United Nations Association of the USA

What United Nations Association of the USA does

United Nations Association of the USA (UNA-USA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1943 to educate, inspire, and mobilize Americans in support of the United Nations and a strong US-UN partnership. Headquartered at 1750 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 300 in Washington DC, the organization operates as a sister organization of the United Nations Foundation (since 2011) and partners with the Better World Campaign, with both entities jointly claiming to be the largest network of UN advocates in the world. UNA-USA is also a member of the World Federation of UNAs (WFUNA).

The organization's product surface is advocacy- and education-focused rather than technology-focused. Core offerings include the Youth Observer to the United Nations annual program (launched 2012), the Fellowship Initiative providing grants of up to $13,000 for Americans interning at UN agencies, the MyDiplomat Model UN program, the Global Goals Ambassadors Program, and signature annual events including the Leadership Summit, Advocacy Summit in Washington DC, and Global Engagement Summit at UN Headquarters in New York. Distribution is anchored by a grassroots network of 270+ community and campus chapters across 46+ states and territories, supported by digital channels including the unausa.org website, the Passport membership portal, the UNA-USA On Demand video hub, and active social media presence on X, Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

The revenue model is a hybrid of recurring membership dues, tax-deductible donations, partnerships/sponsorships, and grants. Nine membership tiers range from a free GenUN category for ages 14-17 to a $1,000 Lifetime tier, with a policy change effective May 1, 2025 now requiring all adult members (18+) to pay annual dues. The organization employs a small professional staff team led by Executive Director Faith Akovi Cooper and is governed by an elected volunteer National Council with regional leadership across the United States.

Name

United Nations Association of the USA

Legal name

United Nations Association of the USA

Website

https://unausa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1943

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Nations Association of the USA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization founded in 1943 that mobilizes 20,000+ Americans across 270+ chapters to advocate for a strong US-UN partnership, supported by membership dues, donations, and a sister-organization relationship with the United Nations Foundation.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Advocacy and Education Services

NAICS

Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations (8139), Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Educational Services (8200), International Affairs (9721), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

United Nations System & Specialized Agencies (BPADAAAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB), Model United Nations (MUN) (EDAMAGAB), Leadership, Debate & Model UN Camps (EDAMALAK)

Keywords

• Nonprofit advocacy services
• Global citizenship education
• Youth leadership programs
• Membership association
• Model UN programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues ranging from $25 to $1000 depending on tier, with options for students (GenUN free), young professionals ($25), standard ($50), and lifetime ($1000). Members receive voting rights, leadership eligibility, and full access to programs.
2. Donations: Tax-deductible donations to support operational support, delegate fund for conference attendance, fellowship initiative supporting interns at UN agencies (grants up to $13,000), and Eleanor Roosevelt Legacy Society planned giving.
3. Partnerships and Sponsorships: Organizational donations through partnerships and sponsorships, with dedicated pages for corporate and foundation partnerships.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

UNA-USA is a nonprofit membership and grassroots advocacy organization that mobilizes more than 20,000 Americans across 230+ chapters to support a strong US-UN partnership. The organization sells individual memberships at tiered dues, runs advocacy campaigns connecting supporters to Congress and the UN, and delivers educational and leadership programs including Model UN, the Youth Observer to the UN, Fellowship Initiative grants up to $13,000, and signature summits.

