Population Connection
Population Connection is a Washington, DC-based public charity, founded in 1968. It educates young people and advocates for population stabilization through education, advocacy, and support for partner organizations working on family planning, reproductive health, girls’ education, and environmental conservation.
Population Connection at a glance
In short: Population Connection gave $2.0M across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $126K), mostly in District of Columbia. 38% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,012,000
- -41.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +166.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $125,750
- -78.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $40,126,528
- +20.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (6 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (79% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Population Connection
- Contact
Mailing address: 2120 L Street Nw 500, Washington, DC 20037-1534
Phone: (202) 332-2200
Website: https://populationconnection.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Population Connection funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Population Connection Action Fund ($1.5M). Together the top 10 received $1.9M.
Grant Size Distribution
55 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 32 grants of 55 (58%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Population Connection describes its education and advocacy work as national, and its 2024 filing reports Population Education workshops in 47 U.S. states and territories and four Canadian provinces. Its Global Partners program supports organizations working in local communities internationally. In 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to recipients in Washington, DC, 7% to Virginia, 5% to California, 2% to Pennsylvania, and 2% to Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Population Connection open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 16 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $190K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $50K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $855K (2021) to $3.5M (2023). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $2.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Population Connection Action Fund Washington, DC | Program Support | $1,500,000 |
| Kakenya's Dream Arlington, VA | Program Support | $115,000 |
| African Education Program Wayne, PA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Conservation Through Public Health Washington, DC | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Girl up Initiative Uganda Goleta, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Lemur Love Organization San Diego, CA | Program Support | $50,000 |
| Wings St. Paul, MN | Program Support | $50,000 |
| The Partnership Project Inc Washington, DC | Program Support | $25,000 |
| Wuqu Kawoq Bethel, VT | Program Support | $25,000 |
| Women for Conservation Warrenton, VA | Program Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Population Connection?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $40,126,528 | $17,044,460 | $13,400,882 | $2,012,000 | 16 | $951,152 |
| 2023 | $33,416,163 | $16,287,942 | $13,247,644 | $3,458,000 | 6 | $708,165 |
| 2022 | $27,050,255 | $11,280,805 | $12,721,808 | $1,600,000 | 15 | $371,682 |
| 2021 | $30,123,738 | $13,836,207 | $9,042,970 | $855,000 | 7 | $540,025 |
| 2020 | $23,673,908 | $8,646,538 | $9,474,110 | $2,191,500 | 11 | $538,855 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
Population Connection’s stated mission is to educate young people and advocate progressive action to stabilize world population at a level sustainable by Earth’s resources. Its website says the organization advocates for reproductive health and rights and works toward population stabilization through education about and voluntary access to family planning.
The organization says its Global Partners program supports small, locally based organizations that provide public health and family-planning services. Its 2024 annual report also describes support for grassroots organizations delivering reproductive health services, girls’ education, and environmental conservation programs.
Grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Girl Up Initiative Uganda describes its work as building a movement of girls and young women through leadership, sexual and reproductive health education, and skills development. Women for Conservation says it partners with women to protect endangered wildlife and habitats. GreenLatinos describes its work as convening Latino leaders around natural-resource and conservation issues affecting Latino communities in the United States. These are the grantees’ missions, not Population Connection’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, Population Connection reported 16 grants totaling $2,012,000. Grant amounts ranged from $7,000 to $1,500,000, with a median of $25,000. The largest award was $1,500,000 to Population Connection Action Fund for program support. Other notable 2024 awards included $115,000 to Kakenya’s Dream and $50,000 each to African Education Program, Conservation Through Public Health, Girl Up Initiative Uganda, Lemur Love Organization, and WINGS, all for program support.
