Public Citizen Foundation INC: Nonprofit Profile, Financials & Form 990 (EIN 52-1263996)

Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020	$15.9M
FY2021	$18.7M
FY2022	$18.7M
FY2023	$13.4M
FY2024	$14.8M
FY2025	$26.8M

Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020	$12.9M
FY2021	$14.1M
FY2022	$15.7M
FY2023	$18.1M
FY2024	$17.9M
FY2025	$17.9M

Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020	$30.0M
FY2021	$36.4M
FY2022	$31.5M
FY2023	$29.6M
FY2024	$31.8M
FY2025	$40.7M

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1992.

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

Where the money goes

83 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

83%

Program services 83% · $14.9M Management & general 9% · $1.6M Fundraising 8% · $1.5M

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

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Who runs it and what they're paid

17 people listed on the 990; $1.2M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII

Robert Weissman

Co-President

$227,928Pt VII · Sec A

David Arkush

Director, Energy

$184,144Pt VII · Sec A

Peter Maybarduk

Director, Access to Medicine

$161,804Pt VII · Sec A

Amanda Fleming

Director, Development

$158,734Pt VII · Sec A

Allison Zieve

General Counsel

$157,743Pt VII · Sec A

Lisa Gilbert

Co-President

$111,927Pt VII · Sec A

Tyson Slocum

Director, Energy

$103,316Pt VII · Sec A

Noyan Eyigor

Chief Financial Officer

$72,219Pt VII · Sec A

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

Name	FY2025	FY2024	FY2023	FY2022	FY2021	FY2020
Robert Weissman	$227,928	$235,977	$200,376	$142,853	$153,208	$156,918
Sid Wolfe	—	$188,667	$177,313	$163,249	$156,323	—
David Arkush	$184,144	$171,354	$135,546	—	$96,976	—
Peter Maybarduk	$161,804	$120,230	$86,234	—	—	—
Allison Zieve	$157,743	$159,281	$151,827	$135,112	$132,213	$121,183
Amanda Fleming	$158,734	—	—	—	—	—
Nandan Joshi	—	$155,738	—	—	—	—
Michael Carome	—	—	$154,099	$141,336	$133,942	$128,412

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 Foundation INC executive salaries →

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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 researching and educating on climate change, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.

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3 programs · $10.0M · in their own filed words · FY2024

01

Energy Program

The energy program provides information to the publicon the threat of catastrophic climate change, the dangers of nuclearand fossil fuels, and the opportunities available to advance energyefficiency and develop renewable energy sources.

$4.1Mprogram expense

02

Public Information and Education

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

$3.6Mprogram expense

03

Litigation Group

Litigation group attorneys have argued landmark lawsuits on behalf of citizens in federal and state courts across the country. Their efforts to represent principled, rather than profitable, positions in legal disputes have preserved the vital checks and balances of the separation of powers in the federal government, prevented the…

