United Palestinian Appeal

What United Palestinian Appeal does

United Palestinian Appeal (UPA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit humanitarian organization founded in 1978 by Palestinian-American businessmen and professionals, headquartered in Washington, D.C. with field operations in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt. The organization serves Palestinian refugees and vulnerable communities through four program areas: Emergency Response, Health and Wellness, Community and Economic Development, and Education. Core offerings include the Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund supporting 2,500+ students across 14 universities, primary care clinics operated with local partners such as the Near East Council of Churches (NECC), Mobile Medical Teams, the Healing Through Feeling mental health program, Small Business Development, agriculture initiatives, and Child-Friendly Spaces.

UPA does not operate technology products; its infrastructure consists of a Classy-powered online donation platform and standard digital channels (website, Facebook, Instagram, newsletters). The organization's revenue model is entirely donation-based, drawing from individual contributions (including the Circle of Hope monthly giving program), event fundraising (banquets and benefit concerts), workplace giving and corporate matching, the Team Iqraa running club partnership (which has raised over $230,000 since 2008), and grants from institutional partners such as Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA). The organization has earned Charity Navigator's 4-star rating for eight consecutive years and allocates 98% of expenses to programs.

The organization works through a distributed partnership model, executing programs via local NGOs and field staff embedded in the communities served. Leadership comprises Executive Director Saleem Zaru, a Board of Trustees including Frederick T. Hadeed, an International Advisory Council, and functional directors for Programs, Media and Marketing, and regional coordinators in Jordan and Gaza. With approximately 33 employees and a 45-year operating history, UPA combines long-standing institutional credibility with sustained field presence in geographies marked by ongoing humanitarian crises.

Name

United Palestinian Appeal

Legal name

United Palestinian Appeal, Inc.

Website

https://upaconnect.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1978

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

United Palestinian Appeal is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1978 that delivers humanitarian aid, healthcare, education scholarships, and economic development programs to Palestinian refugees and vulnerable communities across Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Humanitarian Aid Services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAFAB

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Civil Rights, Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations

Keywords

• Humanitarian aid
• Nonprofit programs
• Community development
• Emergency relief
• Health services

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington, DC

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: One-time and recurring donations from individual supporters, processed through secure online platform (Classy). Includes Circle of Hope monthly giving program.
2. Event Fundraising: Revenue from benefit concerts, banquets, and community events. The 40th Anniversary Banquet and Spring Benefit Concert are highlighted as major fundraising events.
3. Workplace Giving & Matching: Corporate workplace giving programs where employers match employee donations, expanding donor impact.
4. Team Iqraa Running Fundraisers: Partnership with running club that trains for marathons/half-marathons while raising funds for Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund. Since 2008, raised over $230,000.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

United Palestinian Appeal (UPA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that delivers humanitarian assistance and development programs to Palestinian communities. Its core work spans emergency response, health and wellness, community and economic development, education, and outreach initiatives, funded primarily through individual donations, event-based giving, workplace matching, and the Team Iqraa recurring giving program.

Product overview

United Palestinian Appeal is a nonprofit humanitarian organization offering a portfolio of social impact programs focused on health, education, community development, and emergency relief for Palestinians. The organization operates as a program-based nonprofit rather than a technology product company. Its core offerings include Emergency Response services, Health and Wellness programs (with the Healing Through Feeling mental health initiative), Community and Economic Development (including Small Business Development and Agriculture), Education programs (anchored by the Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund), and Outreach activities. Supporting initiatives include the IQRAA running club for fundraising, Mobile Medical Teams, and the Fortifying the Palestinian Medical Sector partnership. These programs work together to provide humanitarian assistance, build community capacity, and support sustainable development across Gaza, West Bank, Lebanon, Jordan, and Egypt.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund: Scholarship program for Palestinian students renamed in 2018 from University Scholarship Program
• Healing Through Feeling Program
• Team Iqraa
• Fortifying the Palestinian Medical Sector (FPMS)

Products and services

• Emergency Response Humanitarian relief program that provides rapid assistance to Palestinian communities affected by emergencies and crises.
• Health and Wellness
• Community and Economic Development
• Education
• Outreach

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 2,500 students supported through scholarship program since inception
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments6 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, major and minor.

