The New Venture Fund (NVF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that provides fiscal sponsorship and project management to promote a healthier and more equitable world across social and environmental issues.
NVF focuses on maximizing the impact of charitable dollars by prioritizing race, equity, diversity, and inclusion within its culture and work.
The fund supports various projects, including the Media Democracy Fund, which aims to create an open and secure media, and Governing for Impact, which develops legal analysis for public interest.
NVF has been a key funder for Water.org, enabling research and development of new solutions for safe water and sanitation, and supports initiatives for election integrity and children’s mental health.
Criticism and Funding Transparency
The New Venture Fund is part of a Democratic “dark money” network administered by Arabella Advisors and serves as a fiscal sponsor for left-leaning political projects.
The fund has been criticized for obscuring information about the numerous subsidiary groups it sponsors and has been described as a “pass-through agency funneling millions of dollars in grants for wealthy donors to opaque groups with minimal disclosure.”
Between 2020 and 2021, the New Venture Fund, along with the Windward Fund, reportedly gave $473,000 to the Alliance for Global Justice, a group with alleged links to a militant organization.
Tax filings from 2024 indicate that the New Venture Fund contributed nearly $18 million to the law firm Sher Edling since 2021, which has filed lawsuits against oil companies on behalf of Democratic-run states and cities.
The National Democratic Institute (NDI) is a nonprofit, non-governmental organization that supports and strengthens democratic institutions globally.
Established in 1983, NDI’s mission is to foster citizen participation, promote openness and accountability in government, and safeguard elections.
The NDI partners with local groups in 130 countries and territories, sharing knowledge and expertise to advance democratic development.
It also works to uphold the principles outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The NDI was created by the United States government through the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) to provide grants for democratic initiatives in developing nations.
It is formally nonpartisan and does not participate in U.S. elections or operate within the United States.
NDI’s work has included anti-corruption efforts in the Hemisphere and support for democratic principles in Northern Ireland during the 1980s.
The organization has also expressed concern over acts that intimidate or constrain citizen election observers.
Perspectives
Critiques of NDI’s funding and operations
The National Democratic Institute receives significant government grants but allegedly funnels money back to Democratic Party affiliates and insiders, raising concerns about transparency and the potential misuse of taxpayer funds.
The NDI is part of a structure, including the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), that allows it to maintain influence across party lines and has a long-standing relationship with U.S. intelligence agencies, reflecting a bipartisan funding approach.
These organizations, established by Reagan, are seen as arms of USAID and the CIA, allowing them to engage in “whole of society” models and exert influence on the ground through non-governmental organizations.
The National Endowment for Democracy (NED), with which NDI is associated, has been criticized for engaging in “political CIA-adjacent black ops” to counter “Trumpism” and Trump-aligned governments globally.
NDI’s stated mission and nonpartisan nature
The National Democratic Institute is a non-profit, nonpartisan, nongovernmental organization that supports democratic institutions worldwide through citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government.
NDI works with local partners in 130 countries and territories, bringing together individuals and groups to share ideas, knowledge, and expertise in democratic development.
The organization’s multinational approach emphasizes that while no single democratic model exists, core principles are shared by all democracies, and its work upholds the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
NDI has worked to strengthen democratic institutions and practices by building political and civic organizations, safeguarding elections, and promoting citizen participation, openness, and accountability in government.
The International Republican Institute (IRI) is an American nonprofit organization founded in 1983.
It is funded and supported by the U.S. federal government through grants from the U.S. State Department, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
The IRI is also a United Nations-partnered organization that conducts international political and institutional programs.
It was initially known as the National Republican Institute for International Affairs.
Less than one percent of its funding comes from private donations, and it does not receive money from the Republican Party.
The public mission of the IRI is to advance freedom and democracy worldwide by assisting political parties to become more issue-based and responsive, helping citizens participate in government planning, and increasing the role of marginalized groups, such as women and youth, in the political process.
For more than 40 years, the IRI has aimed to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous by equipping partners with the tools to build successful democratic societies.
The organization develops political parties, civic institutions, open elections, good governance, and the rule of law.
The IRI operates globally, providing training and assistance to political parties.
It has conducted activities such as pre-election assessment missions, nationwide polls, and evaluations of political party development programs.
For example, the IRI conducted a pre-election assessment mission in Bangladesh from October 20-24, 2025, and an evaluation of its political party development program in Tunisia, which focused on improving internal party structures, communication, constituent outreach, strategic planning, and campaign tactics.
Perspectives
Promoter of Democracy and Transparency
The IRI is a nonpartisan organization that advances freedom and democracy worldwide through developing political parties, civic institutions, open elections, democratic governance, and the rule of law.
The IRI’s public mission is to help political parties become more issue-based and responsive, assist citizens in participating in government planning, and increase the role of marginalized groups in the political process.
For over 40 years, the IRI has worked to make America safer, stronger, and more prosperous by enabling partners to build successful democratic societies.
The IRI encourages democracy where it is absent, helps make democracy more effective where it is in danger, and shares best practices where democracy is flourishing.
Accused of Foreign Interference and Undermining Democratic Choice
The IRI has been repeatedly accused of foreign interference and was implicated in the 2004 Haitian coup d’état, which destabilized the democratically-elected government of Jean Bertrand-Aristide.
The organization is a federally-funded, nonprofit political group backed by powerful Republicans close to the Bush administration.
While the IRI states it plays no role in U.S. domestic politics, the majority of its board members are drawn from the Republican Party.
