Title 22, Foreign Relations and IntercourseRelease 119-110

§10604 Corporate Powers and Obligations of the Foundation

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

Last updated Sep 22, 2026|Official source

Summary

The Foundation may do business in other countries. It must keep its main offices in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and must always have a designated agent in Washington, DC who can accept legal notices or court papers for it. Giving papers to that agent or mailing them to the agent’s business address counts as giving them to the Foundation. The Comptroller General may audit the Foundation under section 3523 of title 31. To carry out its purposes under section 10602(b) of this title, the Foundation has the usual powers of a Washington, DC corporation. That includes accepting and managing gifts and property in the United States; buying or receiving property; selling, leasing, investing, or otherwise handling property unless transfer rules forbid it; suing and defending itself in court (board members are not personally liable except for gross negligence); making contracts and payments; and awarding grants under section 10606 of this title. The United States is not responsible for the Foundation’s debts or court-ordered damages.

Full Legal Text

Title 22, §10604

Foreign Relations and Intercourse, Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)General authority

(1)In general

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)Notice and service of process

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)Audits

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)Authorities

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)Limitation of public liability

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

Sep 22, 2026

Release point: 119-110