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.
State Organizations
9 to 5, the National Association of Working Women (CO)
In 1973, a group of office workers in Boston got together to talk about issues which had no names, sexual harassment, work/family challenges, and pay equity. From this beginning, 9to5 emerged as the national organization dedicated to putting working women's issues on the public agenda. 9to5's constituents are low-wage women, women in traditionally female jobs, and those who've experienced any form of discrimination. Membership is open to all. Now in its fourth decade, 9to5's mission is to strengthen women's ability to win economic justice.
Arizonans for Responsible Lending
During the November 2008 election, the payday industry tried to pass Proposition 200 in Arizona - an initiative that would have allowed the payday lenders to bleed hard-working Arizonans with 400% interest rates. Forever. Arizona voters said "No!" to the payday lenders - loud and clear - rejecting Proposition 200 by an overwhelming margin and demanding that the sun set on the payday lenders' special deal in Arizona.
Association for Neighborhood and Housing Development (NY)
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.
Audubon Partnership for Economic Development LDC (New York, NY)
The Audubon Partnership for Economic Development (AUDUBON) is charged with the mission of increasing opportunities for local residents and small businesses in the communities of Washington Heights and Inwood in New York City. AUDUBON's highest priority is to help grow and develop the community's assets and eliminate barriers that hinder its full potential—such as lack of access to small business and consumer loans, the inability to attract capital and obstacles to the employability of disenfranchised residents.
Center for Media and Democracy
The Center for Media and Democracy is an independent, non-profit, non-partisan, public interest organization that focuses on:
- Investigating and countering spin by corporations, industries, and government agencies that affects our health, liberty, security, economic opportunities, environment, and the vitality of the democratic process.
- Informing and assisting grassroots action that promotes public health, economic justice, ecological sustainability, human rights, and democratic principles.
- Advancing transparency and media literacy to help people recognize the forces shaping the information they receive about important issues affecting their lives.
- Promoting "open content" media that enable people from all walks of life to "be the media" and help write the history of these times.
Chicago Consumer Coalition
Consumers Union (CU) is an expert, independent, nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. The organization was founded in 1936 when advertising first flooded the mass media. Consumers lacked a reliable source of information they could depend on to help them distinguish hype from fact and good products from bad ones. Since then CU has filled that vacuum with a broad range of consumer information. To maintain its independence and impartiality, CU accepts no outside advertising and no free samples and employs several hundred mystery shoppers and technical experts to buy and test the products it evaluates.
Community Action of Nebraska
Community Action of Nebraska (CAN) is the state association for nine community action agencies in this state. Established in 1984, CAN is governed by a 27-member board of directors, all of whom are executive directors or management at local community action agencies.
Connecticut Association for Human Services
Founded in 1910, CAHS is an independent, nonprofit public education, research and policy development organization committed to decreasing poverty, neglect and inequality in Connecticut. A key strength of CAHS is our ability to work in coalition with others. We bring together diverse interests - concerned citizens, policy makers, human service providers, corporate leaders, labor leaders, academics, state and municipal organizations, and religious organizations - to help ensure that all state residents have the opportunity to lead healthy, productive lives.
Consumer Assistance Council
The Consumer Assistance Council, Inc. (CAC) has a primary objective to assist and educate consumers and sellers of goods and services about consumer protection laws. CAC's secondary objective is to insure that consumer transactions are conducted in a fair and equitable manner and that ethical merchants are protected from unjustified complaints.
Delta Foundation, Inc. (Greenville, MS)
Above all else, we are a family; A father and mother and three sons and an extended family of cousins and nephews living near and far. We are also part of the 250 member family comprised of the staff and residents of the Delta Rehabilitation Center in Snohomish, Washington. Together with them, we are members in the 5.5 million member family of United States citizens whose lives have been directly affected by traumatic brain injury. The Delta Foundation was started to help those families understand and cope with the devastation caused by TBI - America's "Hidden Illness".