Part of a network of secret societies controlling global affairs
The Royal Institute for International Affairs is described as an executive arm of the Committee of 300, which controls global affairs through various secret societies, including the Club of Rome, the Sini Foundation, the Mont Pelerin Society, and the Order of St. John.
This organization advises the United States government, and every Secretary of State appointed since 1919 has been selected by the Royal Institute for International Affairs, undermining the idea of democratic choice.
The Solidarity Center is a global nonprofit organization established in 1997 by the AFL-CIO, which is the largest federation of labor unions in the United States.
It is recognized as the largest U.S.-based international workers' rights organization, operating as an independent nonprofit dedicated to supporting workers worldwide.
The organization promotes core labor rights, safe workplaces, fair wages, dignity on the job, and democratic union representation.
The Solidarity Center’s mission is to empower workers to advocate for themselves and ensure they receive the rewards of their labor, including decent paychecks, benefits, respect, and fair treatment.
Its programs are active in over 60 countries and focus on areas such as human and worker rights awareness, union skills, occupational safety and health, economic literacy, combating human trafficking, and women’s empowerment.
The organization partners with more than 400 labor unions, worker associations, and community groups to provide education, training, research, and legal support.
A significant portion of the Solidarity Center’s funding, more than 96%, comes from the United States federal government, primarily through entities like the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
The organization also receives funding from private foundations and is allied with the U.S. labor movement.
It is legally registered as a 501(c)(5) labor organization, a designation for educational or instructive organizations created to improve working conditions.
Perspectives
Positive Impact and Progressive Evolution
The Solidarity Center was established to address past issues with earlier international labor organizations and to consolidate them to provide positive support for workers globally.
The organization works to promote awareness of human and workers' rights, union skills, occupational safety and health, and women’s empowerment in over 60 countries.
The Solidarity Center partners directly with workers to help them organize, speak out, and create real change, ensuring that hard work is rewarded and workplaces are safe.
The AFL-CIO recognizes the Solidarity Center’s role in the fight for global justice and encourages participation in its programs and campaigns.
Continuity with Past Practices and Government Influence
Despite the consolidation into the Solidarity Center, questions remain about whether this truly represents a break from the AFL-CIO’s international operations, which were criticized for aligning with U.S. state foreign policy during the Cold War.
During the Cold War, the AFL-CIO’s foreign policy was criticized for destabilizing governments targeted by the U.S. state for regime change or helping stabilize U.S. client regimes.
The majority of the Solidarity Center’s funding, over 96 percent, comes from the United States federal government, primarily through USAID and the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), raising questions about the organization’s independence.
The Center for International Private Enterprise (CIPE) strengthens democracy globally through private enterprise and market-oriented reform in various countries.
Established in 1983, CIPE is a non-profit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED).
CIPE works directly with the private sector in developing countries to promote democratic and market-oriented economic reform. It is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and maintains a network of partners in over 70 countries, with field offices and representatives in more than 20 countries, including a Europe regional office in Bratislava and an Africa Hub in Lagos, Nigeria.
CIPE’s mission involves fostering institutions essential to market-oriented democracies, increasing private-sector engagement in the democratic process, and enhancing public- and private-sector transparency and accountability.
The organization supports local initiatives, providing management assistance, practical experience, and financial aid to strengthen local organizations’ capacity for democratic and economic reforms.
Key program areas for CIPE include enterprise ecosystems, democratic governance, business advocacy, and anti-corruption and ethics.
CIPE’s programs are supported by organizations such as the National Endowment for Democracy, the U.S. Agency for International Development, and the Middle East Partnership Initiative.
In August 2025, CIPE held a Critical Minerals Conference in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to develop strategies to protect mineral-rich countries from authoritarian investment and to bolster the economic resilience of both private and public-sector actors.
CIPE also collaborates with organizations such as RFE/RL, the International Republican Institute (IRI), and the National Democratic Institute (NDI) to address challenges in Central and Eastern Europe.
CIPE’s work also includes legal and regulatory reform, promoting access to information, and initiating corporate governance programs to educate leaders and the public on fairness, accountability, responsibility, and transparency.
The Center for International Media Assistance (CIMA) is an initiative of the National Endowment for Democracy (NED) in the United States, established in late 2006 or 2007 with a grant from the State Department.
It functions as a think tank, research, and advisory initiative based in Washington, D.C.
CIMA’s mission is to improve the development of independent media worldwide and to strengthen support for such development.
It highlights efforts to enhance media quality and capacity, focusing on effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and funding in developing countries and emerging democracies.
CIMA works to build a foundation of knowledge for media development donors, implementers, and civil society actors on best practices and solutions to improve media systems, as it believes media plays an essential role in building sustainable democracies.
The center provides information, builds networks, conducts research, and organizes events and discussions around media reform and sustainability.
Its work includes offering insights to combat gender inequality, promote inclusive media practices, address misinformation laws, and ensure the financial viability of journalism.
CIMA’s primary clients are media professionals, scholars, and organizations dedicated to fostering independent and effective journalism globally.
Previous discussion topics for CIMA have included foreign aid, philanthropy, changes in media systems, Internet governance, and the future of news.
The organization also publishes policy reports and studies, including “International Media Development: Historical Perspectives and New Frontiers” and “Confronting the Crisis in International Media: A Role for International Assistance.”
Nick Benequista, a media development specialist, rejoined CIMA at NED in September 2021 to serve as its senior director.
