What Consumer Issues Matter To You?
Why not get involved in one of those issues?
For instance,
- Want to know who gives money to your favorite (or least-favorite) causes?
Worried about privacy and identity theft issues?- Think the government needs monitoring?
- Concerned about your kids and the web?
- Tired of crooked politicians?
- Been scammed?
- Mad at your bank or credit card company?
This website gives you a brief description and a link to major national and state consumer groups. Virtually all of these groups allow you to be involved in several ways:
- You can simply learn about an issue.
- You can become involved in solving the issue.
- You can donate.
Start browsing, and then get engaged!
Have a favorite consumer group not listed here? Send us the link.
The FoolProof Team
Questions and comments? Email us at:
Show me: National Organizations or State Organizations.
National Organizations
AARP
Founded in 1958, AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50 and over improve the quality of their lives. AARP has grown to 40 million members and has offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. As the nation's largest membership organization for people 50+, AARP is leading a revolution in the way people view and live life after 50.
Alliance For Justice
Alliance for Justice is a national association of more than 90 organizations dedicated to advancing justice and democracy. For 30 years we have been leaders in the fight for a more equitable society on behalf of a broad constituency of environmental, consumer, civil and women's rights, children's, senior citizens' and other groups.
Alliance for Justice is premised on the belief that all Americans have the right to secure justice in the courts and to have our voice heard when government makes decisions that affect our lives.
American Family Voices
American Family Voices was founded in 2000 to be a strong voice for middle and low income families on economic, health care, and consumer issues. Since our founding, we have educated the public and pushed for legislation on a number of vital issues to make American families more secure.
Americans for Democratic Action, Inc.
Americans for Democratic Action has and will continue to be a forthright liberal voice of this nation. We work to advocate progressive stances on civil rights and liberties, social and economic justice, sensible foreign policy, and sustainable environmental policy.
The ADA will advance our agenda by maintaining an active and visible presence nationwide, raising the level of debate on the side of the progressive movement and taking action on the national level. By working together with other like-minded organizations when we can and alone when we have to, we will never shy away from issues or opposition.
Americans for Fairness in Lending
Americans for Fairness in Lending (AFFIL) and Americans for Financial Reform (AFR) are partnering to reform the nation's lending industry and financial system to protect Americans' neighborhoods, homes and pocketbooks.
We are a coalition of over 200 national, state and local consumer, labor, retiree, investor, community and civil rights organizations that have come together to spearhead a campaign for real reform in our banking and financial system. AFFIL is providing adjunct staff to AFR and coordination for work on our shared website.
Americans United for Change
Sometimes, a name says it all. Since 2005, Americans United For Change has been working to build broad public and congressional support for policies that move America in a new, better direction.
Campaign for America's Future
The Campaign for America's Future is the strategy center for the progressive movement. Our goal is to forge the enduring progressive majority needed to realize the America of shared prosperity and equal opportunity that our country was meant to be.
Campaign Money
The purpose of campaignmoney.com, a non-partisan web site, is to make available in the easiest way possible the names of financial donors to federal political campaigns. These records are a matter of public record provided by the Federal Election Commission. There is no charge for perusing the lists on campaignmoney.com.
Center for Digital Democracy
The Center for Digital Democracy (CDD) is dedicated to ensuring that the public interest is a fundamental part of the new digital communications landscape. From open broadband networks, to free or low-cost universal Internet access, to diverse ownership of new media outlets, to privacy and other consumer safeguards, CDD works to promote an electronic media system that fosters democratic expression and human rights.
A national, not-for-profit group based in Washington, D.C., CDD is on the cutting edge of new media developments, especially tracking the commercial media market. Through outreach to the press, policymakers, reports, blogs, investigative research and organizing, CDD plays a unique and pivotal role helping foster the development of sustainable online communities and services essential to civil society in the 21st Century.
Center for Economic and Policy Research
The Center for Economic and Policy Research (CEPR) was established in 1999 to promote democratic debate on the most important economic and social issues that affect people's lives. In order for citizens to effectively exercise their voices in a democracy, they should be informed about the problems and choices that they face.
CEPR is committed to presenting issues in an accurate and understandable manner, so that the public is better prepared to choose among the various policy options.
Center for Responsible Lending
25 years of successful lending to low- and moderate-income families. Ground-breaking research. Common-sense policy solutions to halt abusive lending.
Change to Win
Five unions and 5.5 million workers united in Change to Win to build a new movement of working people equipped to meet the challenges of the global economy and restore the American Dream in the 21st century: a paycheck that can support a family, affordable health care, a secure retirement and dignity on the job.