Economic Opportunity Fund (EOF) (Philadelphia, PA)
The mission of WORC is to promote social and economic self-sufficiency primarily for economically disadvantaged women and their families. WORC provides training, individual business assistance, incentive savings program, job placement, and access to buisness and financial resources. WORC empowers its constituents through various self-help strategies including savings, a self-employment network, and access to its local and national affiliations. Additionally, WORC encourages community awareness and responsiveness concerning issues impacting economic equity and independence.
Empire Justice Center (NY)
To protect and strengthen the legal rights of people in New York State who are poor, disabled ordisenfranchised through: systems change advocacy, training and support to other advocates and organizations, and high quality direct civil legal representation.
Fair Housing Contact Service OH
Dedicated to Providing Equal Opportunities in Housing
The Purpose for which this corporation is formed is to support and encourage freedom of residence in the greater Akron region so that all persons, regardless of race, religion, national origin, sex, family status, or handicap, can secure the housing they want and can afford in the neighborhood of their choice. Fair Housing Contact Service shall provide assistance to individuals pursuing legal rights and remedies related to fair housing, offer housing assistance and counseling, provide community education, promote community involvement, perform research in the area of housing and assist the professional housing industry in designing, implementing and evaluating programs for affirmative action towards an open housing market in the greater Akron region.
Florida Consumer Action Network
FCAN's members and staff build grassroots support on issues, work with government agencies and the media, and lobby elected officials. Program staff and Board members work to develop and mobilize activists from dozens of allied and affiliated organizations, including environmental, church, labor, civic, and senior citizen groups.
Our Phone Canvassers work precinct-by precinct, year round - speaking directly to several hundred thousand Floridians each year, and presenting them with opportunities to become involved with issues which affect their lives through petition signing, phone calling, and letter writing campaigns. Our Phone canvassers also follow up these contacts, maintaining regular communications with our members across the state.
Forward Community Investments (Madison, WI)
PROVIDING FINANCIAL RESOURCES TO WISCONSIN NONPROFITS FOR 15+ YEARS
Forward Community Investments works with nonprofits in Wisconsin to help them make strategic financial decisions and build their financial capacity for greater success today and tomorrow. In 2009, our loans totaled more than $4 million and we provided strategic financial assistance to various nonprofits throughout the state. And, in 2010, we have money to lend and assistance to offer.
For 15+ years, FCI has been bringing together nonprofits, socially-minded investors and funders to make amazing things happen in communities throughout Wisconsin. During that time, we have lent more than $21 million to nonprofits for the development of affordable housing and community facilities and services and the promotion of economic development initiatives. Our lending has cut across urban and rural demographics alike. We invite you to discover how to become part of what we do – whether it's by borrowing, investing or giving.
Homewise, Inc. (Santa Fe, NM)
Homewise, a private non-profit organization, was founded in 1986 as Neighborhood Housing Services of Santa Fe. During its first six years, NHS-Santa Fe was a small nonprofit engaged in home improvement and rehabilitation of the city's poorer west side. In 1992, Mike Loftin became Executive Director and as he canvassed the organization's existing clients, he discovered the homeowners were complaining that their grown children could not afford to buy a home in Santa Fe. Over the next decade, Loftin and the staff of NHS-Santa Fe, now called Homewise, grew into a full-service agency promoting affordable homeownership through financial counseling and educational classes designed to help Santa Fe's moderate income residents become home owners.
Idaho Chapter, National Association of Social Workers
The Idaho Chapter will provide leadership direction to promote the social work profession, exemplify and support ethical and knowledgeable practice, and positively impact social justice for all Idaho citizens.
Idaho Community Action Network
The fundamental mission of ICAN is to provide a voice for Idahoans committed to progressive social change and to develop the power necessary to create those changes. We are dedicated to the following principles:
- Empowerment of disenfranchised people and development of new leadership. We recognize that empowerment may mean different things to each of us. However, we share a commitment to developing community, acquiring and using skills, reinforcing active involvement, developing a common sense of responsibility and taking action for change.
