National Consumer Law Center
National Consumer Law Center reported $21.6 million in revenue and $14.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $77.87 went to program services, $15.21 to management and general costs and $6.92 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was program service revenue such as fees, sales and contracts: 58.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $327,425 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 41 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 93% between 2019 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.
Where $100 of spending went
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $15MFor context, the median across 274 covered crime & legal-related charities: $87.85 programs, $11.30 management, $0.85 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $22MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | 2024 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 77.9% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 15.2% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 6.9% | 0.8% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.15 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 31.0% | 94.8% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 1.8% | 50.1% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 58.0% | 0.7% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $327,425 | $245,814 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.24% | 1.41% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 41 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 37.9 | 6.4 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 12 of 12 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expensePromoting economic opportunity for people with low-incomes by increasing access to sustainable housing and homeownership, utilities, and car ownership.to reduce the obstacles people with low incomes encounter in obtaining safe housing and essential transportation, nclc develops and advocates reforms to promote access to fair lending and housing laws, foreclosure avoidance programs, and affordable access to utilities. Cars are essential for many families to achieve economic mobility, so nclc also promotes effective car ownership programs and combats misleading and discriminatory sales and…
Protecting low-income people, families, and communities from predatory lending, risky financial products, abusive credit reporting and debt collection, and other forms of economic exploitation. Nclc pursues reforms to federal and state policy, regulation, and legislation to help people with low incomes, people of color, justice-involved individuals, and people with limited english proficiency have access to secure bank accounts; safe access to credit with interest rate caps; and a path to pursue a fresh start through a reasonable bankruptcy process. Nclc advances policy solutions to combat…
Educating front-line legal services and non-profit lawyers, private attorneys, federal and state policymakers, regulatory and enforcement officials, and courts about substantive Consumer Law issues through conferences and trainings, expert witness services, and in-depth treatises, reports and issue briefs. Nclc provides training and educational resources to Consumer Law attorneys and advocates. Nclc publishes 21 Consumer Law treatises on every aspect of Consumer Law. Nclc advocates update its digital library regularly and provide sample pleadings, articles, trial tips, and strategies. Nclc…
Highest reported compensation
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $278,750 | $0 | $48,675 | $327,425 |
| DEPUTY DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $237,471 | $0 | $23,762 | $261,233 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $206,729 | $0 | $42,188 | $248,917 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $204,883 | $0 | $43,184 | $248,067 |
| SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $188,794 | $0 | $32,292 | $221,086 |
| SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $196,922 | $0 | $22,639 | $219,561 |
| SENIOR ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $185,603 | $0 | $31,717 | $217,320 |
| DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND IT Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $170,813 | $0 | $43,470 | $214,283 |
41 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from National Consumer Law Center (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.9M (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b12 · 12 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 579
- Volunteers Part I, line 612
Largest outside contractors
2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses onlyIndividuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
13 private foundations reported grants to National Consumer Law Center totaling $1.0M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from National Consumer Law Center's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for National Consumer Law Center, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 National Consumer Law Center spent in 2024, $77.87 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Florence Immigrant & Refugee Rights ProjectTucson, AZ · revenue $21M · programs 79.8% · 2024
- Inner City Law CenterLos Angeles, CA · revenue $22M · programs 86.0% · 2024
- Lakeshore Legal AidWarren, MI · revenue $21M · programs 82.3% · 2025
- Evident ChangeMadison, WI · revenue $22M · programs 67.6% · FY2025
- Lasting ChangeFort Wayne, IN · revenue $21M · programs 84.6% · 2024
All crime & legal-related charities · Largest charities in Massachusetts
Questions people ask
How much of National Consumer Law Center's spending goes to programs?
In calendar year 2024, National Consumer Law Center reported that 77.9% of its $14.6 million in expenses went to program services, 15.2% to management and general and 6.9% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does National Consumer Law Center pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation National Consumer Law Center reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $327,425, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does National Consumer Law Center get its money?
Of $21.6 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 31.0% came from contributions and grants (including 1.8% from government grants) and 58.0% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is National Consumer Law Center a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 04-2488502 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202502169349300910 · read the filing · XML
- 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202432289349301473 · read the filing
- 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202342859349302064 · read the filing
- 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202212719349300211 · read the filing
- 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202143089349300249 · read the filing
- 2019: Form 990 for calendar year 2019, object 202033089349302548 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 04-2488502: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.