Population Council Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
WE GENERATE IDEAS, PRODUCE EVIDENCE, AND DESIGN SOLUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF UNDERSERVED POPULATIONS AROUND THE WORLD. WE TAKE A MULTIDISCIPLINARY, INTERGENERATIONAL, LIFE-CYCLE APPROACH THAT CONTRIBUTES TO (SEE SCHEDULE O)FOUR GLOBAL GOALS, INCLUDING THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN THEM:1. ENSURE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, RIGHTS, AND CHOICES2. EMPOWER ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL3. ACHIEVE GENDER EQUALITY AND EQUITY4. PURSUE JUSTICE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES.
- Income
- $53.8 million
- Spending
- $62.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 80%
- Reserves
- 19.3 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 43%
- Employees
- 393
- Volunteers
- 15
- Highest pay
- $486,986, chief scientific officer, cbr
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 71 out of 100. Higher than 52% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 19.3 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 28% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 16% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 20% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1579% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2519 of 19 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (4)
- $25.3 million spent. ENSURE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, RIGHTS, AND CHOICES: THE POPULATION COUNCIL TACKLES INTERSECTING INEQUALITIES THAT UNDERMINE RIGHTS AND ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE. OUR RESEARCH AND PARTNERSHIPS ENSURE HIGH QUALITY, VOLUNTARY, ANDRIGHTS-BASED COMPREHENSIVE CARE. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE SCHEDULE O. EMPOWER ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL: THROUGH OUR GIRL INNOVATION, RESEARCH, AND LEARNING (GIRL) CENTER, THE POPULATION COUNCIL CARRIES FORWARD A GLOBAL AGENDA THAT WE HELPED DEFINE 25 YEARS AGO TO TRANSFORM THE LIVES OF ADOLESCENTS, ESPECIALLY GIRLS. ACHIEVE GENDER EQUALITY AND EQUITY: THE POPULATION COUNCIL TACKLES SOCIAL NORMS AND POWER IMBALANCES THAT UNDERLIE HARMFUL PRACTICES IMPACTING THE PHYSICAL, MENTAL, AND EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING OF INDIVIDUALS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN AND GIRLS. WE CONDUCT RESEARCH TO ADVANCE GENDER EQUITY BY TACKLING SOCIAL SYSTEMS AND POLICIES THAT PERPETUATE GENDER DISCRIMINATION, VIOLENCE, AND SYSTEMIC NEGLECT. PURSUE JUSTICE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES: THE POPULATION COUNCIL'S INITIATIVE ON POPULATION, ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS, AND THE CLIMATE CRISIS (PERCC) CONDUCTS RIGOROUS, INNOVATIVE, CROSS-DISCIPLINARY SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH; BUILDS PUBLICLY ACCESSIBLE DATASETS, TOOLS, AND MODELS; AND UTILIZES OUR FINDINGS AND INSIGHTS TO HELP SHAPE CLIMATE ADAPTATION POLICY AT EVERY LEVEL, FROM MUNICIPALITIES TO NATIONAL STRATEGIES AND UNITED NATIONS AGENCIES. 2024 KEY ACCOMPLISHMENTS: ENSURE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH, RIGHTS, AND CHOICES: WE GENERATE EVIDENCE-DRIVEN SOLUTIONS TO EXPAND PEOPLE'S CHOICES AND INCREASE ACCESS TO COMPREHENSIVE SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH (SRH) CARE.