- Everyone is welcome to participate - we are steadfastly dedicated to diversity.
- A stable, membership-driven funding base.
- The democratic process within and outside the organization.
- Non-violent action in the spirit of Gandhi and Martin Luther King, Jr. These activities may include direct action, rallies, lobbying, public education research, street theater or community meetings.
- ICAN´s members elect the ICAN Board of Directors, which sets policy for the rganization.
Idaho Nevada CDFI (Pocatello, ID)
The Idaho-Nevada CDFI is a United States Department of Treasury, CDFI Fund, designated Community Development Financial Institution and Community Development Entity. We are a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization with a board of directors drawn from the banking and community development industry. Visit the Board of Directors & Staff page for a listing of our board, staff and full contact information. We also own a for-profit corporation, Idaho-Nevada Finance, LLC which is a Treasury designated Community Development Entity.
Impact Capital (Seattle, WA)
Impact Capital helps transform distressed communities and neighborhoods into healthy ones - good places to live, work, do business and raise families. Investing in communities - Impact Capital provides early bridge financing for strategic real estate investments. We take the riskiest part of the financing package, thereby attracting other investors to the table.
Information Press (CA)
One person can make a difference. That's what Sandra Marshall, publisher of Information Press, believed in and counted on, when she published the first issue eighteen years ago. Driven with the passion to make people aware of the personal power they have to take charge of their life, Marshall has worked on a shoe string of a budget to publish articles that educate, encourage, inspire, support and empower the reader to take action to create the world they would like to see. Based in the California central coast community of San Luis Obispo, Information Press is an independently-owned resource geared toward progressive thinking individuals. Each issue blends a bit of local thought and activities with mainstream topics that can benefit readers from across the nation: environment, health, government, money, etc., all based on the global intent that the good of the whole begins with the individual. Since 1991, Marshall has featured local, national and international writers and activists.
JobStart Chautauqua, Inc. (Mayville, NY)
JobStart Chautauqua offers small loans to help low-income families stay employed when they are faced with unexpected car expenses, including purchase loans, repairs, and insurance. All loans made through JobStart Chautauqua must be tied to employment needs and your family must include a child under 18.
Low Income Investment Fund (San Francisco, CA)
The Low Income Investment Fund (LIIF) is dedicated to creating pathways of opportunity for low income people and communities. Serving the poorest of the poor, LIIF is a steward for capital invested in housing, child care, education and other community-building initiatives. In so doing, LIIF provides a bridge between private capital markets and low income neighborhoods.
Massachusetts Consumers' Coalition
Through the years, the MCC has contributed to these major consumer efforts:
- CAR SMART en Espanol was published in February 2003 and Spanish version has been posted on the Internet.
- Partnered Annual Consumer Week educational conference with Boston Federal Reserve Bank, FDIC and Mass. Attorney General's Office for consumer professionals: "New Ways to Pay" updates on check payment system changes and debit/credit card use.
- MCC worked to limit proposed changes to item pricing regulations and laws in Massachusetts.
- Spoke in opposition of and successfully blocked a Division of Insurance proposal to use credit scoring for the setting of insurance rates.
- MCC joined with CFA to improve "Diversity in Media" and oppose FCC regulations of broadcast media control which would allow a single owner to increase of media from 35 to 45%.
- Continued promotion of the "ENERGY STAR" program and worked with CFA to distribute "Radon Information" to Massachusetts TV and Radio stations.
- Joined with Angie's List ® to produce consumer educational articles on timely consumer issues each month for its Boston-area members.
Midwest Minnesota Community Development Corporation (Detroit Lakes, MN)
MMCDC is a non-profit organization that provides capital resources and innovative ideas to assist in successful business and community development throughout Minnesota and the Midwest.
Mile High Community Loan Fund (Denver, CO)
Mile High Community Loan Fund invests in affordable housing and other assets to improve economic opportunities of low income persons and communities.
Mortgage Recovery Service Center of L.A.
