UNRWA USA
UNRWA USA is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that raises funds and advocates for UNRWA's humanitarian work serving 5.9 million Palestine refugees across the Middle East, mobilizing American donors, signature Gaza 5K events, and coalitions of 104-124 civil society organizations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2013
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What UNRWA USA does
UNRWA USA National Committee is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Washington, DC, established in 2005 and rebranded from American Friends of UNRWA in 2013. It serves as the designated US National Committee for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), functioning as a fundraising and advocacy vehicle that channels American donor support to UNRWA's humanitarian operations serving 5.9 million Palestine refugees across Gaza, the West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan. Its core programs include the Gaza 5K signature fundraising walk/run events (raising $250,000-$263,000 per event), the University Scholarship Fund for Palestine refugee students in Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria, the Orphan Sponsorship program, and the Solidarity Sustainers monthly recurring giving program. The organization also operates supplementary engagement products including the Voices of UNRWA storytelling blog, the Let's Talk UNRWA live speaker series, and a merchandise e-commerce storefront.
UNRWA USA generates revenue entirely through philanthropic donations, with no fees charged for services. Donation streams include general one-time giving, recurring monthly subscriptions (Solidarity Sustainers and Orphan Sponsorship), event participation fees, Zakat (Islamic charitable giving), university scholarship designations, and merchandise sales. Online donations are processed through the Classy platform with PCI Level 1 compliance, with donors choosing their own giving amounts rather than fixed tiers. The organization also runs Capitol Hill advocacy campaigns and Capitol Hill visits, building coalitions of 104-124 civil society organizations for joint advocacy letters to Congress and the State Department.
The go-to-market motion is grassroots and event-driven, combined with direct-to-consumer digital fundraising. Since October 2023, UNRWA USA scaled its donor community from 7,000 to over 200,000 people, raising more than $100 million cumulatively in UNRWA-led humanitarian assistance. The organization is governed by a Board of Directors chaired by Dr. Rajaie Batniji, with Mara Kronenfeld serving as Executive Director. The team is small (1-10 employees per firmographic data), but operational impact is amplified by coalition partnerships with major civil society organizations, artist collaborations (including Macklemore), and speaking tours featuring Palestinian photojournalist Motaz Azaiza.
UNRWA USA firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- UNRWA USA
- Legal name
- UNRWA USA National Committee
- Website
- https://unrwausa.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2013
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- UNRWA USA is a Washington, DC-based nonprofit that raises funds and advocates for UNRWA's humanitarian work serving 5.9 million Palestine refugees across the Middle East, mobilizing American donors, signature Gaza 5K events, and coalitions of 104-124 civil society organizations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
UNRWA USA industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Humanitarian Aid Fundraising
- NAICS
- Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Emergency and Other Relief Services (624230), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Educational Support Services (611710)
- akta.pro primary industry
- United Nations System & Specialized Agencies (BPADAAAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights (BPADAGAH), Disaster Relief & Humanitarian Aid Volunteering (EDAIAGAF), Volunteer Program Funding, Scholarships & Fundraising Support (EDAIAGAO), Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)
Keywords
Where UNRWA USA is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
UNRWA USA business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: UNRWA USA is a nonprofit that raises funds to support UNRWA's humanitarian work. Revenue comes entirely from donations including general donations, event participation fees, merchandise sales, and recurring giving programs like Solidarity Sustainers.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | General Donation |
| Subscription | Monthly | Solidarity Sustainers (Recurring Giving) |
| Subscription | Monthly | Orphan Sponsorship |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Give Zakat |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Give to Students (University Scholarship) |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels9 records
UNRWA USA product offering
Product offeringCore offering
UNRWA USA is the US National Committee for UNRWA that raises funds from American donors to support UNRWA's humanitarian operations for 5.9 million Palestine refugees. It accepts one-time and recurring donations, runs signature Gaza 5K fundraising events, channels targeted giving (orphans, students, Zakat), and operates storytelling, advocacy, and merchandise programs — all directed at supporting UNRWA's education, healthcare, and emergency response work in the Middle East.
Product overview
UNRWA USA is a nonprofit organization (not a technology company) that supports the humanitarian work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). Its offerings include: the Gaza 5K events program for fundraising and mental health support; the University Scholarship Fund for Palestine refugee students; monthly giving through Solidarity Sustainers; orphan sponsorship; the Voices of UNRWA storytelling blog; and the Let's Talk UNRWA speaker series. The organization does not offer a software product, platform, or technology solution.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Gaza 5K: Signature fundraising event providing mental health support for Palestine refugee children in Gaza
- Voices of UNRWA
- Solidarity Sustainers
- Let's Talk UNRWA
- UNRWA Alumni
- Refugee Council
Products and services
- Gaza 5K Events
Quantifiable outcome
- Donor community grew from 7,000 to 200,000+ since October 2023
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use UNRWA USA
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
UNRWA USA technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
UNRWA USA partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered primary, secondary, core and supporting.
- UNRWAprimaryUNRWA USA is the US National Committee for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees. The organization provides fundraising, advocacy, and grassroots support to advance UNRWA's humanitarian mission serving 5.9 million Palestine refugees across Gaza, West Bank, Syria, Lebanon, and Jordan.
- NaTakallamsecondaryPartner platform connecting displaced people and refugees with online work opportunities, particularly language instruction. UNRWA USA promotes NaTakallam's Arabic classes as an option for supporters wanting to learn directly from refugee teachers.
