Title 22 — Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-73

§10604 Corporate powers and obligations of the Foundation

Title 22 › Chapter CHAPTER 113— - UNITED STATES FOUNDATION FOR INTERNATIONAL CONSERVATION › § 10604

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Requires the Foundation to keep its main offices in the Washington, DC, metro area, to have a designated agent in Washington, DC who can accept legal papers, and to be open to audit by the Comptroller General under section 3523 of title 31. The Foundation may do business in other countries. Giving legal notice or serving process to that agent, or mailing it to the agent’s business address, counts as giving notice to the Foundation. Gives the Foundation the normal powers of a Washington, DC corporation to carry out its mission under section 10602(b). That includes accepting and managing gifts and property in the United States, acquiring or disposing of property, investing income, making contracts and payments with public or private groups, suing and defending itself (board members are not personally liable except for gross negligence), and awarding grants under section 10606. The United States is not responsible for the Foundation’s debts or legal judgments and is to be held harmless for any damages or awards against the Foundation.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §10604

Foreign Relations and Intercourse — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)The Foundation—

(A)may conduct business in foreign countries;

(B)shall have its principal offices in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area; and

(C)shall continuously maintain a designated agent in Washington, DC, who is authorized to accept notice or service of process on behalf of the Foundation.

(2)The serving of notice to, or service of process upon, the agent referred to in paragraph (1)(C), or mailed to the business address of such agent, shall be deemed as service upon, or notice to, the Foundation.

(3)The Foundation shall be subject to the general audit authority of the Comptroller General of the United States under section 3523 of title 31.

(b)In addition to powers explicitly authorized under this chapter, the Foundation, in order to carry out the purposes described in section 10602(b) of this title, shall have the usual powers of a corporation headquartered in Washington, DC, including the authority—

(1)to accept, receive, solicit, hold, administer, and use any gift, devise, or bequest, either absolutely or in trust, or real or personal property or any income derived from such gift or property, or other interest in such gift or property located in the United States;

(2)to acquire by donation, gift, devise, purchase, or exchange any real or personal property or interest in such property located in the United States;

(3)unless otherwise required by the instrument of transfer, to sell, donate, lease, invest, reinvest, retain, or otherwise dispose of any property or income derived from such property located in the United States;

(4)to complain and defend itself in any court of competent jurisdiction (except that the members of the Board shall not be personally liable, except for gross negligence);

(5)to enter into contracts or other arrangements with public agencies, private organizations, and persons and to make such payments as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of such contracts or arrangements; and

(6)to award grants for eligible projects, in accordance with section 10606 of this title.

(c)The United States shall not be liable for any debts, defaults, acts, or omissions of the Foundation. The Federal Government shall be held harmless from any damages or awards ordered by a court against the Foundation.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

22 U.S.C. § 10604

Title 22 — Foreign Relations and Intercourse

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73