Letter from the CEO
Fiscal Year 2021 was a record-setting year for PRB, with revenues topping $15 million as a result of strong growth in both our domestic and international portfolios.
Such results are heartening in the best of times and truly extraordinary in this period of persistent uncertainty as COVID-19 continues to impact our work landscape.
This growth allowed us to make progress in important areas that are laying the groundwork for our long-term sustainability, including initiatives to strengthen our commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), investments in business development and product development, and the commencement of our strategic planning process. Thanks to the continued support of our major funders, we were able to explore new opportunities, test different models for how we operate, and grow and expand our presence and impact in East Africa and West Africa.
While we anticipate these efforts will bear fruit over the long-term, we expect the next few years to be challenging. Not only are several major contracts coming to an end but, like many organizations in our sector, we’re being impacted by a rapidly shifting funding environment. We expect much of our future growth will come from new and different types of opportunities, guided by the strategy now under development.
Jeff Jordan, CEO and President
A CULTURE OF DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION
PRB has made significant progress on our journey to become a more diverse and inclusive organization. We created an internal, staff-driven DEI Task Force that initiated a staff survey to inform our thinking and provide a baseline for measuring how we’re doing. We also brought in external consultants to assess our policies and culture and to coach and train staff and supervisors.
To ensure the sustainability of these efforts, we created a permanent DEI Council responsible for driving DEI activities and processes. We also strengthened our Human Resources (HR) function, rebranding the department as People & Culture and upgrading the HR director position to assistant vice president (AVP). The AVP of People & Culture is charged with fostering a culture of accountability, diversity, equity and inclusion, recognition, and trust among staff at all levels, and will measure and track progress on DEI initiatives, activities, and milestones.
PRB also announced support for the Coalition for Racial and Ethnic Equity in Development (CREED), a collective of U.S.-based international development and humanitarian assistance organizations committed to building racial and ethnic equity within our own policies, systems, and culture. At the center of these efforts is the CREED Pledge for Racial & Ethnic Equity in Development, for which PRB became a First Endorser. By signing the pledge, we’ve signaled that PRB and our leadership are committed to taking action to advance racial and ethnic equity, which includes integrating equity into our policies and culture.
GLOBAL ENGAGEMENT
The decolonization of aid and the relationships between international nongovernmental organizations and country-level partners is bringing significant change to the field of global development. PRB’s global engagement initiative is being led by our teams in Dakar, Senegal (West Africa and Central Africa) and Nairobi, Kenya (East Africa).
COVID-19: ONGOING IMPACTS
Our planned soft return to the Washington, DC, office was postponed to Fiscal Year (FY) 2022. Like many organizations, PRB will embrace a post-COVID hybrid work model, with most staff working remotely at least part of the time. Having negotiated an early end to our current lease at 1875 Connecticut Avenue, we began a search for space that would reduce our physical footprint and result in a significant cost savings. We expect to finalize our new Washington, DC, area location by the end of FY22.
COMMUNICATIONS THAT DRIVE CHANGE
If you ever have the opportunity to talk with PRB staff or visit our website, you will fast be reminded of the importance of our work and how it makes a difference. In FY21, PRB produced 184 digital, editorial, graphic, and video products in support of partner- and donor-funded activities. This work includes 36 products in languages including English, French, Hausa, and Hindi. By offering new ideas and fresh approaches, PRB has risen above the ordinary to provide our funders and partners with the tools and strategies to communicate effectively about complex and highly technical issues.
HIGHLIGHTS OF OUR CREATIVE WORK IN FISCAL YEAR 2021
LOOKING AHEAD
FY22 will be a year of positive disruption for PRB as we examine every aspect of the way we work and the type of organization we intend to be. Change is nothing new at PRB—an organization doesn’t remain successful for nearly a century without periodically reassessing its role and purpose in the world and making adjustments. And while transitions are never easy, we intend to use this time to be thoughtful and creative about our future. We know our success depends on our ability to evolve to meet the shifting dynamics of our sector and our world. These shifts mean we must stretch ourselves beyond our historic boundaries to embrace new approaches and ways of working and better integrate the skills and competencies of staff from across our international, domestic, and communications portfolios. Yes, we face uncertainties. But as we look ahead, we see a future for this organization that is bright and filled with exciting opportunities.
