Public Citizen INC

Not tax-deductible

Washington, DC501(c)(4)Since 1971Public & Societal BenefitEIN 23-7104508

Work for consumer rights

73¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$385K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2024 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(4)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2024
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2024, 2 tax years back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
2 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average deficit $211K a year · 3% of revenue · last 5 filings
Concern: a surplus in 2 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
73%
of spending
Fine: 73% of spending went to programs; 65% to 75%.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$385K
to officers and key staff · 3% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 3% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
3 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 2.6 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
2
named funders · $221K
Fine: 2 funders name it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$1.2M
15% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 15% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
9
of 9 voting members
Looks good: 9 of 9 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$16.6M
+98% vs prior year
Spent
$11.8M
To programs
73%
Net assets
$6.7M
By yearFY2020–FY2024
Revenue
$16.6M
FY2024▲ +98%
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$8.3M
FY2021$7.8M
FY2022$8.0M
FY2023$5.7M
FY2024$8.4M
FY2024$16.6M
Expenses
$11.8M
FY2024▲ +42%
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$6.5M
FY2021$8.3M
FY2022$9.0M
FY2023$7.1M
FY2024$8.3M
FY2024$11.8M
Net assets
$6.7M
FY2024▲ +251%
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$4.8M
FY2021$4.4M
FY2022$3.0M
FY2023$1.7M
FY2024$1.9M
FY2024$6.7M

From the FY2024 Form 990 · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2024. IRS ruling in Jun 1972.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

73 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 73% · $8.7M Management & general 20% · $2.4M Fundraising 6% · $755K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Who runs it and what they're paid

18 people listed on the 990; $385K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation
Co-President
$111,927Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$72,219Pt VII · Sec A
Co-President
$70,775Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Energy
$63,389Pt VII · Sec A
General Counsel
$35,052Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Development
$21,210Pt VII · Sec A
Deputy General Counsel
$9,383Pt VII · Sec A
Director, Access to Medicine
$1,402Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2024FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Lisa Gilbert$111,927$76,096$83,637$108,952$64,516$33,308
Robert Weissman$70,775$48,333$47,002$84,871$64,885$54,824
Joseph Stoshak—$41,061$75,404$69,423$63,954$57,119
Noyan Eyigor$72,219$48,326————
Sherry Joseph——$69,721———
Peter Maybarduk$1,402$37,968$62,445$66,491——
Tyson Slocum$63,389———$18,355$23,738
Lori M Wallach—————$53,006

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See Public Citizen INC executive salaries →

Are you one of these people? Claim this org to confirm your role

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Advocates for consumer rights by challenging corporate globalization and trade policies that harm jobs, wages, democracy, health, safety, and the environment.

Provided by the organization

This section is blank until Public Citizen INC claims this page.

Know this organization? Claim it to add your story

3 program services account for $7.3M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

Public Information and Education

Public citizen is active in every public forum: congress, the courts, government agencies, and the news media. Public citizen believes that full disclosure of government information empowers citizens and consumers.

$4.5Mprogram expense
02

Congress Watch

This program seeks to curb the influence of special interest dollars that corrupt the political process and publicize corporate welfare expenditures that lard the federal budget, works for campaign finance reform and tough lobby registration requirements, champions consumer legislation including areas of transportation policy, lobbies to…

$1.7Mprogram expense
03

Global Trade Watch

Acting on its belief that so called "free trade" treaties cost U.S. Jobs, reduce wages, undermine our democratic rights, and jeopardize health, safety, and the environment, global trade watch leads a national coalition of environmental, consumer, labor, religious, and family farm groups united against the corporate push for globalization…