Common Cause
Common Cause is a nonpartisan, nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 1970 by John Gardner as a vehicle for citizens to make their voices heard in the political process and to hold their elected leaders accountable to the public interest. Today, Common Cause is one of the most active, effective, and respected nonprofit organizations working for political change in America.
Community Law Center
The Community Law Center provides legal services and technical assistance to grassroots organizations, nonprofits, and small businesses to improve the quality of life and economic viability of communities.
Consumer Action
Consumer Action is a non-profit, membership-based organization that was founded in San Francisco in 1971. During its more than three decades, Consumer Action has continued to serve consumers nationwide by advancing consumer rights, referring consumers to complaint-handling agencies through our free hotline, publishing educational materials in Chinese, English, Korean, Spanish, Vietnamese and other languages, advocating for consumers in the media and before lawmakers, and comparing prices on credit cards, bank accounts and long distance services.
Consumer Association Council
The American Consumer Council's (ACC) mission is to educate and guide American consumers in the purchase of safe, reliable products and services, and to serve as a voice for consumer advocacy and economic wellness in the United States. In 2009, ACC surpassed 86,000 members in North America.
ACC is also the administrator of the Green C™ Certification program which certifies and recognizes deserving companies and organizations for their commitment to environmental compliance and corporate social responsibility.
Consumers for Auto Safety and Reliability
CARS is a credible, respected voice for the public interest, working to expose illegal practices, improve auto safety technology, and ensure that unsafe, seriously defective vehicles are recalled and fixed before people are hurt.
Consumer Federation of America
Since 1968, the Consumer Federation of America (CFA) has provided consumers a well-reasoned and articulate voice in decisions that affect their lives. Day in and out, CFA's professional staff gathers facts, analyzes issues, and disseminates information to the public, policymakers, and the rest of the consumer movement.
Consumer Watchdog
Consumer Watchdog (formerly The Foundation for Taxpayer and Consumer Rights [FTCR]) is a nationally recognized consumer group that has been fighting corrupt corporations and crooked politicians since 1985. Over the years, Consumer Watchdog has saved Americans billions of dollars and improved countless peoples' lives by speaking out on behalf of patients, ratepayers and policyholders.
Big Business has an endless amount of money and thousands of lobbyists working everyday to protect and increase their profits - no matter who it hurts. We get in their way and work to protect and improve the lives of American consumers and taxpayers.
Consumers Union
Defend Your Dollars is the website of the Consumers Union Financial Services Campaign, where we support reforms to the financial marketplace to curb bad practices by banks and lenders.
CREDO
Working Assets is a mobile, credit card and long distance company that turns everyday activities into progressive acts. We raise money for nonprofits when customers use our services — over $65 million to date. We also raise our voices through calls, letters, e-mails and text messages on key political issues of the day.
Demos
Demos is a non-partisan public policy research and advocacy organization founded in 2000. Headquartered in New York City, Demos works with advocates and policymakers around the country in pursuit of four overarching goals:
- a more equitable economy with widely shared prosperity and opportunity;
- a vibrant and inclusive democracy with high levels of voting and civic engagement;
- an empowered public sector that works for the common good;
- and responsible U.S. engagement in an interdependent world.
Essential Action
Founded in 1982 by Ralph Nader, Essential Information is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization. We are involved in a variety of projects to encourage citizens to become active and engaged in their communities. We provide provocative information to the public on important topics neglected by the mass media and policy makers.
Essential Information publishes a monthly magazine, books and reports, sponsors investigative journalism conferences, provides writers with grants to pursue investigations and operate clearing houses which disseminate information to grassroots organizations in the United States and the Third World.
Fair Arbitration Now
The Fair Arbitration Now Coalition advocates to end mandatory binding arbitration. Our organizations represent millions of individual members interested in protecting the rights of all Americans - particularly the rights of consumers, employees, homeowners, and the elderly, as well as preserving our hard-won civil rights. We are concerned with how the proliferation of forced arbitration in contracts and terms of agreement for employment, nursing home admissions, and goods and services has stripped away some of our most basic rights.
Green America
Our mission is to harness economic power—the strength of consumers, investors, businesses, and the marketplace—to create a socially just and environmentally sustainable society. We work for a world where all people have enough, where all communities are healthy and safe, and where the bounty of the Earth is preserved for all the generations to come.
Housing Counseling Services
HCS is a non-profit 501(c) 3 organization founded in 1972 to provide comprehensive housing counseling, training, advocacy, technical assistance and housing opportunities for low and moderate-income homebuyers, homeowners, and tenants; to help them achieve successful living in healthy, safe and affordable homes.
HCS's goal is to prevent homelessness and increase sustainable housing opportunities by providing the skills, self-esteem and empowerment necessary within families and communities. Further, HCS works to build the individual and group capacity for economic, physical, and social development of homes, neighborhoods and communities.