SUPPORTERS, PARTNERS, AND CONTRIBUTORS
- Actionable Insights, LLC
- Annie E. Casey Foundation
- Appalachian Regional Commission
- Association of Monterey Bay Area Governments
- AstraZeneca Young Health Programme
- Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
- David and Lucile Packard Foundation
- Education Sub-Saharan Africa
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- Georgetown University-Institute for Reproductive Health
- Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program, Emory University, Rollins School of Public Health
- John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation
- Lucile Packard Foundation for Children’s Health
- LVCT Health
- Michigan Center on the Demography of Aging, University of Michigan
- Nihal W. Goonewardene
- NORC at the University of Chicago
- The Palladium Group
- Population Council
- Southern California Association of Governments
- UnidosUS
- United Nations Population Fund
- United States Agency for International Development
- United States Census Bureau
- William and Flora Hewlett Foundation
PRB worked together with 108 organizations in 2021.
- Advance Family Planning
- African Institute for Development Policy (AFIDEP)
- African Population and Health Research Center (APHRC)
- African Union Commission, Human Resources & Youth Division
- Alliance Nationale des Jeunes pour la Santé de la Reproduction et la Planification Familiale (ANJSR/PF)
- American Association for the Advancement of Science
- Ariadne Labs
- Association des Gestionnaires pour le Développement
- L’Association des Journalistes et Communicateurs en Population et Développement (AJCPD)
- Association of African Universities
- Association Burkinabé pour le Bien-Etre Familial (ABBEF)
- Association des Femmes Juristes de Côte d’Ivoire
- Association Ivorienne pour le Bien-Etre Familial (AIBEF)
- Association of Population Centers
- Avenir Health
- The Balanced Stewardship Development Association (BALSDA)
- Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs, Georgetown University
- Bill & Melinda Gates Institute for Population and Reproductive Health, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health
- Break-Free From Plastic Initiative
- Bridge Connect Africa Initiative (BCAI)
- Blue Ventures
- Cadre des Religieux pour la Santé et le Développement (CRSD)
- Center for Excellence in Journalism (Karachi, Pakistan)
- Centre for Enhancing Democracy and Good Governance (CEDGG)
- Centre for Rights Education and Awareness (CREAW)
- Centre Régional de Recherche en Economie Générationnelle (CREG)
- Coalition for Health Promotion and Social Development
- College of Medicine, University of Ibadan
- Communications Consortium Media Center
- Community Empowerment and Development Centre (CEDC)
- Community Safety Initiative Kenya (CSI Kenya)
- Conservation International (CI)
- Converge Development Consultants Ltd
- Developing Radio Partners
- Digital Data System for Development, Nepal
- Deutsche Stiftung Weltbevölkerung (DSW)
- Direction de la Santé de la Mère et de l’Enfant (DSME) of the Ministry of Health and Social Action (MOHSA), Senegal
- Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust
- Ecole Supérieure de Journalisme, des Métiers de l’internet et de la Communication (E-jicom)
- Education Sub Saharan Africa
- Family Planning 2030
- FHI 360
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO)
- Global Women’s Institute
- GOAL Malawi
- Green Girls Platform
- Groupe de volontaires pour la promotion de la maternité sans risques (GVP-MASAR)
- Harvard University, Harvard Center for Population & Development Studies
- Hen Mpoano
- I Choose Life – Africa
- Instituto Promundo
- Institut de Formation et de Recherche Démographiques (IFORD)
- Institute of Public Finance Kenya (IPFK)
- Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population (ISSP)
- Institut Supérieur des Sciences de la Population, Université de Ouagadougou (IPDSR)
- International Center for Research on Women
- International Crane Foundation
- International Social Survey Programme
- International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)
- International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (IYAFP)
- JSI Research & Training Institute Inc. (JSI)
- Johns Hopkins Center for Communication Programs (JHU CCP)
- Kenya National Council for Population and Development, Ministry of Devolution & Planning
- Kenya Reproductive & Maternal Health Services Unit, Ministry of Health
- Ladder for Rural Development Organization (LAFORD)
- Legacy for African Women and Children (LAWANCI)
- Linda Arts Organization
- Margaret Pyke Trust
- Middle-Space Multi-links Concept Ltd
- Ministry of National Development Planning, Population, and Development Department (Zambia)
- National Council for Tertiary Education (Ghana)
- The National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago
- National Population Council Ghana
- National Population Council Uganda
- The Nature Conservancy
- Novel Association for Youth Advocacy (NAYA)
- O’Hare Data and Demographic Services, LLC
- Olam Lang Women Initiative (OLLWI)
- ONG Femmes-Santé-Développement
- Organization of African Youth (OAYouth)
- PAI
- Pan American Health Organization
- Pathfinder International
- Philippine Business for Social Progress, Inc.
