National Institute of Family and Life Advocates

The National Institute of Family and Life Advocates (NIFLA) is an American 501(c)(3) charitable organization that seeks to deny access to abortions for U.S. women.

Founded in 1993, it is based in Fredericksburg, Virginia and has the aim of "developing a network of life-affirming ministries in every community across the nation in order to achieve an abortion-free America."[1] A member of the National Pro-Life Religious Council,[2][3] the organization provides legal advice to more than 1,350 crisis pregnancy centers (CPCs) within its membership network. The bulk of CPCs in the US are affiliated with NIFLA, Care Net and Heartbeat International.[4][5][6][7][8] The organization's 2009 IRS Form 990 stated that the group spent $759,259 in annual advocacy expenses.[1][9]

In 2004, Focus on the Family started the Option Ultrasound Program, which along with NIFLA, funds medical consultants to obtain ultrasound machines for crisis pregnancy centers and converts them to medical-style clinics.[4][10][11][12] 1,000 of their members are medical clinics that use ultrasounds.[12] Hundreds of CPCs have become medical clinics through NIFLA's Life Choice Project, which increases the number of women going to the clinics, including those described by the organization as "abortion-minded."[10][13]

Its founder and president is Thomas Glessner. NIFLA provides legal counsel to CPCs as well as medical training, having trained over 2,500 nurses in ultrasound use. NIFLA publishes two monthly newsletters aimed at CPCs, Legal Tips and "Clinic Tips" as well as a quarterly publication, The Life Sentinel.[citation needed] NIFLA also works with an insurance company that secures insurance for CPCs.[14]

  1. ^ a b "Lobbying for the Faithful". Pew Research Center. Archived from the original on March 6, 2019.
  2. ^ "NPRC Board Members". Archived from the original on 22 March 2015.
  3. ^ IRS Form 990 for 2009 submitted by NIFLA. Accessed 2011-06-06.
  4. ^ a b "The rising power of crisis pregnancy centers". The American Independent Institute. Archived from the original on May 28, 2018.
  5. ^ Cathy Cabrea (22 Mar 2015). "Why Abortion Clinics Are Run By These Christian Groups". Daily Offbeat. Archived from the original on 24 March 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  6. ^ Sofia Resnick (23 Feb 2012). "Crisis pregnancy centers push anti-abortion agenda nationally". Colorado Independent. Archived from the original on 14 April 2015. Retrieved 10 April 2015.
  7. ^ NIFLA website, About Us, History Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 2011-02-10.
  8. ^ Matt Bowman (23 Jun 2014). "City's subpoenas in the pregnancy center lawsuit intimidate and harass anti-abortion groups". Baltimore Sun (Op-Ed). Archived from the original on 2015-04-14. Retrieved 2015-04-10.
  9. ^ "Leading Pro-Life Groups Host Live Webcast Event". Focus on the Family. 3 May 2011. Archived from the original on September 7, 2015. Focus on the Family, Care Net, Heartbeat International and the National Institute of Family and Life Advocates ( NIFLA ) will co-host the live UNITEforLIFE webcast event to benefit pro-life pregnancy care organizations
  10. ^ a b Janelle S. Taylor (2008). The Public Life of the Fetal Sonogram: Technology, Consumption, and the Politics of Reproduction. Rutgers University Press. p. 164. ISBN 978-0-8135-4364-2.
  11. ^ Sara Diamond (1 January 2000). Not by Politics Alone: The Enduring Influence of the Christian Right. Guilford Press. p. 154. ISBN 978-1-57230-494-9.
  12. ^ a b "About Us". NIFLA(Self published). January 2015. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved May 11, 2019.
  13. ^ NIFLA website, About Us, What We Do Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 2011-02-09.
  14. ^ NIFLA website, Membership, Insurance Archived 2011-07-27 at the Wayback Machine Accessed 2011-02-10.