- $24.1 million spent. DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE CONTRACEPTIVE, HIV PREVENTION, AND MULTIPURPOSE PREVENTION PRODUCTS: - SIGNING AN OPTION-TO-LICENSE AGREEMENT WITH CONTRALINE FOR THE NESTORONE/TESTOSTERONE MALE CONTRACEPTIVE GEL, THE FIRST MALE CONTRACEPTIVE TO REACH LATE-STAGE DEVELOPMENT. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE SCHEDULE O. - THE CREATION OF AN EARLY MARKET ACCESS VEHICLE TO ACCELERATE DISTRIBUTION OF THE 1-MONTH DAPIVIRINE VAGINAL RING (DVR), THE FIRST WOMAN-CONTROLLED HIV PREVENTION PRODUCT. THIS VEHICLE WILL INCREASE ACCESS TO THE 1-MONTH RING WHERE IT IS APPROVED FOR USE AS WELL AS SUPPORT THE ROLL-OUT OF THE RING IN ESWATINI. - COUNCIL RESEARCHERS SUCCESSFULLY DEMONSTRATED THAT A 3-MONTH DAPIVIRINE VAGINAL RING HAD A SUPERIOR DRUG RELEASE COMPARED TO THE 1-MONTH RING, OFFERING A MORE COST EFFECTIVE AND CONVENIENT HIV PREVENTION OPTION TO WOMEN. - IN PARTNERSHIP WITH EXELTIS, THE COUNCIL IS DEVELOPING A NON-HORMONAL MULTIPURPOSE INTRAVAGINAL RING TO PROVIDE WOMEN WITH A NON-HORMONAL OPTION TO PREVENT PREGNANCY, SEXUALLY TRANSMITTED INFECTIONS, AND/OR HIV. DESIGNING INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO ADDRESS VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN - THE COUNCIL'S BAOBAB RESEARCH PROGRAMME CONSORTIUM CONDUCTED THE WORLD'S FIRST HUMANITARIAN VIOLENCE AGAINST CHILDREN AND YOUTH SURVEYS IN UGANDA AND ETHIOPIA. IN COLLABORATION WITH THEIR RESPECTIVE GOVERNMENTS, BAOBAB RPC IS DESIGNING, TESTING, AND IMPLEMENTING INTERVENTIONS TO ADDRESS THE HIGH RATES OF VIOLENCE, INCLUDING SEXUAL VIOLENCE, IDENTIFIED IN THE SURVEYS. EMPOWER ADOLESCENTS AND YOUNG PEOPLE TO REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL: THE POPULATION COUNCIL IS WIDELY CREDITED FOR PUTTING ADOLESCENTS, PARTICULARLY ADOLESCENT GIRLS, ON THE GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT AGENDA MORE THAN 25 YEARS AGO. SINCE THEN, WE HAVE BUILT THE WORLD'S LARGEST BODY OF EVIDENCE ON GIRLS' UNIQUE NEEDS AND EXPERIENCES, AND WHAT WORKS TO EMPOWER GIRLS TO MAKE A HEALTHY TRANSITION TO ADULTHOOD. THE COUNCIL'S GIRL INNOVATION, RESEARCH, AND LEARNING (GIRL) CENTER AMPLIFIES THESE EFFORTS AND SUPPORTS PARTNERS TO USE DATA AND EVIDENCE TO STRENGTHEN THEIR ADOLESCENT-CENTERED PROGRAMS. - TO ENSURE INCLUSIVE AND EQUITABLE QUALITY EDUCATION AND PROMOTE LIFELONG LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES, INCLUDING FOR PREGNANT AND PARENTING GIRLS, COUNCIL RESEARCHERS HIGHLIGHT EFFECTIVE INITIATIVES THAT SHOULD BE CONSIDERED FOR SCALE-UP TO HELP OUT-OF-SCHOOL GIRLS FINISH THEIR EDUCATION. - EVIDENCE AND BEST PRACTICES FROM THE WORLD BANK-FUNDED SAHEL WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT AND DEMOGRAPHIC DIVIDEND (SWEDD) INITIATIVE IMPLEMENTED WITH SUPPORT FROM THE UNFPA REGIONAL WEST AND CENTRAL AFRICA OFFICE, THE GIRL CENTER AND OTHER TECHNICAL PARTNERS SHOWS THE POTENTIAL OF PROGRAMMING THROUGH SAFE SPACES AS PLACES OF LEARNING, EXCHANGE, AND EMPOWERMENT FOR GROUPS OF ADOLESCENT GIRLS. - WORKING WITH THE WORLD BANK AND THE CENTER FOR GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT, GIRL CENTER RESEARCHERS ARE MAKING A COMPREHENSIVE, DATA-DRIVEN CASE AND PROVIDING RECOMMENDATIONS ON HOW TO INVEST IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS TO GROW ECONOMIES IN AFRICA. - AS THE HOST FOR THE COALITION FOR ADOLESCENT GIRLS, THE GIRL CENTER AND PARTNERS UTILIZE DIGITAL AND IN-PERSON PLATFORMS AND NETWORKS TO AMPLIFY GIRLS' VOICES, THE VOICES OF GLOBAL SOUTH GIRL-CENTERED ORGANIZATIONS, AND ADVOCATE FOR INVESTMENTS AND PRIORITIES THAT IMPACT ADOLESCENT GIRLS MOST. ACHIEVE GENDER EQUALITY AND EQUITY: THE POPULATION COUNCIL COLLABORATES WITH LOCALLY-ROOTED ORGANIZATIONS, COMMUNITIES, AND GOVERNMENTS TO GENERATE DATA AND INSIGHTS THAT CHALLENGE HARMFUL GENDER NORMS AND PRACTICES, INCLUDING GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE, CHILD MARRIAGE, AND FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION, AND PROVIDE EVIDENCE THAT DECISION-MAKERS CAN USE TO ADDRESS GENDER INEQUALITY AND DISCRIMINATION. - CONTINUING THE COUNCIL'S LONGSTANDING WORK AND EXPERTISE ON ENDING CHILD MARRIAGE, WE ARE PROVIDING DATA AND EVIDENCE AND CONVENING POLICYMAKERS IN ZAMBIA TO DISCUSS THE IMPORTANCE OF AND TAKE ACTION TO END CHILD MARRIAGE IN ZAMBIA. - BY IMPROVING MEASUREMENT OF SOCIAL AND GENDER NORM CHANGE IN FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION (FGM) PRACTICES, THE COUNCIL'S FGM DATA HUB IS ENABLING PROGRAMS TO ADAPT THEIR STRATEGIES AND MAXIMIZE THEIR IMPACT TO END FGM IN AFRICA. - RESEARCHERS IN INDIA SHOWED THAT THE CHARM2 (COUNSELLING HUSBANDS TO ACHIEVE REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND MARITAL EQUITY) INTERVENTION FOR COUPLES IN RURAL INDIA, SHOWS PROMISE IN IMPROVING MEN'S AND WOMEN'S ATTITUDES TOWARD GENDER EQUALITY AND MALE PERCEPTIONS OF MARITAL EQUALITY. - THE COUNCIL, THE ETHIOPIAN CENTER FOR DISABILITY AND DEVELOPMENT (ECDD) AND THE ETHIOPIAN LAWYERS WITH DISABILITY ASSOCIATION (ELDA) LAUNCHED THE "FORCED BEGGING AMONG PEOPLE WITH DISABILITY IN ETHIOPIA" PROJECT, THE FIRST INTERVENTION TO ADDRESS TRAFFICKING OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES INTO BEGGING. WITH AN INITIAL FOCUS IN ETHIOPIA, THE PROJECT'S GOAL IS TO BRING THIS UNRECOGNIZED FORM OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING TO LIGHT AND DEVELOP CONTEXTUALIZED, EVIDENCE-BASED SOLUTIONS THAT CAN BE ADAPTED ACROSS THE GLOBE. PURSUE JUSTICE IN THE FACE OF CLIMATE AND ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGES: THE COUNCIL WORKS ACROSS DISCIPLINES AND SECTORS TO BUILD A GLOBAL BODY OF EVIDENCE ON POPULATION AND CLIMATE ISSUES AND HOW THE CLIMATE CRISIS INTERSECTS WITH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES. - WITH STAKEHOLDERS, THE COUNCIL CO-HOSTED A THOUGHT-PROVOKING AND SOLUTIONS-FOCUSED DIALOGUE AMONG POLICYMAKERS, FUNDERS, RESEARCHERS, AND CIVIL SOCIETY STAKEHOLDERS ON THE CLIMATE CRISIS' IMPACT ON GENDER EQUALITY AND HEALTH EQUITY GOALS DURING THE UN GENERAL ASSEMBLY. THE DISCUSSION HIGHLIGHTED THE NEED FOR GENDER MAINSTREAMING INTO CLIMATE POLICIES AND FINANCING NEGOTIATIONS. - BUILDING ON THE DIALOGUES DURING THE UNITED NATIONS GENERAL ASSEMBLY, COUNCIL RESEARCHERS ATTENDING COP 29 CONTINUED TO DISCUSS RESULTS FROM STUDIES THAT EXAMINED THE NEXUS BETWEEN CLIMATE CHANGE AND MENTAL HEALTH AMONG YOUNG PEOPLE; SEXUAL AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH; MIGRATION; AND THE IMPACT ON WOMEN AND GIRLS.