Institute of Women's Policy Research
The Institute for Women's Policy Research conducts rigorous research and disseminates its findings to address the needs of women, promote public dialogue, and strengthen families, communities, and societies.
NAACP
From the ballot box to the classroom, the dedicated workers, organizers, and leaders who forged this great organization and maintain its status as a champion of social justice, fought long and hard to ensure that the voices of African Americans would be heard. For nearly one hundred years, it has been the talent and tenacity of NAACP members that has saved lives and changed many negative aspects of American society.
National Association of Consumer Advocates
NACA is a non-profit association of attorneys and consumer advocates committed to representing customers' interests. Our members are private and public sector attorneys, legal services attorneys, law professors and law students whose primary focus is the protection and representation of consumers. NACA also has a charitable and educational fund incorporated under §501 (c) (3).
National Association of Neighborhoods
The National Association of Neighborhoods (NAN) is one of America's largest and oldest grass-roots multi-issue membership organizations. NAN's mission is to improve the quality of life in the nation's most important communities - its neighborhoods. To further its mission, the Association's more than 2,500 members join together to share and to expand their resources, their knowledge, and their work.
National Community Reinvestment Coalition
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) was formed in 1990 by national, regional, and local organizations to develop and harness the collective energies of community reinvestment organizations from across the country so as to increase the flow of private capital into traditionally underserved communities.
NCRC has grown to an association of more than 600 community-based organizations that promote access to basic banking services including credit and savings, to create and sustain affordable housing, job development and vibrant communities for America's working families.
National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients)
The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) is the nation's consumer law expert, helping consumers, their advocates, and public policy makers use powerful and complex consumer laws on behalf of low-income and vulnerable Americans seeking economic justice.
National Consumers League
The National Consumers League is America's oldest consumer organization, representing consumers and workers on marketplace and workplace issues since our founding in 1899. NCL provides government, businesses, and other organizations with the consumer's perspective on concerns including child labor, privacy, food safety, and medication information.
NCL is home to the LifeSmarts program, Child Labor Coalition, NCL's Fraud Center, and SOS Rx Coalition. NCL is a private 501(c)(3) membership organization.
National Council of La Raza
The National Council of La Raza (NCLR) – the largest national Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization in the United States – works to improve opportunities for Hispanic Americans. Through its network of nearly 300 affiliated community-based organizations (CBOs), NCLR reaches millions of Hispanics each year in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia.
To achieve its mission, NCLR conducts applied research, policy analysis, and advocacy, providing a Latino perspective in five key areas – assets/investments, civil rights/immigration, education, employment and economic status, and health. In addition, it provides capacity-building assistance to its Affiliates who work at the state and local level to advance opportunities for individuals and families.
National Fair Housing Alliance
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Washington DC, the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is the only national organization dedicated solely to ending discrimination in housing. NFHA works to eliminate housing discrimination and to ensure equal housing opportunity for all people through leadership, education and outreach, membership services, public policy initiatives, advocacy and enforcement.
National Federation of Community Development Credit Unions
The Federation helps low- and moderate-income people and communities achieve financial independence through credit unions.
Established in 1974 by a coalition of credit union leaders dedicated to revitalizing low-income communities, the Federation's mission is to strengthen the credit unions that serve low-income, urban and rural communities -- known as "community development credit unions," or CDCUs. We carry out our mission by advocating for and providing financial, technical, and human resources to CDCUs.
National Housing Trust
The National Housing Trust Fund was established as a provision of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, which was signed into law by President George W. Bush. The passage of National Housing Trust Fund legislation is a major victory for low income housing advocates and the lowest income people in our country with the most serious needs. The housing trust fund will, once capitalized, provide communities with funds to build, preserve, and rehabilitate rental homes that are affordable for extremely and very low income households.
National NeighborWorks Association
All NeighborWorks® organizations (NWOs) are invited to join NNA. Other organizations may become affiliate members. As a member you get access to our members only website, inclusion in our quarterly district calls, direct access to your congressional delegation, and the opportunity to provide input on NWA policy. NNA is the only national trade association dedicated solely to advancing the needs of the NeighborWorks® Network
OMB Watch
OMB Watch exists to increase government transparency and accountability; to ensure sound, equitable regulatory and budgetary processes and policies; and to protect and promote active citizen participation in our democracy.
Partners for the Common Good
A nonprofit community development loan fund and certified Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI), PCG is operating as the first wholesale loan participation network in our industry. Our mission is to advance economic justice and opportunity. By partnering with other mission focused lenders and investors, we provide access to capital for low income people and communities.
