| Population Research Institute | |
| Founder: | Paul Marx |
| Type: | Think tank |
| Vat Id: | (for non-profit org) --> |
| Headquarters: | Front Royal, Virginia |
| Owners: | --> |
| Leader Title: | President |
| Leader Name: | Steven W. Mosher |
| Leader Title2: | Chair |
| Leader Name2: | John Delmare |
| Revenue: | $1,462,224 |
| Revenue Year: | 2018 |
| Expenses: | $1,405,812 |
| Expenses Year: | 2018 |
| Website: | pop.org |
The Population Research Institute (PRI) is a Catholic 501(c)3 non-profit organization and advocacy group based in Front Royal, Virginia, US.[1] The organization opposes abortion. They believe that overpopulation is a myth, and oppose hormonal birth control in females[2] and vasectomies in males.[3]
The PRI has been widely criticized for being a right-wing propaganda organization and not being neutral in its reporting.[4]
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[5] group Human Life International as well. It became an independent institute in 1996.[6] The same year, the think tank got headed by Steven W. Mosher,[7] a social researcher and author who had witnessed forced abortions in China during the implementation of the one-child policy in 1980.
PRI opposes government attempts to control the population.[8] According to the Los Angeles Times, PRI's Mosher successfully helped lobby the George W. Bush administration 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.[9] 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. Mosher also advocated against the Chinese two-child policy, claiming that it was "being pushed to the masses through the communist party mechanism".[10]
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.
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.[11]
PRI's stance on overpopulation and the arguments for "Overpopulation is a Myth" have been described as deceptive.[12] [13]
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]