URI’s primary governing body, the Global Council, is comprised of at least 24 Trustees, who are grassroots volunteers elected from – and by – URI Cooperation Circles. Each URI region selects three Trustees to serve on the Global Council for a four-year term, providing critical governance and oversight of URI’s operations, finances, and mission-related activities. In addition, At-Large Trustees are appointed as needed.
The Global Council is charged with helping guide URI’s fulfillment of its mission, as well as stewarding and supporting its long-term sustainability and strategic growth.
The purpose of the Senior Advisory Council (formerly the President's Council) is to be a group of influential, major URI supporters, who have relevant organizational wisdom, and who partner with the Global Council of Trustees and the Executive Director in providing guidance to URI's leadership.
The Foundation Board of Directors oversees URI's investments; monitors the endowment investment performance and the usage of the funds by URI to ensure compliance with the Investment and Spending policies; reviews and updates the Investment and Spending policies as necessary; and coordinates the relationship with investment advisors and managers to ensure optimal performance of the endowment and strategic reserves. The URI Foundation is an independent entity operating for charitable purposes as a support organization under 509(a)(3) of the IRS code.
The URI Foundation Investment Committee’s primary responsibility is oversight of URI’s investment advisor and the investment portfolio. The Committee’s members have deep investment advisory and management experience as broker/dealers or registered investment advisors. The Committee makes recommendations to the URI Foundation Board of Directors regarding changes in URI’s investment advisor, Investment, Socially Responsible Investing and Spending policies, and the endowment and strategic reserve portfolio asset allocation.
The Global Programs Team staff members are part of the Global Support Office (GSO) and work directly with Regional Staff.
Regional Staff anchor the network of Cooperation Circles around the world. They collaborate with elected regional trustees to uplift the work of and address the needs of current CCs, and to assist in the establishment of new CCs. Regional staff members are instrumental in helping CCs connect with one another regionally and globally for information exchange, inspiration, and collaboration.
The Global Support Office (GSO) is the core staff team that supports the URI network of Cooperation Circles and is responsible for the overall implementation of communications, fundraising, finances, and administration for URI.
