Mission & Strategic Plan

Our Mission and Strategic Plan

In 2016, PAA was awarded an organizational effectiveness grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation to develop its first-ever strategic plan.  PAA used these funds to discover and understand the needs of the membership and the population research community and to participate in guided discussions about PAA's purpose, mission, and values.  These activities resulted in a draft strategic plan.  The draft was presented to a group of members, prior leaders, and the PAA leadership for review and comment.  In late 2017, the PAA Board of Directors reviewed the feedback and incorporated it into the strategic plan.  The plan is presented below.

1: Promoting and disseminating high-quality population data and research.

PAA will further its mission by promoting and disseminating high-quality population data and research.  We will do this by:

  • Maximizing the potential of Demography for scholars in the field.
  • Maximize the potential of presenting and sharing high-quality research at the PAA Annual Meeting.
  • Advocate for federal, state, local, and foundation funding for population data infrastructure and research.
  • Increase and preserve access to data that can be used for population research.

Activities and Achievements

  • Joined the Committee on Publication Ethics (COPE)
  • Transitioning Demography to a platinum open-access journal in January 2021.
  • Introduced a new session format -- flash sessions -- to the annual meeting.  
  • Organized multiple "Hill Days" with federal Congressional leadership to educate and advocate for population research.
  • Submitted written testimony to federal Appropriations Committees insupport of population research funding.

2: Foster education, training, and career development in population studies.

PAA will further its mission by fostering education, training, and career development in population studies.  We will do this by:

  • Addressing the needs of early-career professionals.
  • Developing an undergraduate pipeline for the field to increase diversity.
  • Supporting and promoting training in new methods in conjunction with the Annual Meeting and throughout the year.

Activities and Achievements

  • Established the early-career membership category.
  • Piloted a dependent-care grant program for student and early career members.  Awarded 37 grants.
  • Established an online career center for the population research field.
  • Hosted several workshops in conjunction with the PAA Annual Meeting.

3: Serve as a community of population experts who build networks to advance research careers.

PAA will further its mission by serving as a community of population experts who build networks to advance research and careers by:

  • Increasing membership and participation in PAA while preserving a strong sense of community.
  • Increasing repeat attendance at the PAA Annual Meeting and other activities.
  • Working with organizational partners to bring together and expand the population research community.

Activities and Achievements

  • Launched PAA Engage -- an online community that allows members and meeting attendees to connect outside of the annual meeting and throughout the year.
  • Issued a call for volunteers to increase and broaden membership participation in PAA work.
  • Co-hosted mentoring breakfasts focused on Hispanic research with Child Trends for those interested in.
  • In February 2021, launching the first Applied Demography Conference.

4:  Serve as a widely recognized source of population expertise and evidence.

PAA will further its mission by serving as a widely recognized source of population expertise and evidence by:

  • Developing and executing communications strategies and corresponding resources that amplify mentions of demographic research with the media and policymakers.
  • Increasing the number of requests to PAA for population research and evidence.
  • Creating and delivering information resources to enhance policymakers and the public's demographic knowledge.

Activities and Achievements

Our Purpose

To promote and support high-quality population research.

Our Mission

PAA is an organization of professionals from multiple disciplines engaged in the scientific study of population. Our common purpose is to advance knowledge and understanding of the causes and consequences of population composition, processes, and change.

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