• Islamic Relief USA (IRUSA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 May 2022IRUSA awarded a generous grant to UPA supporting the beleaguered Palestinian medical sector. This award funds interventions at hospital and primary care levels, shoring up emergency department resources, addressing critical equipment needs in hospital maternity wards, and providing primary care clinics with medical supplies and pharmaceuticals.
• Near East Council of Churches (NECC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPA supports NECC-operated primary care clinics in remote areas like Shajaia serving 120,000+ residents. NECC provides healthcare services to marginalized Palestinians unable to afford medical care.
• A. M. Qattan FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUPA partnered with Qattan Foundation to establish 'Child-Friendly Spaces' in six disadvantaged areas in Gaza, offering cultural and educational services to boost children's self-confidence and improve life skills.
• Al Kamandjati AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide music lessons to young Palestinian refugees in West Bank and Lebanon, enabling creative expression and celebrating culture and heritage. Currently providing lessons to students aged 5-10.
• ClassycoreTechnology or IntegrationClassy provides secure online donation processing platform for UPA, enabling encrypted credit card donations through secure servers.
• American Psychological Association (APA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLicensing agreement signed in 2015 granting UPA full rights to translate, print and distribute APA's children's books in Arabic for the Healing Through Feeling program. Over 27,000 copies arrived in Gaza.
• Mahmoud Darwish FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration to rename UPA's University Scholarship Program to Mahmoud Darwish Scholarship Fund in honor of the poet's literary legacy.
• Key Bridge MarriottminorOthersVenue partner for 40th Anniversary Banquet in Arlington, VA, offering discounted room rates for attendees.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MA'AN Development Center: Palestinian civil society organization working on community development, education, and economic empowerment in the West Bank and Gaza. Operates the same programmatic areas (small business, agriculture, education) as UPA in overlapping geographies.
• Anera (American Near East Refugee Aid): US-based nonprofit supporting Palestinian communities and refugees across the Middle East with health, education, and economic development programs. Nearly identical operational footprint and program mix to UPA.
• Islamic Relief USA: US-based humanitarian nonprofit and explicit UPA partner (IRUSA-funded FPMS initiative). Operates similar faith-rooted humanitarian programs including emergency response, healthcare, and education across the Middle East.
• Palestine Children's Relief Fund (PCRF): US-based 501(c)(3) humanitarian organization focused specifically on Palestinian children, providing medical care and humanitarian aid in the same geographies as UPA. Highly comparable in mission, donor base, and program portfolio.

Broad incumbents

• Mercy Corps: Global humanitarian organization operating in conflict-affected regions with comparable emergency response, economic development, and health programs. Larger scale and broader geographic scope than UPA.
• International Rescue Committee: Large international humanitarian NGO providing emergency relief, healthcare, and economic recovery programs in conflict zones globally. Comparable in emergency response model and global donor base, though broader than UPA's regional focus.
• Oxfam America: US affiliate of Oxfam with humanitarian, development, and advocacy programs including Middle East work. Comparable as a multi-sector NGO combining emergency response, economic development, and rights-based advocacy.
• American Friends Service Committee (AFSC): Large Quaker-affiliated humanitarian and human rights organization running refugee assistance and Middle East programs. Comparable in mission scope, though broader geographically.
• UNRWA: United Nations agency mandated to support Palestinian refugees across the same five geographies where UPA operates. The dominant incumbent in UPA's service population with a vastly larger resource base.
• Catholic Relief Services: Major US-based faith-rooted humanitarian organization with extensive Middle East programming including Palestinian territories. Comparable in the faith-rooted NGO structure and multi-sector humanitarian programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/upaconnect
• Instagraminstagram.com/upaconnect
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/upaconnect

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about United Palestinian Appeal