Three Affiliated Organizations, One Mission

PAAIA's community building, image building and influence building activities are carried out and/or funded by two affiliated nonprofit organizations: PAAIA which is a 501(c)(4) organization, and PAAIA Fund which is a 501(c)(3) organization. As a social welfare organization, PAAIA engages in issue advocacy and lobbying activities, including advocacy on behalf of political candidates. Although not currently in existence, in the near future PAAIA will also create an affiliated Political Action Committee for the purpose of endorsing political candidates who are attuned to the interests and concerns of the Iranian American community, and making political contributions to them.

PAAIA Fund is an educational non-profit organization that funds policy studies and a broad array of activities intended to educate Iranian Americans about the political process and issues of interest to them. PAAIA Fund also funds activities intended to educate U.S. policy makers and the American public at large about the Iranian American community.

To maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of their operations, PAAIA affiliated organizations are governed by overlapping boards of directors and share employees and staff.

PAAIA's Governance Structure

The Board of Directors of PAAIA manages and directs the organization's affairs and policies. The Members of the Interim Board of Directors of PAAIA were elected by the organization's Trustees at the time of its founding, and shall serve for a one year term. Thereafter, members of the Board of Directors of PAAIA are elected by the organization's membership for two year terms, and may not serve in that capacity for more than two consecutive terms.

PAAIA has two types of Members: Trustees and General Members. In addition, Trustees must be U.S. citizens and General Members must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Trustees of PAAIA are persons who commit to contribute between $25,000 and $85,000 per year to the organization over a three year period. In contrast, General Members are individuals who commit to contribute amounts of up to $25,000 per year over a three year period or who otherwise pay the organization's annual membership dues of $75 ($25 for students members and seniors citizens.)

One half of the members of future Boards of Directors of PAAIA are required to be Trustees and the other half must be Regular Members of the organization. Directors of PAAIA must be U.S. citizens. All members of the Board, whether Trustees or General Members, must be elected by the full membership.