About USAW
Governance and transparency
USAW is a new organization. This page states exactly what exists today, what is in development, and what is not yet due - including where that is less flattering than a fuller page would be.
Legal identity
Who USAW is, formally
| Legal name | United Sustainability Action for Women |
|---|---|
| Assumed name | Women and Sustainability Action Initiative - used for advertising and promotion only; the official name remains binding for the transaction of business. |
| Legal form | Nonprofit corporation, Louisiana Nonprofit Corporation Act |
| Principal office | New Orleans, LA, United States |
| EIN | Not yet issued. It will be published here, and in the footer of every page, as soon as it is. |
| IRS determination letter | Not yet received. USAW does not describe contributions as tax-deductible, and does not solicit donations, until the determination letter is in hand. |
Where we operate
Registration status
Registration status is published per country, including where it is still in progress.
United States
Chartered
Nonprofit corporation under the Louisiana Nonprofit Corporation Act, with its registered agent and principal office in New Orleans. Organized for educational and public, not-for-profit purposes under IRC Section 501(c)(3).
Ghana
In establishment
Operational presence being established. Ghanaian NGO recognition requires Registrar-General incorporation together with Department of Social Welfare registration; USAW will publish both reference numbers here once issued.
Canada
Planned
Registration planned during Phase 2 of the implementation strategy. Canada does not recognize United States charitable status, so a Canadian entity or qualified-donee arrangement is required before Canadian donations can be receipted locally.
Policies
Governance policy set
IRS Form 990 Part VI asks whether an organization holds each of these. Publishing them ahead of the first filing is deliberate.
| Policy | Status | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Bylaws | Adopted | Adopted by the Board; covers legal authority, membership, the Board, meetings, officers, committees, finance and audits, dissolution and amendment. |
| Articles of Incorporation | Adopted | Filed with the Louisiana Secretary of State. |
| Conflict of Interest Policy | In development | Required disclosure and recusal procedures for directors and officers. |
| Whistleblower Policy | In development | Protected reporting channel for concerns about conduct or financial management. |
| Document Retention and Destruction Policy | In development | Retention schedules for corporate, financial and programme records. |
| Gift Acceptance Policy | In development | Terms on which USAW accepts, declines and values non-cash gifts. |
| Safeguarding and PSEA Policy | In development | Protection from sexual exploitation and abuse, plus a code of conduct. Required by UN Women, the UN Trust Fund, UNDP and most EU and Nordic donors. |
| Ethical Storytelling and Image Consent Policy | In development | How USAW obtains and records consent for photographs and personal stories, and the dignity standard applied to them. |
| Data Protection Policy | In development | Covers GDPR, Quebec Law 25 and the Ghana Data Protection Act 2012 (Act 843), under which USAW must register as a data controller once it collects data in Ghana. |
| Donor Privacy Policy | Adopted | Published as part of our privacy policy. USAW does not sell, rent or trade donor data. |
Documents
Available for download
USAW Bylaws
The organizational bylaws adopted by the Board of Directors, covering legal authority, membership, the Board, meetings, officers, committees, finance and audits, dissolution and amendment.
Awaiting Board clearance for publication
Articles of Incorporation
USAW's articles of incorporation, filed with the Louisiana Secretary of State under the Nonprofit Corporation Act.
Awaiting Board clearance for publication
Concept Note and Strategic Framework
USAW's rationale, theory of change, governance structure, implementation strategy, results framework and risk register for the 2026–2036 strategic period.
Awaiting Board clearance for publication
Financials
Financial reporting
- Board-approved annual budget
- Forthcoming - first full budget year
- IRS Form 990
- Not yet due - first filing follows the first full fiscal year
- Independent audit
- Committed once revenue and operational scale warrant it, per Bylaws Article IX
- Quarterly financial reporting to the Board
- In place, per Bylaws Article IX
USAW's financial sustainability strategy diversifies revenue across grants, corporate and ESG partnerships, membership and social enterprise income, to avoid single-source dependency, and builds progressively toward an endowment covering core operating costs beyond Year 5.