"In most all of those countries, we work with the ruling party, the opposition parties, we work with the government, we work with civil society," said Wollack.

However, field-based groups sometimes are vulnerable to opposition from host governments.

The Republican IRI and Democratic NDI left Russia last year under pressure from President Vladimir Putin's government.

Melinda Haring, a former NDI program officer in Azerbaijan, and now with the Foreign Policy Research Institute, said field-based democratic aid should be used only in partly-free countries.

"When you're in a place like Kazakhstan or Uzbekistan or Azerbaijan or even Russia, you have to pay the piper. You can't implement programs that really challenge the regime," said Haring.

Wollack points to numerous successes in which his agency has been involved, though, including this year's elections in Kenya, which were far more peaceful than previous ballots. "And a lot of effort was made in promoting dialogue between political parties, dialogue between the election authorities and parties, engaging youth constructively in the political process."

Gershman admitted that democracy often is slow to take root, but it has global demand. "Even in difficult countries like Saudi Arabia, or in North Korea, there are people, even there, who are trying to take the next step toward democracy. Over time, given enough time, I do think it's inevitable. I do think it's inevitable."