The filing says Population Connection requires grant recipients to sign an agreement that includes an annual report requirement. It also says donations to organizations with compatible goals are not monitored after award. Population Connection reports that it is the sole voting member of Population Connection Action Fund, maintains that organization’s records through its staff, and monitors its grant continuously.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Estelle Raboni as chair, Bryce Hach as vice chair, Bob Pettapiece as treasurer, and Rodrigo Barillas as secretary until October 2024. Directors listed were Kevin Whaley, Amy Dickson, Mark Hathaway, Aaron Allen, Sachu Constantine, and Aaron Dannenberg.
Population Connection is led by John Seager, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 6 of 23 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John Seager
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
33.7 hrs/week
$240K (2020) → $341K (2024)
Estelle Raboni
Chair
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Dixon
Senior Vice President for Media & Gov. Rel.
Senior Vice President for Media & Gov. Relations → Senior Vice President for Media & Gov. Rel., 2022
On filings since 2020
16.5 hrs/week
$188K (2020) → $255K (2024)
Maria Orozco
Senior Vice President of Administration & CFO
Vice President of Administrator, Membership Svcs & CFO → Vice President of Administrator, Memb Serv. & CFO, 2022
Vice President of Administrator, Memb Serv. & CFO → Senior Vice President of Administration & CFO, 2023
On filings since 2020
35.1 hrs/week
$165K (2020) → $254K (2024)
Marian Starkey
Vice President for Communications
On filings since 2020
37.3 hrs/week
$144K (2020) → $198K (2024)
Pamela Wasserman
Senior Vice President for Education
On filings since 2020
37.5 hrs/week
$189K (2020) → $252K (2024)
Shauna Scherer
Senior Vice President for Advancement
Vice President for Marketing & Development → Senior Vice President for Advancement, 2023
On filings since 2020
35.7 hrs/week
$164K (2020) → $248K (2024)
Aaron S. Allen
Board Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amy Dickson
Board Member
Board Member → Chair Nominating Committee, 2021
Chair Nominating Committee → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bob Pettapiece
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bryce Hach
Vice Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Whaley
Board Member
Board Member → Audit Committee, 2021
Audit Committee → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Hathaway
Board Member
Board Member → Nominating Committee, 2021
Nominating Committee → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Beth Weinberger
Board Member
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rodrigo Barillas
Secretary
Board Member → Audit Committee, 2021
Audit Committee → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gladys Kalema-Zikusoka
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melvine Ouyo
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Heather Smith
Board Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Seema Mohapatra
Board Member
On filings since 2022
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aaron Dannenberg
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bruce Fallick
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eleanor Unsworth
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sachu Constantine
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (6)
- Former: Dara Purvis (2020–2022) — Vice Chair
- Former: Katie Ferman (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Padgett Kelly (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Andreea Creanga (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Nejla Liias (2020) — Board Member
- Former: Tom Sawyer (2020) — Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $341K, to John Seager (President & CEO). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Population Connection
How much does Population Connection give each year?
Population Connection gave $2.0M across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $3.5M across 6 grants.
What is Population Connection's typical grant size?
Population Connection's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $125,750, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Population Connection that year got $19K on average.
Where does Population Connection give grants?
Population Connection gives mostly in District of Columbia: 79% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (5 grants).
Does Population Connection give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Population Connection's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (16 grants).
Who are Population Connection's largest grantees?
Population Connection's largest 2024 grantees include Population Connection Action Fund ($1,500,000), Kakenya's Dream ($115,000) and African Education Program ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 83% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Population Connection?
Population Connection reported $40.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $17.0M.
What does Population Connection fund?
Population Connection’s stated mission is to educate young people and advocate progressive action to stabilize world population at a level sustainable by Earth’s resources. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Population Connection?
Population Connection has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check populationconnection.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Population Connection's EIN?
Population Connection's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 94-1703155. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 9, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 8, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 5, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Population Connection funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/population-connection-morg_7f88d422e9334113bee9dbcfaaddd39f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_941703155_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Population Connection funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/population-connection-morg_7f88d422e9334113bee9dbcfaaddd39f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Population Connection's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Population Connection down — hundreds of funders to go?