- Refugees InternationalcoreLed coalition of 104 civil society organizations including Refugees International to urge Trump Administration to include UNRWA in Gaza's recovery plans.
- Arab American Institute (AAI)coreCoalition partner in joint letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio advocating for UNRWA's inclusion in Gaza recovery and restoration of US funding.
- Friends Committee on National LegislationcoreCoalition partner advocating for restoration of US government funding to UNRWA through legislative channels.
- Peace ActionsupportingCoalition partner in letter to Congress urging support for the UNRWA Funding Emergency Restoration Act of 2025.
- Charity & Security NetworksupportingCoalition partner in advocacy efforts for UNRWA funding restoration.
- A New PolicysupportingCoalition partner in advocacy efforts for UNRWA funding restoration.
- MacklemoresecondaryArtist who created charity tracks dedicated to UNRWA USA, including 'Hind's Hall 2,' directing 100% of streaming royalties to support Palestine refugees.
- AneessecondaryArtist collaborator on fundraising campaigns supporting UNRWA USA's humanitarian work.
- MC AbdulsecondaryArtist collaborator on charity tracks directing streaming royalties to support Palestine refugees through UNRWA USA.
- Motaz AzaizacorePalestinian photojournalist from Gaza who documented the humanitarian situation through content created for UNRWA USA. Completed two nationwide speaking and fundraising tours ('Gaza Through My Lens') across US cities helping raise millions for Gaza relief.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
UNRWA USA competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- UN Foundation: The UN Foundation is a major US-based fundraising and advocacy entity created to support UN causes, including managing several national-committee-style relationships. It is a direct structural peer to UNRWA USA in channeling American donor support into UN-led humanitarian work.
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): The IRC is a major US-headquartered humanitarian organization focused on refugee crisis response globally. Comparable to UNRWA USA in targeting American donors for refugee support, running grassroots advocacy, and operating multi-channel fundraising.
- UNICEF USA: UNICEF USA is the US National Committee for the UN Children's Fund, functioning as a fundraising and advocacy arm of a UN agency—directly comparable in structure, mission, and donor-constituency model to UNRWA USA's role for UNRWA.
- USA for UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency): USA for UNHCR is the US National Committee for the UN Refugee Agency, raising private funds and advocating for refugee programs globally. It is the closest functional peer to UNRWA USA, operating the same national-committee-for-UN-agency model.
- American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera): Anera is a US-based nonprofit providing humanitarian aid and development programs specifically for Palestinian refugees and other populations in the Middle East, overlapping geographically and programmatically with UNRWA's beneficiary footprint.
- Doctors Without Borders / MSF-USA: MSF-USA is the US fundraising arm of Médecins Sans Frontières, an independent humanitarian medical organization. It is a strong peer in running large-scale US grassroots fundraising, signature events, and advocacy around emergency humanitarian response.
Broad incumbents
- Mercy Corps: Mercy Corps is a US-headquartered global humanitarian organization focused on crisis response and economic development in conflict-affected regions, with strong individual-donor fundraising in the US market.
- CARE: CARE is a major US-based international humanitarian organization fighting global poverty with emergency response, women's empowerment, and signature fundraising campaigns (e.g., Walk In Her Shoes). Comparable as a broad incumbent in individual-donor-driven humanitarian fundraising.
- American Red Cross: The American Red Cross is the dominant US humanitarian aid nonprofit with broad disaster response, recurring giving, and signature-event fundraising. Comparable as a broad incumbent in the same donor-facing humanitarian space, though with a much wider portfolio.
- Save the Children: Save the Children is a large US-anchored international NGO running child-focused humanitarian and education programs globally. Comparable to UNRWA USA in serving refugee children's education, health, and emergency needs while raising funds from American individual donors.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
UNRWA USA social profiles
Digital presenceUNRWA USA financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
UNRWA USA leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
UNRWA USA subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
UNRWA USA funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
UNRWA USA M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about UNRWA USA
What does UNRWA USA do?
UNRWA USA is the US National Committee for UNRWA that raises funds from American donors to support UNRWA's humanitarian operations for 5.9 million Palestine refugees. It accepts one-time and recurring donations, runs signature Gaza 5K fundraising events, channels targeted giving (orphans, students, Zakat), and operates storytelling, advocacy, and merchandise programs — all directed at supporting UNRWA's education, healthcare, and emergency response work in the Middle East.
Is UNRWA USA a public or private company?
UNRWA USA is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was UNRWA USA founded?
UNRWA USA was founded in 2013. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is UNRWA USA based?
UNRWA USA is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does UNRWA USA make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Fundraising.
Who are UNRWA USA's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are UN Foundation, International Rescue Committee (IRC), UNICEF USA, USA for UNHCR (UN Refugee Agency), American Near East Refugee Aid (Anera) and Doctors Without Borders / MSF-USA. Broad incumbents are Mercy Corps, CARE, American Red Cross and Save the Children.
Does UNRWA USA have an API?
No public API is recorded for UNRWA USA.
What industry is UNRWA USA in?
UNRWA USA's product category is Humanitarian Aid Fundraising. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPADAAAA, United Nations System & Specialized Agencies, with a secondary code of BPADAGAH, Minority, Indigenous & Disability Rights. Its NAICS code is 81321.