Home › International, foreign affairs & national security
The Population Council
The Population Council reported $53.8 million in revenue and $62.5 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $79.47 went to program services, $20.36 to management and general costs and $0.17 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 77.7% of the total. Government grants made up 35.2%. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $486,986 (CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER, CBR). 80 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 35% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $63MFor context, the median across 469 covered international, foreign affairs & national security charities: $89.04 programs, $8.28 management, $2.68 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $54MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 79.5% | 86.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 20.4% | 8.0% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 0.2% | 2.6% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.00 | $0.03 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 77.7% | 96.6% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 35.2% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 0.3% | 0.0% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $486,986 | $341,362 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 0.78% | 1.06% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 80 | 10 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 25.0 | 7.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 19 of 19 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseEnsure 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
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
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
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER, CBR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $423,136 | $0 | $63,850 | $486,986 |
| VICE PRESIDENT & EXEC DIRECTOR, CBR Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $376,787 | $0 | $67,507 | $444,294 |
| VICE PRESIDENT, CF&A/CFO Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $396,353 | $0 | $41,381 | $437,734 |
| VP, GENERAL COUNSEL & SECRETARY Officer, 35.00 hrs/week | $379,393 | $0 | $42,891 | $422,284 |
| MEDICAL DIRECTOR Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $320,130 | $0 | $64,507 | $384,637 |
| VP, INT'L PROGRAMS (THRU 04/24) Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $340,505 | $0 | $8,039 | $348,544 |
| SR DIRECTOR, PRECLINICAL SCIENCES Highest compensated employee, 35.00 hrs/week | $271,627 | $0 | $67,400 | $339,027 |
| FORMER PRESIDENT Former, 0.00 hrs/week | $318,047 | $0 | $0 | $318,047 |
80 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from The Population Council (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $2.2M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b19 · 19 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bYes
- Employees Part I, line 5393
- Volunteers Part I, line 615
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| ALTASCIENCES PRECLINICAL COLUMBIA LLC Research services | $789,126 |
| FARMOVS (PTY) LTD Clinical research | $323,619 |
| ARRIELLO IRELAND LIMITED Global pv (pharmacovigilance) maintenanc | $300,807 |
| MITHRA PHARMACEUTICALS CDMO SA Analytical services | $176,437 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 16 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
20 private foundations reported grants to The Population Council totaling $7.1M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from The Population Council's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for The Population Council, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 The Population Council spent in 2024, $79.47 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Lifesong for OrphansGridley, IL · revenue $52M · programs 93.4% · FY2025
- Orphan Grain TrainNorfolk, NE · revenue $54M · programs 97.8% · FY2026
- Center for Social ChangeElkridge, MD · revenue $52M · programs 84.4% · FY2025
- Summer Institute of LinguisticsDallas, TX · revenue $54M · programs 73.0% · FY2025
- Plan International USAProvidence, RI · revenue $52M · programs 68.9% · FY2025
All international, foreign affairs & national security charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of The Population Council's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, The Population Council reported that 79.5% of its $62.5 million in expenses went to program services, 20.4% to management and general and 0.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does The Population Council pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation The Population Council reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $486,986, for the role of CHIEF SCIENTIFIC OFFICER, CBR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does The Population Council get its money?
Of $53.8 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 77.7% came from contributions and grants (including 35.2% from government grants) and 0.3% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is The Population Council a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 13-1687001 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202503039349303155 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202403199349316965 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202343199349307609 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202213199349309946 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202143169349301624 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202003219349316810 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 13-1687001: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.