About the Planned Parenthood Action Fund

The Planned Parenthood Action Fund was formed in August 1989 as the advocacy arm of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1916 by sex educator, nurse and activist Margaret Sanger, who popularized the term “birth control.”

Today the Planned Parenthood Federation of America works with local affiliates that operate more than 600 health centers across the United States offering reproductive health services, including cancer screenings, contraception and abortion. The organization says that one in five American women have chosen Planned Parenthood for health care services at least once in their lives.

For its part, the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, which operates as a 501(c)(4) “social welfare” organization, aims to help elect politicians who support reproductive rights and to thwart anti-abortion politicians. This means it typically spends money in elections to aid Democratic candidates. It also works to educate the public and register voters. The group says it is backed by more than 10 million “activists, donors and other supporters.”

In April, Cecile Richards, who had served as the president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America and the Planned Parenthood Action Fund since 2006, stepped down from these roles. As of today, her replacement has not yet been announced.

In addition to its 501(c)(3) and 501(c)(4) arms, Planned Parenthood also has a traditional political action committee that makes donations to candidates and a super PAC that makes independent expenditures to aid its preferred candidates.