- Planetary Health Alliance
- Population Association of America
- Population Council
- Population Economics Research
- Reach A Hand Uganda
- The Regents of the University of California, Berkeley Campus
- Research Council of Norway
- Réseau des Journalistes pour la Santé Sexuelle et Reproductive (RJSSR)
- SERAC-Bangladesh
- Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON)
- Solidarité avec les victimes et pour la paix (SOVIP)
- The Medical Concierge Group (TMCG)
- Today’s Women International Network (TWIN)
- Tulane University
- University of Colorado Boulder
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Women’s Action Group Zimbabwe
- The Wilson Center
- Worldwatch Institute
- Youth Advocacy Network (YAN)
- Youth Alliance for Reproductive Health-DRC (YARH-DRC)
- YUWA
- Zambian Statistical Agency
Through their generous contributions, the individuals listed here allowed PRB to fund essential program expansion and organizational innovations during the fiscal year ending Sept. 30, 2021.
- George Ainslie
- Amazon Smile Foundation
- Michelle Behr
- The Benevity Community Impact Fund
- Brian Blouet
- Thomas J. Brown
- William P. Butz
- Dan Carrigan
- James R. Carter
- Julie A. Caswell
- Maxine E. Cordell-Brunton
- George Daily
- Philip Darney
- William A. DeGrazia
- Mary B. Deming
- Carol DeVita
- Marriner Eccles
- Ecotrust
- Eldon Enger
- Laurence L. Falk
- Kathryn A. Foster
- Maricela Garcia Serrano
- Linda W. Gordon
- Richard Grossman
- Edward Guay
- Kenneth Haddock
- Brice Harris
- Philip Harvey
- Daniel Hebding
- Karen Santa Holl
- Edwin W. and Janet G. House
- Sherry F. Huber
- Henry Imus
- Eleanor Iselin
- Jeffrey Neil Jordan
- Joan R. Kahn
- Robert B. Kelman
- Mary M. Kritz
- William Kurtz
- Willie B. Lamouse-Smith
- William Z. Lidicker
- Gene Likens
- Terri Ann Lowenthal
- Jennifer Madans
- David Maddox
- Elizabeth Maguire
- D.J. Mellema
- Walter Mertens
- Eugene Mulligan
- Graham L. Mytton
- Charles B. Nam
- Network for Good
- Margaret Neuse
- Laurel A. Panser
- Carol Prorok
- Lydia Pulsipher
- Ricardo R. Rodriguiz
- John and Libby Ross
- James Rubenstein
- Elizabeth K. Schoenecker
- Arthur Siegel
- David J. Smith
- Jean Smyth
- Dick Solomon
- Bertram Strieb
- Chris Tarp
- James W. Thompson
- J.W. Valentine
- Pietronella Van Den Oever
- Edward V. Waller
- Bonnie and Dirk Walters
- John R. Weeks
- Jesse Wells
- Paul Wright
- Gooloo S. Wunderlich
- Clarence J. Wurdock