About
The Population Council is a leading research organization dedicated to building an equitable and sustainable world that enhances the health and well-being of current and future generations. Headquartered in New York City, the Council conducts social science, public health, and biomedical research, generating ideas, producing evidence, and designing solutions to improve the lives of underserved populations around the world.
Mission
The Council's stated mission is to generate ideas, produce evidence, and design solutions to improve the lives of underserved populations around the world. Its vision is an equitable and sustainable world that enhances the health and well-being of current and future generations. Its 2023-2030 strategic plan aligns the organization's work with the United Nations 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, and the strategy notes the Council has operated for 70 years.
What they do
The Council works across four focus areas:
- Sexual and reproductive health, rights, and choices
- Adolescents and young people
- Gender equality and equity
- Climate and environmental changes
It also runs five innovation hubs, including the Center for Biomedical Research and the Girl Innovation, Research, and Learning (GIRL) Center, publishes research in academic journals including Population and Development Review and Studies in Family Planning, and works in 12 countries: Egypt, Ethiopia, Guatemala, India, Kenya, Nigeria, Pakistan, Senegal, South Africa, the United States, and Zambia.
Scale and impact
Recent work highlighted in the Council's 2021-22 annual report includes development of the first non-hormonal vaginal ring to prevent both pregnancy and HIV, Phase 2 clinical trials of a male contraceptive gel, a dual prevention pill partnership, acquisition of the dapivirine ring technology, and Egypt's Survey of Young People (SYPE), which has tracked more than 15,000 adolescents and young people across three rounds of data collection.
Financials
Per the Council's audited fiscal year 2022 financial statements, total revenue was 53,624,759 dollars (including 23,220,625 dollars from the U.S. government and 4,769,635 dollars in royalties) and total expenses were 60,127,993 dollars, of which 30,851,271 dollars went to social and behavioral science research and 16,085,304 dollars to biomedical research. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer reports fiscal year 2024 total revenue of 53,782,783 dollars, total expenses of 62,500,124 dollars, total assets of 181,906,020 dollars, and net assets of 130,241,722 dollars.
Governance
The Population Council Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 13-1687001), tax-exempt since December 1953. It is governed by a Board of Trustees, chaired by Darcy Bradbury per its 2024 filing, and publishes ethical standards, conflicts of interest, and safeguarding policies. Rana A. Hajjeh became President in September 2024.