Not to be confused with the Center for Public Interest Research (Nonprofit)

The Fund for the Public Interest (also known as Fund for Public Interest Research) is a left-wing 501(c)(4) advocacy organization affiliated with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US-PIRG) and Public Interest Network. It is affiliated with the 501(c)(3) policy research group Center for Public Interest Research.

Background

Founding

According to filings with the Massachusetts Secretary of State, the Fund for the Public Interest was created in May 1982 as the “Fund for Public Interest Research,” a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization.¹. It changed its name to Fund for the Public Interest in July 2008.²

The Fund’s articles of incorporation make it clear that it was intended to serve as a fundraising clearinghouse for the Public Interest organizations:³

“The purpose of this corporation is to provide funding, technical assistance, and other forms of support to organizations and individuals engaged in public interest research, education, and advocacy.”

The Fund’s founding board members included Sanford “Sandy” Pooler, Susan Birmingham, Emily Bernheim, Merrill Gay, and Fran Amatucci.⁴

Sanford Pooler briefly served as an organizer with the Massachusetts Public Interest Research Group (MASSPIRG) and as founding president of the Fund from 1980-1985.⁵

Susan Birmingham served as a MASSPIRG campus organizing director, executive director of the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG), an activist with the U.S. Public Interest Research Group (US-PIRG), and as a founding board member of the Fund. She died in 2007.⁶

Funding

Paradigm Partners

Also see Paradigm Partners (For-Profit)

According to its 2015 tax return, Fund for the Public Interest invested $1,511,575 in Paradigm Partners in 2015, a holding company investment advisory service firm founded by Doug Phelps, a “top management official” in the Fund’s board of directors. Paradigm Partners’ board of directors also includes Susan Rakov and Janet Domenitz.⁷

Catalist

Also see Catalist (For-Profit)

According to its 2015 tax return, Fund for the Public Interest invested $30,130 in 2015 in the Democratic-aligned campaign data vendor Catalist.⁸

Work for Progress

Also see Work for Progress (Nonprofit)

According to its 2014 tax return, Fund for the Public Interest paid $223,824 for “recruitment services” to Work for Progress, a Public Interest Network member.⁹

1. “Fund for the Public Interest: Articles of Incorporation.” Massachusetts Secretary of State. Filed May 14, 1982. Accessed October 24, 2018. http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchFormList.aspx?SEARCH_TYPE=1
2. “Fund for the Public Interest: Articles of Amendment.” Massachusetts Secretary of State. Filed July 3, 2008. Accessed October 24, 2018. http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchFormList.aspx?SEARCH_TYPE=1
3. “Fund for the Public Interest: Articles of Incorporation.” Massachusetts Secretary of State. Filed May 14, 1982. Accessed October 24, 2018. http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchFormList.aspx?SEARCH_TYPE=1
4. “Fund for the Public Interest: Articles of Incorporation.” Massachusetts Secretary of State. Filed May 14, 1982. Accessed October 24, 2018. http://corp.sec.state.ma.us/CorpWeb/CorpSearch/CorpSearchFormList.aspx?SEARCH_TYPE=1
5. “Sandy Pooler.” LinkedIn. Accessed October 24, 2018. https://www.linkedin.com/in/sandy-pooler-022214a/
6. “In Memory of Susan Birmingham.” State PIRG Alumni Network. Accessed October 24, 2018. http://www.pirg.org/alumni/SB/index.html
7. Fund for the Public Interest. IRS Form 990, 2015. Schedule D. Part 7.
8. Fund for the Public Interest. IRS Form 990, 2015. Schedule D. Part 7.
9. Fund for the Public Interest. IRS Form 990, 2014. Section B.