Product overview

UNA-USA offers a membership-based advocacy platform centered on mobilizing Americans to support the United Nations and its mission. The core offering includes programs such as the Fellowship Initiative providing internship opportunities at UN agencies, the Youth Observer to the UN program for young leaders, Model UN programs through MyDiplomat, and Global Goals Ambassador initiatives. The organization operates a network of over 270 chapters nationwide and hosts signature events including the annual Leadership Summit and Advocacy Summit. Additional offerings include the Delegate Fund for conference participation, the Fellowship Initiative grants providing up to $13,000 for UN internships, the Passport membership portal, and the On Demand video content hub. The advocacy platform enables members to contact Congress on issues including climate action, human rights, and UN funding.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• UNA-USA Individual Membership Annual individual membership program offering access to UN-related events on Capitol Hill, at the UN, and at the State Department, plus local chapter programming, voting rights, leadership eligibility, and publications such as PASSPORT and UNA-USA Today. Nine tiers range from free GenUN (ages 14-17) and $25 Young Professional/Fixed Income up to $1,000 Lifetime.
• UNA-USA Fellowship Initiative Program providing American college students, recent graduates, and first-year master's students with internship placements at UN agencies worldwide, supported by stipend grants up to $13,000 for travel and living expenses.
• Global Goals Ambassadors Program Member engagement program enabling participants to develop programming and communications at the national level to raise awareness and advance specific UN Sustainable Development Goals.
• Youth Observer to the UN Annual one-year leadership role for an American aged 18-25 to engage young Americans in UN work, connect youth voices to global policy dialogue, and bridge the gap between young Americans and the United Nations. Jarrett James Lash is the 14th Youth Observer.
• MyDiplomat / Model UN Program Model UN simulation program where students perform as ambassadors debating topics such as gender equality, climate action, and global health, available through the MyDiplomat mobile app and local UNA-USA chapters.
• Leadership Summit Annual signature event bringing together UNA-USA membership for leadership development, skills training, and advocacy with a theme focused on US-UN relationship strengthening. The 2026 Leadership Summit is scheduled for November 13-15.
• Advocacy Summit Annual advocacy event held in Washington, DC where members meet with congressional offices to advocate for the UN and US-UN partnership.
• UNA-USA On Demand On-demand video hub featuring recordings of UNA-USA programs including Week of Action, virtual town halls, and marquee event recordings, delivered via YouTube.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 20,000 members from more than 200 chapters across the country
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Better World CampaigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister organization working together to mobilize Americans to support the ideals and vital work of the United Nations. Together, UNA-USA and the Better World Campaign represent the single largest network of advocates and supporters of the United Nations in the world. Organizations work collaboratively on advocacy and awareness campaigns.
• United Nations FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNA-USA became a sister organization of the United Nations Foundation in 2011. The foundation provides organizational support and resources. UNA-USA operates under the Better World Fund, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit within the UN Foundation structure.
• Seton Hall UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partnership developing students in mind, heart and spirit. Seton Hall hosts the UN Community and offers summer programs for UNA-USA members interested in diplomacy and international relations.
• United Nations Federal Credit Union (UNFCU)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership serving the financial needs of the UN community worldwide. UNFCU offers special membership rates for UNA-USA members who are eligible for credit union membership.
• The Links, IncorporatedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization of professional women of African heritage committed to community service. Partnership focuses on linked friendship and connected service in supporting global engagement initiatives.
• Education FirstminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGlobal education company focused on inspiring new perspectives on the world. Partnership provides educational travel and exchange programming supporting UNA-USA's mission of global engagement.
• Congressional Black Caucus InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership dedicated to informing, inspiring, and igniting leadership development. Collaboration focuses on advocacy training and civic engagement initiatives.
• World Federation of UNAs (WFUNA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNA-USA is a part of the World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA), connecting UNA-USA to a global network of UN associations and enabling programming with UN champions worldwide.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Better World Campaign: UNA-USA's direct sister organization; together they form the single largest network of UN advocates in the world. Operates with overlapping mission and shared parent (UN Foundation), making it the closest structural and functional peer.
• World Federation of United Nations Associations (WFUNA): Global umbrella federation of which UNA-USA is a member. Operates the same core mission of mobilizing civil society for the UN across more than 100 countries, with comparable programs (Model UN, youth engagement, advocacy training).
• Amnesty International USA: Major US-based human rights advocacy organization with a similarly large individual membership base and grassroots chapter network. Comparable in mission (human rights, multilateral advocacy) and operational model (membership dues, donations, grassroots mobilization).
• UNICEF USA: National committee supporting a UN agency with a comparable US-based advocacy, fundraising, and youth engagement model. Operates the same UNICEF-UN partnership story, donor cultivation programs, and grassroots volunteer network.
• Citizens for Global Solutions: Smaller US advocacy organization focused on strengthening global governance and UN reform. Directly comparable mission (US-UN partnership, multilateralism advocacy) and member-based organizational model.

Broad incumbents

• United Nations Foundation: Parent affiliate that houses UNA-USA under the Better World Fund. Operates a much broader global advocacy and grantmaking portfolio with revenues orders of magnitude larger than UNA-USA, providing institutional infrastructure and donor pipeline.
• Human Rights Watch: Established global human rights advocacy organization operating in a closely adjacent space. Comparable in UN-focused advocacy, though its funding model is donation-driven rather than membership-fee based.
• CARE USA: Large US-based international development and humanitarian advocacy organization. Comparable in advocacy and member mobilization around global issues, but with a broader humanitarian focus beyond the UN system.
• Mercy Corps: Major US-based international development NGO with comparable global engagement and youth programming. Overlaps in advocacy on UN-related issues, with a broader operational footprint in humanitarian programming.

Emerging players

• Model United Nations International (MUN) ecosystem organizations (e.g., Best Delegate, MyDiplomat): Organizations focused specifically on Model UN programming that compete with UNA-USA's MyDiplomat offering for student engagement and educational market share in the same demographic.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/UNAUSA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/UNAUSA01
• Instagraminstagram.com/una.usa
• Facebookfacebook.com/UNAUSANational
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/united-nations-association-of-the-united-states-of-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about United Nations Association of the USA