Poverty and Race Research Action Council
The Poverty & Race Research Action Council (PRRAC) is a civil rights policy organization convened by major civil rights, civil liberties, and anti-poverty groups in 1989-90. PRRAC's primary mission is to help connect advocates with social scientists working on race and poverty issues, and to promote a research-based advocacy strategy on structural inequality issues.
PRRAC sponsors social science research, provides technical assistance, and convenes advocates and researchers around particular race and poverty issues. PRRAC also supports public education efforts, including the bimonthly newsletter/journal Poverty & Race, and the award-winning civil rights history curriculum guide, Putting the Movement Back Into Civil Rights Teaching (co-published with Teaching for Change).
At the present time, PRRAC is pursuing project-specific work in the areas of housing, education, and health, focusing on the importance of "place" and the continuing consequences of historical patterns of housing segregation and development for low income families in the areas of health, education, employment, and incarceration. PRRAC's work is informed by an extensive national network of researchers, organizers, attorneys, educators, and public health and housing professionals.
Public Citizen
Public Citizen serves as the people's voice in the nation's capital. Since our founding in 1971, we have delved into an array of areas, but our work on each issue shares an overarching goal: To ensure that all citizens are represented in the halls of power.
Sargent Shriver Center on Poverty Law
The Sargent Shriver National Center on Poverty Law provides national leadership in identifying, developing, and supporting creative and collaborative approaches to achieve social and economic justice for low-income people and communities. The Center engages in direct advocacy campaigns in Illinois and around the country to improve policies and programs on specific issues, and also engages in broader advocacy on general issues of justice, opportunity, and human rights.
Scam Victims United
Scam Victims United offers support and resources to victims through message groups and networking with other victims. This provides for a safe environment in which they can share their stories with other who have been through the same experience without worry of blame or judgment.
State Voices
A new model of cooperation and sharing is growing in the states amongst grassroots groups. Organizations working in historically underrepresented and socially responsible communities are breaking out of their narrowly defined and out-dated issue silos to come together and share ideas, share resources and cooperate to win policy and civic engagement victories for change.
State Voices helps bring together those diverse and talented groups working in key states and provides the infrastructure necessary to build the trust, communication and haring that creates real collaboration and success.
The Association for Housing and Neighborhood Development
The Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development is a membership organization of New York City non-profit neighborhood housing groups. Our mission is to ensure flourishing neighborhoods and decent, affordable housing for all New Yorkers. We pursue this mission by supporting the programs and advancing the priorities of our member organizations engaged in community development and community organizing in low-and moderate-income neighborhoods throughout the City.
The Carrots and Sticks Project
We recognize the need to create an environment where bold and principled leadership is rewarded and where the status quo is consistently challenged. However, the apparatus to enact such an agenda is noticeably absent from the current landscape. While many organizations exist with similar policy goals to ours, we believe organizations aiming to directly influence the policymaking environment rather than merely persist or meet a fundraising target are far too few in number.
Despite laudable policy aims, such obsolete institutions are unwilling or unable to pressure their colleagues to achieve those aims. Ultimately, some politicians wish to pursue the people's business at the expense of powerful entrenched interests, but cannot count on allied organizations to provide the level of pressure necessary to fend off the tranquilizing drug of moderation in defense of the status quo.
The Consumer Task Force for Automotive Issues
The Consumer Task Force For Automotive Issues, the sponsor of this web site, is a non-profit organization founded by Ralph Nader and Remar Sutton. CTF-A monitors auto fraud developments for many Attorneys General, consumer groups, and consumer law firms. About the web site: We've tried to provide you good, non-biased information to help you in the auto process.
This site also links you to other important consumer sites, and provides you a complaint mechanism if you are already the victim of auto fraud.
The Privacy Rights Now Coalition
This site was organized by Ralph Nader and Remar Sutton to highlight the efforts of the key non-profit organizations that care about the integrity of your private life. This web site is not "commercial." No one is making money or gathering information here.
The Stop BMA Coalition
Our objectives:
- To raise consumer awareness about the dangers of binding mandatory arbitration.
- To push for remedial legislation at both the state and federal levels.
- To highlight companies that do not require binding mandatory arbitration clauses.
U.S. PIRG
U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), stands up to powerful special interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. With a strong network of researchers, advocates, organizers and students in state capitols across the country, we take on the special interests on issues, such as product safety,political corruption, prescription drugs and voting rights,where these interests stand in the way of reform and progress.
United States Student Association
The United States Student Association, the country's oldest and largest national student-led organization, develops current and future leaders and amplifies the student voice at the local, state, and national levels by mobilizing grassroots power to win concrete victories on student issues. The United States Student Association Foundation ensures the pipeline of effective student leadership by facilitating education, training and other development opportunities at national, state, and local levels in advocating for issues that affect students.