Mortgage Recovery Service Center
Holds your hand
Guides you through the process
Determines if fraud was involved in your mortgage process
Fights for a minimum of twice your home's value!
Jump starts your future with new found cash
Punishes those who committed the fraud
Most loan modifications companies primary goal is to receive upfront consultation fees without guaranteeing the results you so direly need.
Neighborhood Economic Development Advocacy Project
NEDAP is a resource and advocacy center for community groups in New York City. Our mission is to promote community economic justice and to eliminate discriminatory economic practices that harm communities and perpetuate inequality and poverty. We envision a just and sustainable world, in which all people live in safe, thriving, healthy communities. We believe that fundamental change is necessary to attain that world.
New Jersey Community Capital (Trenton, NJ)
New Jersey Community Capital is the trade name utilized by Community Loan Fund of New Jersey, Inc. and its affiliated entities for its financial and consulting products and services. Founded in 1987, the Community Loan Fund of New Jersey, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation and is certified as a community development financial institution ("CDFI") by the U.S. Department of Treasury's CDFI Fund. It is an effective provider of capital and consulting services because of its involvement in its constituent communities and an understanding of the trends and issues affecting the community development field.
New York City AIDS Housing Network
The New York City AIDS Housing Network is the nation's only membership organization comprised and led by low-income people living with HIV/AIDS. Given that housing is a human right, it is our mission to empower low-income people living with HIV/AIDS to organize our community, including the non-profits that serve us, to advocate for more housing, better housing and sound public policies for all New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS.
North Carolina Association of Community Development Corporations
A community development corporation (CDC) is a non-profit, community-based organization that is resident initiated, managed and controlled. CDCs employ professionally trained staff, enabling them to target specific areas, and create solutions to their distressed community's economic problems. Using public/private partnerships and building long-term community capacity, CDCs concentrate on increasing the assets of individuals and communities to reduce poverty, economic dependence and enhance community self-reliance by integrating economic, social and environmental goals.
Northern Community Investment Corporation (St. Johnsbury, VT)
NCIC is a jobs-based private non-profit serving Caledonia, Essex and Orleans Counties of Vermont (Northeast Kingdom) and Carroll, Coos and Grafton Counties of New Hampshire (North Country). We provide capital and professional assistance for a full variety of businesses as well as spearheading community economic development projects.
Northside Community Development Fund (Pittsburgh, PA)
The Northside Community Development Fund was established in 2000 as a subsidiary of the Northside Leadership Conference and is a Community Development Financial Institution certified by the U.S. Department of Treasury. The Northside Community Development Fund provides loans and financing for businesses and real estate development projects throughout the Northside of the City of Pittsburgh.
Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing (Columbus, OH)
The mission of OCCH is "to cause the construction, rehabilitation and preservation of affordable housing in Ohio". The Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing is an independent, mission-driven nonprofit corporation that works with private and public developers to create affordable housing opportunities. OCCH connects projects with resources by raising capital for investment, providing technical assistance, submitting funding applications, and assisting with project development and asset management, primarily in conjunction with the low-income housing tax credit program.
Our Oregon
Our Oregon is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting economic and tax fairness for all Oregonians.
Piedmont Housing Alliance (Charlottesville, VA)
Piedmont Housing Alliance is a regional nonprofit organization that creates housing and community development opportunities for very low to moderate income families and individuals, teaches financial literacy and management, homebuying and homeownership skills, and advocates for affordable housing policies and programs.
U.S. PIRG
U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs), takes on powerful interests on behalf of the American public, working to win concrete results for our health and our well-being. The state PIRGs are independent, state-based, citizen-funded organizations that advocate for the public interest. Since 1970, we have been delivering results-oriented citizen activism to protect our environment, encourage a fair and sustainable economy, and foster a responsive democratic government. We uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation.
At each state PIRG, the staff works to achieve concrete, practical changes on issues ranging from air and water pollution to campaign finance reform, from genetic engineering to consumer privacy.
