Telefund

Background

Telefund was founded in 1988 by Public Interest Network president and executive director Doug Phelps to provide consulting and fundraising services for left-of-center and Democratic Party-connected groups. Its sister organization, Grassroots Campaigns Inc, also provides fundraising services for Democratic Party campaigns.  ^{3 2 1}

As of 2026, Telefund operates in New York and Illinois while having a call center in Boston, Massachusetts. ⁴

Activity

According to its website, Telefund provides several consulting services including “Fundraising,” “Information,” and “Fulfilment.” Specific fundraising services include managing renewals and one-time donations, promoting reinstatements, and reaching out to related groups for new donors. Specific information services include providing credit card data to payment processors, managing fundraising prospect lists, and analyzing fundraising messages. Fulfillment services include operating individualized mailing campaigns through the Denver-based C and D Printing and Mailing firm.  ^{5 6 7}

Clients

Listed clients of Telefund have included Greenpeace, Planned Parenthood, the Democratic National Committee (DNC), Emily’s List, the Human Rights Campaign, the League of Conservation Voters, the ACLU, Giffords PAC, Mother Jones, the National Organization of Women, the Union of Concerned Scientists, Americares, the Environmental Defense Fund, the League of Women Voters, the National Audubon Society, the Natural Resources Defense Council, Oxfam, Partners In Health, People for the American Way, Sierra Club, and the Surfrider Foundation. ⁸

Leadership

Doug Phelps is the president of Telefund. He is also listed, or was formerly listed, as the president and executive director for the Public Interest Network, the president of the National Association of Organizations in the Public Interest, the president of U.S. PIRG, and CEO of Grassroots Campaigns, Inc. He has also been the board chairman of CALPIRG, the president and board chairman for Environment America, the president of the Douglas H. Phelps Foundation, president and board chairman of the Fund for the Public Interest, and the advisory board chairman of the Change Corps. He also was board chairman of Green Corps and a board member for the National Environmental Law Center, Green Century Capital Management, and ProgressNow.  ^{2 9 10 11 12}

As of 2025, Susan Moran was the treasurer of Telefund as well as the co-founder and principal of its sister organization, Grassroots Campaigns. Previously, she was the organizing director for California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) and has worked on advocacy and fundraising campaigns for organizations including the Human Rights Campaign and Sierra Club. ^{13 14 3}

Susan E. Rakov is the secretary for Telefund. Previously, she was the senior vice president of the Public Interest Network and managing director of the Frontier Group, a think tank operated by the Center for Public Interest Research.  ^{15 11 16}