The UNICO Foundation Inc. is a non-profit 501(c)(3) Corporation. This
classification by the IRS allows various contributions to the Foundation to be tax-deductible. The Foundation was incorporated in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1962.

The purpose of the Foundation is to receive, accept and make gifts, donations, grants, award scholarships, fellowships and the like for charitable, educational, literary and religious purposes.

The Board of Trustees of the Foundation consists of eighteen members. The three members who are automatically members of the Board are: President, Executive Vice President and the Director of Scholarships of UNICO National. The remaining Trustees are elected for a three-year term by the regular members of the Foundation. The election will take place at the annual Convention. Any state with a Chapter can submit a candidate for the Board of Trustees. States having more than 500 members are allowed two members on the Board. At the National Convention, the Board of Trustees will meet and elect from its membership the following officers for a one year term: President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer.

Scholarships are our number one project. Each year the Foundation grants six scholarships. There is one for post-graduate study in medicine, and one for other post-graduate studies. The other four are for undergraduate studies for four years. We have made substantial grants to Cooley’s Anemia, mental health organizations and the V Foundation. We have raised large amounts of funds for earthquake victims in Italy in addition to other worthwhile causes. The Foundation has also been instrumental in raising funds for various Italian Studies Chairs at Seton Hall University (South Orange, NJ), Montclair State University (Little Falls/Montclair/Clifton, NJ), California State University at Long Beach, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook.

Every member of UNICO National is also a member of the Foundation.