Population Research Institute (organization)

The Population Research Institute (PRI) is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based in Front Royal, Virginia, US.^[1] The organization opposes abortion and believes that overpopulation is a myth.

Population Research Institute

Founder	Paul Marx
Type	Think tank
Headquarters	Front Royal, Virginia
President	Steven W. Mosher
Chair	John Delmare[1]
Revenue	$1,462,224[1] (2018)
Expenses	$1,405,812[1] (2018)
Website	pop.org

Background

The Population Research Institute was founded in 1989 by Paul Marx (1920–2010), a family sociologist, Catholic priest and Benedictine monk who had established the anti-abortion^[2] group Human Life International as well. It became an independent institute in 1996.^[3] The same year, the think tank got headed by Steven W. Mosher,^[3][4] a social researcher and author who had witnessed forced abortions in China during the implementation of the one-child policy in 1980.^[3]

Activities

PRI opposes government attempts to control the population.^[5] According to the Los Angeles Times, PRI's Mosher successfully helped lobby the administration of US president George W. Bush to withhold US$34 to $40 million per year for seven years from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the largest international donor to family planning programs.^[6] The research institute opined that UNPFA was using American money to fund Chinese compulsory sterilization and abortions, a claim denied by the population fund, noting that it does not work in areas where the one-child policy in still in force.^[2] Mosher also advocated against the Chinese two-child policy, claiming that it was "being pushed to the masses through the Communist Party mechanism".^[7]

Fundraising

PRI obtains the vast majority of its funding from charitable contributions, gifts, and grants, with a total revenue of 1.46 million dollars in financial year 2018. Of this, 75.6% was spent on program expenses, 4.9% on administration, and 19.3% on fundraising.^[1]

The institute has received funding from The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Inc., claimed to be in support of conferences on human rights in China.^[8]

Criticism

PRI's stance on overpopulation and the arguments for "Overpopulation is a Myth" have been described as deceptive.^[9][10]

Charity Navigator classifies charities with respect to "Accountability & Transparency" and "Financial Performance". In 2020 it awarded two out of four stars to PRI for "Accountability & Transparency", and one for "Financial", which combined for an overall score of 70.46, rated as two stars.^[1]