$1.1Mprogram expense

Run this program? Claim this org to tell your story

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2025
Action Now INCFY2025$220K
Total grants receivedfrom 2 funders$221K
Grants paid · 23 grants · $952K · 2019–2024
Stand Up America INCNY · FY2024$66,000
MoveonorgOR · FY2024$66,000
Moveon Org Civic ActionOR · FY2022$10,000
Common CauseDC · FY2021$7,000
Stand Up AlaskaFY2021$6,500
People for the American WayDC · FY2020$25,000
Issue OneDC · FY2020$10,000
MoveonorgOR · FY2019$150,000
Stand Up America INCNY · FY2019$150,000
MoveonorgOR · FY2019$70,000
See all 23 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2024 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$16.6M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.0M
Other incomeLn 4–11$512K
Investment incomeLn 3$113K
Money outPt IX
$11.8M
Ln 25
Programscol B$8.7M
Managementcol C$2.4M
Fundraisingcol D$755K
Owns and owesPt X
$6.7M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.5M
Total assetsLn 16$7.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
PeoplePt VI, VII
18
listed · VII A
PaidVII A8
Voting boardVI 1a9
IndependentVI 1b9
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$16.0M
Noncash giftsLn 1g$103K
Investment incomeLn 3$113K
Other incomeLn 4–11$512K
Gains on assetsLn 7$62K
Total revenueLn 12$16.6M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$2.3M
SavingsLn 2$211K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$3.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$1.3M
Other assetsLn 15$275K
Total assetsLn 16$7.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$6.7M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5174
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderDecember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY24End FY24
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$429K$2.5M
InvestmentsLn 11–13$1.3M$3.4M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$976K$1.3M
Total assetsLn 16$3.3M$7.9M
LiabilitiesLn 26$1.4M$1.2M
Net assetsLn 32$1.9M$6.7M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$208K$208K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$372K$294K$66K$12K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$4.2M$3.8M$372K$26K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$180K$156K$24K$970
Other employee benefitsLn 9$655K$571K$76K$8K
Payroll taxesLn 10$377K$329K$46K$3K
Accounting feesLn 11c$38K$38K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e$227K$227K
Investment management feesLn 11f$10K$10K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$809K$585K$365K−$141K
Office expensesLn 13$2.3M$1.2M$782K$319K
Information technologyLn 14$138K$1K$137K
OccupancyLn 16$50K$50K
TravelLn 17$30K$30K$316$149
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19$12K$12K
InterestLn 20$2K$2K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$18K$18K
InsuranceLn 23$39K$39K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.9M$953K$697K$290K
All other expensesLn 24e$244K$512K−$278K$10K
Total functional expensesLn 25$11.8M$8.7M$2.4M$755K

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2024 $8.4M$8.3M$43K$1.9M 990 PDF
FY2023 $5.7M$7.1M−$1.4M$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2022 $8.0M$9.0M−$982K$3.0M 990 PDF
FY2021 $7.8M$8.3M−$558K$4.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $8.3M$6.5M$1.9M$4.8M 990 PDF

Want to add your own materials alongside these filings? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
See the full FY2024 990 (4 parts)
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $16,605,449 across 8 lines filed
Lines not itemized here account for $15 of total revenue; see the IRS return.
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$15,980,308
VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$103,473
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$15,980,308
VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $51,611$51,611
VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $56,807$56,807
VIII-6 Net rental income or lossExcluded from tax $454,842$454,842
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $61,866$61,866
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $15 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $625,126$16,605,449
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $11,835,209 across 20 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $208,500$208,500
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $294,383 · Management $65,801 · Fundraising $12,051$372,235
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $3,832,133 · Management $372,256 · Fundraising $26,456$4,230,845
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $155,522 · Management $23,775 · Fundraising $970$180,267
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $570,522 · Management $76,330 · Fundraising $8,401$655,253
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $328,695 · Management $45,578 · Fundraising $2,520$376,793
IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $37,815$37,815
IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $226,865$226,865
IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $9,964$9,964
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $584,535 · Management $365,397 · Fundraising −$140,876$809,056
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,153,641 · Management $781,503 · Fundraising $319,074$2,254,218
IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $1,237 · Management $136,743$137,980
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $50,073$50,073
IX-17 TravelPrograms $29,837 · Management $316 · Fundraising $149$30,302
IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $11,948$11,948
IX-20 InterestManagement $2,166$2,166
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $18,141$18,141
IX-23 InsuranceManagement $38,851$38,851
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $952,693 · Management $697,358 · Fundraising $289,505$1,939,556
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $512,421 · Management −$277,621 · Fundraising $9,581$244,381
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $8,686,140 · Management $2,394,373 · Fundraising $754,696$11,835,209
Part X · Balance sheet $7,917,784 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $201,723$2,331,648
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $227,571$210,721
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $39,445$4,390
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $338,987$396,258
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $976,135$1,304,217
X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $1,267,556$3,395,074
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $230,009$275,476
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $3,281,426$7,917,784
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,030,300$1,098,427
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $26,273$26,273
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $292,768$63,744
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $1,362,098$1,188,444
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,070,718$5,820,084
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $848,610$909,256
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $1,919,328$6,729,340
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $3,281,426$7,917,784
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $6,729,340 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$16,605,449
XI-2 Total expenses$11,835,209
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$4,770,240
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$1,919,328
XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$39,772
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$6,729,340

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

If you ARE the filing organization, claim this org and add context

Made it to the end? Claim this organization

Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.
Keep this kind of thing free
Keep public charity data easy to read.

Free to the public, because obviously. Like this? Pay it forward. Don't like this? Help us get better.

Card, Apple Pay or Google Pay through Stripe. One time.

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.