The state PIRGs employ close to 400 organizers, policy analysts, scientists and attorneys, and are active in 47 states and Washington, D.C.
Read more about the work of individual state PIRGs at their websites:
Alaska PIRG / Arizona PIRG / California PIRG / Colorado PIRG / Connecticut PIRG / Florida PIRG / Georgia PIRG / Illinois PIRG / Indiana PIRG / Iowa PIRG / Maryland PIRG / Massachusetts PIRG / Michigan PIRG / Missouri PIRG / North Carolina PIRG / New Hampshire PIRG / New Jersey PIRG / New Mexico PIRG / New York PIRG / Ohio PIRG / Oregon State PIRG / Pennsylvania PIRG / Rhode Island PIRG / Texas PIRG / Washington PIRG / Wisconsin PIRG
The Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center
Rooted in the spirit of unconditional nonviolence, the Rocky Mountain Peace and Justice Center is dedicated to progressive personal and social change. We are a multi-issue organization that works to restore and protect Earth and human rights. We educate, organize, act and build community in order to create a culture of justice and peace.
Rural Community Assistance Corporation (West Sacramento, CA)
RCAC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting rural communities achieve their goals and visions by providing training, technical assistance and access to resources. Headquartered in West Sacramento, California, RCAC's more than 100 employees serve rural communities from 40 field locations in 13 western states, plus the Western Pacific.
Rural Organizing Project OR
Our mission is to strengthen the skills, resources, and vision of primary leadership in local autonomous human dignity groups with a goal of keeping such groups a vibrant source for a just democracy.
Siouxland Economic Development Corporation (Sioux City, IA)
SEDC was formed in 1979 to help businesses start up or expand in a ten-county area of Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota. Our SBA 504 program is now available in the entire state of Iowa. We are a non-profit organization governed by a volunteer board of directors and staffed by seasoned loan professionals. We have loans of every size to fit your small business needs. Contact us anytime if you have questions or need assistance. The application deadline for all our programs is the first Wednesday of any month.
The Fair Housing Council of Central New York
Our mission is to help enforce laws against discrimination in housing on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, sexual orientation, source of income, disability and familial status. In addition, we work to enforce laws prohibiting fraud and mortgage-lending abuses.
The Help Network
We at The Help Network are a team of real estate professionals using our combined knowledge and experience to create an ever-expanding positive force in our communities. Our Go-Zone efforts encompass the development of affordable housing allowing our investors to enjoy federal and state incentives, while providing housing to families along Mississippi's Gulf Coast.
The Loan Fund (Albuquerque, NM)
We provide loans and assistance to improve the economic and social conditions of New Mexicans. We operate with respect, fairness and integrity. We celebrate our clients' success.
Third Reconstruction Institute (NC)
THE MISSION The mission of the Third Reconstruction Institute is to advance the development and deepening of democratic process, multiracial cooperation and economic opportunity for poor, working, and middle class African American, White, and Latino southerners.
The Third Reconstruction Institute has fostered the development and sustaining of the traditional IAF broad based organizations in the Southeast. However the Third Reconstruction Institute has also supported and initiated the experimenting with different organizing frameworks and organizing new, potential constituencies in the Southeast. The Third Reconstruction Institute has also developed citizenship education curriculums and organizing curriculums tailored for the particular cultures we are organizing in.
Virginia Poverty Law Center
Virginia Poverty Law Center (VPLC) is a not-for-profit organization concentrating in the areas of law that affect low-income families. Established in 1978 to advocate on behalf of low-income Virginians on poverty issues of statewide importance, VPLC is the only state-wide organization providing training to local legal aid program staff, private bar attorneys, and low-income clients, relating exclusively to the legal rights of Virginia's poor.
War on Poverty — Florida
Through a variety of programs we provide training to individuals, community-based and faith-based organizations within minority communities in the areas we serve.
Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. NY
Westchester Residential Opportunities, Inc. (WRO) is a non-profit organization whose mission is to promote equal, affordable and accessible housing opportunities for all residents of our region.
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