NEF, or the Network of European Foundations, is a Brussels-based organization that hosts Civitates, the European Democracy Fund. Established in 2018, Civitates is a philanthropic pooled fund dedicated to defending and promoting democracy and civic space across Europe. With a commitment of €20 million, it has supported over 60 organizations in 18 countries. Civitates focuses on three key areas: strengthening pro-democracy civil society organizations, addressing the impact of social media on disinformation, and fostering independent journalism. The organization operates with a small team and emphasizes evidence-based decision-making and collective learning to enhance its impact.