Founding Member Organizations
These founding organizations are dedicated to creating a unified platform where Italian American groups can come together to discuss, debate, and act on the most important public policy issues facing our community. Through collaboration, we aim to foster unity, build consensus, and advance shared goals that uplift and empower Italian Americans nationwide.
The Columbus Citizens Foundation, founded in 1929, is a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving and promoting Italian-American heritage through cultural, educational, and philanthropic programs, with a focus on awarding scholarships and hosting signature events like the New York City Columbus Day Parade.
The National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), established in 1975, is a non-partisan nonprofit that advocates for Italian-Americans at the federal level, supports educational and cultural programs (scholarships, youth exchange, policy forums), and fosters ties between the U.S. and Italy.
NOIAW, founded in 1980, is a national network for professional Italian-American women, providing mentorship, scholarships, cultural programming, and advocacy to promote positive role models and counter ethnic stereotypes.
The Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America® (OSDIA) is the largest and oldest national organization for men and women of Italian heritage in the United States. Founded in 1905 as a mutual aid society for early Italian immigrants
The Commission for Social Justice (CSJ), established in 1979 as part of the Order, serves as an anti-defamation and “positive image” arm, monitoring media and advertising, responding to stereotyping of Italian-Americans, and producing educational materials to promote correct cultural representation.
The Sons of Italy Foundation (SIF) is the philanthropic arm of the Order, raising funds and granting scholarships, supporting charitable causes (such as Alzheimer’s, Cooley’s Anemia, autism), and funding cultural and educational initiatives to uplift Italian-American communities.
UNICO National, founded in 1922, is a national Italian-American service organization that mobilizes chapters across the U.S. to support charitable, educational, cultural, scientific, and civic projects (scholarships, Alzheimer’s research, anti-bias), under the motto “Service Above Self.”
The UNICO Foundation is the 501(c)(3) charitable counterpart to UNICO National, responsible for accepting donations, awarding scholarships, making grants, and supporting educational, literary, and cultural activities consistent with UNICO’s mission.