Consumer Watchdog

Consumer Watchdog is a left-of-center nonprofit organization that attempts to expose business and governmental activity it deems corrupt and unjust. In addition to raising awareness to the general public in reports, it also attempts to influence policy by submitting analyses to government regulators, pressuring lawmakers to take action, leaking information to the media, and litigating against businesses and other organizations. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Economic Policy
Website: www.consumerwatchdog.org
Formation:

1985

Location: Los Angeles, CA View on map
Tax ID: 95-3993720
Most Recent Filing: 2024
Budget (2024): Assets: $5,335,939 Revenue: $5,893,051 Expenses: $5,743,220

Contents

    Activities

    Consumer Watchdog was founded in 1985 by public interest lawyer Harvey Rosenfield. 2 Since then, it has pursued numerous litigation and advocacy efforts on behalf of what it calls “consumer protection,” namely left-progressive campaigns against businesses. It has advocated in several key issue areas, such as energy, healthcare, the legal system, campaign finance, patient safety, privacy, and technology. 3

    In addition to its litigation efforts, Consumer Watchdog’s leaders have published books through the organization, covering topics such as medical malpractice, corruption in the health insurance industry, corporate power, and Democratic politics. Its general policy platform has been to increasingly regulate the free market and to raise taxes. 4

    Consumer Watchdog hosts the “Rage for Justice Awards,” an award ceremony for activists and litigators in the “public interest movement.” It is held in honor of former U.S. Representative Phillip Burton (D-CA). 5 Prominent recipients of the awards have included former State Sen. Sheila Kuehl (D-Los Angeles), U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and his wife Jane Sanders, former U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), left-of-center billionaire philanthropist Tom Steyer, and former U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-MN). 5

    Funding

    In 2019, Consumer Watchdog had a total revenue of $4,790,957, total expenses of $3,508,420, and net assets of $5,305,639. 6

    Leadership

    Consumer Watchdog was founded by public interest lawyer Harvey Rosenfield. He has worked for the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Congress, Ralph Nader’s Public Citizen Congress Watch as a staff attorney, and the California Public Interest Research Group (CalPIRG) as a program director. He is the author of Silent Violence, Silent Death: The Hidden Epidemic of Medical Practice and the co-author of initiatives on health maintenance organization (HMO) reform and utility rate deregulation (Proposition 9, 1998). He also authored Proposition 103 and organized the campaign that eventually helped it pass in 1988. 2

    Jamie Court is the president of Consumer Watchdog and chairman of the board. He is the author of The Progressive’s Guide to Raising Hell: How to Win Grassroots Campaigns, Pass Ballot Box Laws and Get the Change You Voted For. He has been the leader of several political campaigns to increase regulations on banks, tech companies, insurance companies, oil companies, utilities, and political activities, particularly campaign finance practices. 7

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2024 $5,335,939 $5,893,051 $5,743,220 View
    2023 $4,475,329 $3,433,856 $4,022,005 View
    2022 $5,372,051 $3,748,024 $4,059,158 View
    2021 $4,994,329 $4,267,187 $3,818,831 View
    2020 $4,553,604 $2,621,985 $3,635,352 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 17

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Jamie CourtPRESIDENT$355,740
    Carmen BalberEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR$215,911
    Benjamin ArmstrongSTAFF ATTORNEY$200,000
    Gerald FlanaganLITIGATION DIRECTOR$193,701
    Pamela PressleySENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY$187,425
    Elizabeth TuckerADVOCATE$111,368

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $9,019,447
    • Number of Grants: 123
    • Number of Funders: 36

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $360,0002022 SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATIONCLIMATE CHANGE & ENVIRN. CONSERVTN
    $300,0002024 The Schmidt Family FoundationEncouraging a just transition away from fossil fuels
    $270,0002024 Tides FoundationEQUITY, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT
    $270,0002023 Tides FoundationSUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENT
    $265,5002024 SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATIONCLEAN ENRG & JUST TRANS, ENV CONSRV
    $250,0002023 SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATIONENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
    $250,0002021 SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATIONEnvironmental Conservation
    $250,0002020 SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATIONEnvironmental Conservation
    $200,0002023 The Schmidt Family FoundationEncouraging a just transition away from fossil fuels
    $160,0002023 SUSTAINABLE MARKETS FOUNDATIONCLEAN ENERGY AND JUST TRANSITION
    $150,0002022 The Schmidt Family FoundationEncouraging a just transition away from fossil fuels
    $150,0002021 The Schmidt Family FoundationEncouraging a just transition away from fossil fuels
    $150,0002020 The Schmidt Family FoundationEncouraging a just transition away from fossil fuels
    $100,0002021 Silicon Valley Community Foundation
    $60,0002024 National Philanthropic TrustINTERNATIONAL
    $60,0002020 Consumer Education FoundationSEE FORM 990 PART III LINE 1
    $55,0002023 Price Philanthropies FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $51,0002023 American Endowment FoundationCIVIL RIGHTS
    $50,0002025 Jewish Community Foundation of San DiegoGENERAL
    $50,0002022 Price Philanthropies FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $50,0002021 Price Philanthropies FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $40,0002025 Consumer Attorneys Public Education FundPublic education and research on consumer protection
    $25,0002024 Price Philanthropies FoundationGENERAL SUPPORT
    $25,0002024 San Diego FoundationRAGE FOR JUSTICE
    $25,0002023 Carney R Shegerian FoundationSUPPORT RAGE OF JUSTICE AWARD EVENT

    All-time grants given statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $1,250,000
    • Number of Grants: 5
    • Number of Recipients: 1

    Selection of highest value grants given from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $250,0002022 Consumer Watchdog CampaignLEGISLATIVE AND BALLOT ADVOCACY
    $250,0002021 Consumer Watchdog CampaignLEGISLATIVE AND BALLOT ADVOCACY
    $250,0002020 Consumer Watchdog CampaignLEGISLATIVE AND BALLOT ADVOCACY

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “Our Approach.” Consumer Watchdog. Accessed 26 February 2022. https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/our-approach.
    2.  “Harvey Rosenfield.” Consumer Watchdog. Accessed 26 February 2022. https://consumerwatchdog.org/users/harvey-rosenfield.
    3. “Our Issues.” Consumer Watchdog. Accessed 26 February 2022. https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/issues.
    4. “Our Books. Consumer Watchdog. Accessed 26 February 2022. https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/our-books.
    5. “Rage for Justice Awards.” Consumer Watchdog. Accessed 26 February 2022. https://www.consumerwatchdog.org/rage-justice-awards.
    6. Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990). Consumer Watchdog. 2019. Part I, lines 12, 18, and 22.
    7. “Jamie Court.” Consumer Watchdog. Accessed 26 February 2022. https://consumerwatchdog.org/users/jamie-court.