- $288,245 spent. PUBLICATIONS:THE POPULATION COUNCIL COMMUNICATES THE RESULTS OF OUR WORK AND THAT OF OTHERS IN THE FIELD TO PEOPLE CONCERNED WITH POPULATION AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ISSUES. THE COUNCIL PUBLISHES AND DISSEMINATES TO PROFESSIONALS IN THE FIELD AND TO GENERAL AUDIENCES A WIDE RANGE OF MATERIALS THAT INCLUDE REPORTS, DATASETS, POLICY BRIEFS, WORKING PAPERS, FLYERS, VIDEOS, AND PAMPHLETS. MOST MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED AT NO COST, DISTRIBUTED AT CONFERENCES AND MEETINGS OR DOWNLOADED FROM THE COUNCIL'S DIGITAL REPOSITORY AND WEBSITE. FOR MORE INFORMATION SEE SCHEDULE O. THE COUNCIL PUBLISHES TWO OF THE FIELD'S LEADING SCHOLARLY, PEER-REVIEWED JOURNALS: POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW AND STUDIES IN FAMILY PLANNING. BOTH ARE AVAILABLE ONLINE ON A PAID SUBSCRIPTION BASIS, AND THROUGH COMPLIMENTARY SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE TO QUALIFIED APPLICANTS IN LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES. SUPPLEMENTS TO POPULATION AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW ARE ALSO AVAILABLE. STAFF MEMBERS PUBLISH THE FINDINGS FROM THEIR WORK THROUGH NUMEROUS PRINT AND ELECTRONIC OUTLETS. IN 2024, THE POPULATION COUNCIL PUBLISHED130 PEER-REVIEWED ARTICLES AND COMMENTARIES. OUR PUBLISHED REPORTS, WORKING PAPERS, AND TOOLS WERE DOWNLOADED 352,269 TIMES FOR USE BY VISITORS FROM OUR INTERNATIONAL REPOSITORY IN 2024. COUNCIL STAFF MEMBERS DISSEMINATE INFORMATION THROUGH VARIOUS DIGITAL PLATFORMS, INCLUDING THE COUNCIL'S OPEN-SOURCE REPOSITORY AT HTTPS://KNOWLEDGECOMMONS.POPCOUNCIL.ORG/, CURRENTLY FEATURING MORE THAN 6,500 PUBLICATIONS, ARTICLES, AND OTHER RESOURCES.
- DISTINGUISHED COLLEAGUES:ONE DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST PROVIDES ADDITIONAL EXPERTISE IN AREAS OF RELEVANCE TO THE COUNCIL AND REPRESENTS THE ORGANIZATION IN HIS FIELD INTERNATIONALLY. HE ALSO CONDUCTS RESEARCH ON A VARIETY OF POPULATION ISSUES, INCLUDING THE DETERMINANTS OF FERTILITY, POPULATION -ENVIRONMENT RELATIONSHIPS, THE DEMOGRAPHIC IMPACT OF THE AIDS EPIDEMIC, POPULATION AGING, AND POPULATION POLICY OPTIONS.ONE DISTINGUISHED SCIENTIST SPEAKS AT CONFERENCES AND FORA AROUND THE WORLD AND ADVISES SCIENTISTS ABOUT RESEARCH IN REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH AND NEW CONTRACEPTIVE TECHNOLOGIES. SHE IS THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE FOR CONTRACEPTION RESEARCH, AN HONORARY MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL MENOPAUSE SOCIETY, A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONSORTIUM OF MALE CONTRACEPTION, AND AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF EUROPEAN SOCIETY FOR CONTRACEPTION. SHE IS ALSO THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR AND PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR OF A NATIONAL INSTITUTES OF HEALTH (NIH) CENTER GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH AND HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1953.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
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