---
kind: "section"
citation: "22 U.S.C. § 10602"
title: "22"
title_heading: "Foreign Relations and Intercourse"
number: "10602"
heading: "United States Foundation for Natural Security and Counterterrorism"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/22/10602"
units:
  - "Chapter 113 — United States Foundation for International Conservation"
---

# §10602. United States Foundation for Natural Security and Counterterrorism

- (a) **Establishment—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 180 days after December 23, 2024, the [Secretary](/usc/22/10601.md?p=7) shall establish the United States [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) for Natural Security and Counterterrorism, which shall be operated as a charitable, nonprofit corporation.
  - (2) **Independence—** The [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) is not an agency or instrumentality of the United States Government.
  - (3) **Tax-exempt status—** The [Board](/usc/22/10601.md?p=2) shall take all necessary and appropriate steps to ensure that the [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) is an organization described in subsection (c) of [section 501 of title 26](/usc/26/501.md), which exempt the organization from taxation under [subsection (a)](/usc/22/501.md) of such section.
  - (4) **Termination of operations—** The [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) shall terminate operations on the date that is 10 years after the date on which the [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) becomes operational, in accordance with—
    - (A) a plan for winding down the activities of the [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) that the [Board](/usc/22/10601.md?p=2) shall submit to the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/22/10601.md?p=1) not later than 180 days before such termination date; and
    - (B) the bylaws established pursuant to [section 10603(b)(13) of this title](/usc/22/10603.md?p=b-13).
- (b) **Purposes—** The purposes of the [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) are—
  - (1) to provide grants for the responsible management of designated priority primarily protected and conserved areas in [eligible countries](/usc/22/10601.md?p=3) that have a high degree of biodiversity or species and ecosystems of significant ecological value;
  - (2) to promote responsible, long-term management of primarily protected and conserved areas and their contiguous buffer zones;
  - (3) to incentivize, leverage, accept, and effectively administer governmental and nongovernmental funds, including donations from the private sector, to increase the availability and predictability of financing for responsible, long-term management of primarily protected and conserved areas in [eligible countries](/usc/22/10601.md?p=3);
  - (4) to help close critical gaps in public international conservation efforts in [eligible countries](/usc/22/10601.md?p=3) by—
    - (A) increasing private sector investment, including investments from philanthropic entities; and
    - (B) collaborating with partners providing bilateral and multilateral financing to [support](/usc/22/7432.md?p=12) enhanced coordination, including public and private funders, partner governments, local protected areas authorities, and private and nongovernmental organization partners;
  - (5) to identify and financially [support](/usc/22/7432.md?p=12) viable projects that—
    - (A) promote responsible, long-term management of primarily protected and conserved areas and their contiguous buffer zones in [eligible countries](/usc/22/10601.md?p=3), including [support](/usc/22/7432.md?p=12) for the management of terrestrial, coastal, freshwater, and marine protected areas, parks, community conservancies, Indigenous reserves, conservation easements, and biological reserves; and
    - (B) provide effective area-based conservation measures, consistent with best practices and standards for environmental and social safeguards; and
  - (6) to coordinate with, consult, and otherwise [support](/usc/22/7432.md?p=12) and assist, governments, private sector entities, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and other [stakeholders](/usc/22/2152j–4.md?p=3) in [eligible countries](/usc/22/10601.md?p=3) in undertaking biodiversity conservation activities—
    - (A) to achieve measurable and enduring biodiversity conservation outcomes; and
    - (B) to improve local security, governance, food security, and economic opportunities.
- (c) **Plan of Action—**
  - (1) **In general—** Not later than 6 months after the establishment of the [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6), the [Executive Director](/usc/22/10601.md?p=5) shall submit for approval from the [Board](/usc/22/10601.md?p=2) an initial 3-year Plan of Action to implement the purposes of this chapter, including—
    - (A) a description of the priority actions to be undertaken by the [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) over the proceeding 3-year period, including a timeline for implementation of such priority actions;
    - (B) descriptions of the processes and criteria by which—
      - (i) [eligible countries](/usc/22/10601.md?p=3), in which [eligible projects](/usc/22/10601.md?p=4) may be selected to receive assistance under this chapter, will be identified;
      - (ii) grant proposals for [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) activities in [eligible countries](/usc/22/10601.md?p=3) will be developed, evaluated, and selected; and
      - (iii) grant implementation will be monitored and evaluated;
    - (C) the projected staffing and budgetary requirements of the [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6) during the proceeding 3-year period; and
    - (D) a plan to maximize commitments from private sector entities to fund the [Foundation](/usc/22/10601.md?p=6).
  - (2) **Submission—** The [Executive Director](/usc/22/10601.md?p=5) shall submit the initial Plan of Action to the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/22/10601.md?p=1) not later than 5 days after the Plan of Action is approved by the [Board](/usc/22/10601.md?p=2).
  - (3) **Updates—** The [Executive Director](/usc/22/10601.md?p=5) shall annually update the Plan of Action and submit each such updated plan to the [appropriate congressional committees](/usc/22/10601.md?p=1) not later that 5 days after the update plan is approved by the [Board](/usc/22/10601.md?p=2).

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 118–159, div. E, title LI, § 5102, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2410; Pub. L. 119–75, div. F, title VII, § 7034(k)(2), Feb. 3, 2026, 140 Stat. 571.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsec. (c)(1), was in the original “this title” and was translated as reading “this subtitle”, meaning subtitle A (§§ 5101–5109) of title LI of div. E of Pub. L. 118–159, Dec. 23, 2024, 138 Stat. 2410, known as the United States Foundation for International Conservation Act of 2024, which is classified generally to this chapter.

### Amendments

2026—Pub. L. 119–75, § 7034(k)(2)(A), substituted “Natural Security and Counterterrorism” for “International Conservation” in section catchline.

Subsec. (a)(1). Pub. L. 119–75, § 7034(k)(2)(B), substituted “Natural Security and Counterterrorism” for “International Conservation”.