About
Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) is the national organization behind the Planned Parenthood movement — the nation's leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable sexual and reproductive health care, and the nation's largest provider of sex education. PPFA is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization headquartered in New York City that supports independently incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates operating nonprofit health centers across the United States, and works to educate the public on and advocate for issues of sexual and reproductive health.
Mission
Planned Parenthood's central mission is to help all people live full, healthy lives — no matter their income, insurance, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, or immigration status; to provide high-quality, inclusive, and comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care; to advocate for public policies that protect and expand reproductive rights; to provide medically accurate education on human sexuality, healthy relationships, and body autonomy; and to promote research and technology that enhances reproductive health care and access. Its motto is: Care, no matter what.
What they do
- Support for affiliates: PPFA backs separately incorporated Planned Parenthood affiliates that operate nearly 600 health centers nationwide.
- Health care: affiliate health centers provide birth control, STI testing and treatment, screenings for cervical, breast, and other cancers, and abortion and counseling where legally allowed.
- Sex education: Planned Parenthood is the largest sexual health educator in the country, with education programming reaching 1 million people annually in classrooms and communities, and millions more online.
- Advocacy: ongoing education and advocacy for access to sexual and reproductive health care, alongside a nationwide base of 19 million activists, supporters, and donors.
History
Planned Parenthood traces its roots to October 16, 1916, when nurse Margaret Sanger — together with her sister Ethel Byrne and activist Fania Mindell — opened the country's first birth control clinic in Brownsville, Brooklyn. Police raided and shut the clinic down nine days later, and Sanger spent 30 days in jail after refusing to pay a fine. The organization today openly reckons with Sanger's legacy, including her support for the eugenics movement, which it describes as inherently racist and ableist.
Scale and impact
Figures published by the organization:
- Nearly 600 health centers around the country, operated by separately incorporated local affiliates.
- More than 2.1 million patients rely on Planned Parenthood health centers each year; more than 70% of patients have incomes at or below 150 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.
- One in three women in the United States has visited a Planned Parenthood health center.
Financials
Per its IRS Form 990 data on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer (fiscal year ending June 2025), Planned Parenthood Federation of America reported total revenue of $410,003,513, total expenses of $425,979,792, and net assets of $354,022,294. PPFA is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3), EIN 13-1644147. The affiliated Planned Parenthood Action Fund is a separate 501(c)(4) nonprofit membership organization.
Governance
Alexis McGill Johnson is president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Alexandra Guevara is board chair of PPFA. The executive team includes Rebekah Varela (Chief Operating Officer), Maggie Louie (Interim Chief Financial Officer), and Susan Baker Manning (Senior Vice President and General Counsel).