$2.3Mprogram expense

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

T Rowe Price Program for Charitable Giving INCFY2025$15K

Give Lively Foundation INCFY2025$10K

The John and Shirley Nash FoundationFY2025$4K

Wayne Goldstein Memorial FoundationFY2025$4K

Bccat Family Foundation INCFY2025$1K

Mathews Family FoundationFY2025$300

Total grants receivedfrom 6 funders$33K

See all 6 funders →

Grants paid · 112 grants · $7.0M · 2019–2024

Americans for Financial Reform Education FundDC · FY2024$231,570

Healthy GulfLA · FY2024$106,593

Stand Up America INCNY · FY2024$53,000

Moveon Org Civic ActionOR · FY2024$53,000

Constitutional Accountability CenterDC · FY2024$53,000

Air Alliance HoustonTX · FY2024$38,333

Texas Health and Environment Alliance INCTX · FY2024$33,333

Environmental Community Advocates of Galena ParkTX · FY2024$33,333

East Harris County Empowerment CouncilTX · FY2024$33,333

Coalition of Community OrganizationsTX · FY2024$33,333

Bayou City Waterkeeper INCTX · FY2024$33,333

Achieving Community Task SuccessfullyTX · FY2024$33,333

The Coalition for Sensible Safeguar Ds INCDC · FY2024$33,100

Fort Bend County Houston Environmental OrganizationFY2024$20,000

Transformative Justice CoalitionDC · FY2024$5,500

Americans for Financial Reform Education FundDC · FY2023$500,000

Public Citizen INCDC · FY2023$475,000

Air Alliance HoustonTX · FY2023$132,982

See all 112 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990

from philanthropy.org

1The main four

Money inPt VIII

$26.8M

Ln 12

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$23.2M

Investment incomeLn 3$2.6M

Fees for servicesLn 2g$989K

Money outPt IX

$17.9M

Ln 25

Programscol B$14.9M

Managementcol C$1.6M

Fundraisingcol D$1.5M

Owns and owesPt X

$40.7M

net assets · Ln 32

Cash and savingsLn 1–2$3.8M

Total assetsLn 16$45.0M

LiabilitiesLn 26$4.3M

PeoplePt VI, VII

17

listed · VII A

PaidVII A8

Voting boardVI 1a9

IndependentVI 1b9

2In more detail

Revenue in detailPt VIII

Gifts and grantsLn 1h$23.2M

Noncash giftsLn 1g$839K

Fundraising eventsLn 1c$245K

Fees for servicesLn 2g$989K

Investment incomeLn 3$2.6M

Gains on assetsLn 7$1.7M

Total revenueLn 12$26.8M

Assets in detailPt X, end of year

CashLn 1$2.4M

SavingsLn 2$1.4M

Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$3.8M

InvestmentsLn 11–13$37.6M

Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.1M

Other assetsLn 15$100K

Total assetsLn 16$45.0M

LiabilitiesLn 26$4.3M

Net assetsLn 32$40.7M

OperationsPt I, VI

EmployeesI 5174

VolunteersI 60

Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember

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

Line	Start FY25	End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2	$1.0M	$3.8M
InvestmentsLn 11–13	$31.1M	$37.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c	$2.1M	$2.1M
Total assetsLn 16	$35.8M	$45.0M
LiabilitiesLn 26	$4.0M	$4.3M
Net assetsLn 32	$31.8M	$40.7M

4Every line

Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line

Line	Total	Programs	Management	Fundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1	$887K	$887K
Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsLn 3	$100K	$100K
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5	$516K	$379K	$97K	$40K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7	$8.3M	$7.6M	$407K	$321K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8	$342K	$300K	$28K	$15K
Other employee benefitsLn 9	$1.3M	$1.1M	$78K	$57K
Payroll taxesLn 10	$734K	$654K	$52K	$28K
Legal feesLn 11b	$9K		$9K
Accounting feesLn 11c	$16K		$16K
Professional fundraising feesLn 11e	$180K			$180K
Investment management feesLn 11f	$229K		$229K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g	$1.4M	$1.2M	$243K	−$35K
Advertising and promotionLn 12	$47K	$47K
Office expensesLn 13	$2.0M	$1.0M	$380K	$580K
Information technologyLn 14	$206K	$21K	$152K	$33K
OccupancyLn 16	$117K	$54K	$62K
TravelLn 17	$165K	$148K	$6K	$12K
Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19	$68K	$53K	$4K	$10K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22	$105K		$105K
InsuranceLn 23	$39K		$39K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24	$879K	$408K	$266K	$205K
All other expensesLn 24e	$276K	$825K	−$591K	$43K
Total functional expensesLn 25	$17.9M	$14.9M	$1.6M	$1.5M

Filing history

Year	Money in	Money out	In minus out	Net assets	Download
FY2025 Latest Viewing	$26.8M	$17.9M	$8.8M	$40.7M	990 PDF
FY2024	$14.8M	$17.9M	−$3.0M	$31.8M	990 PDF
FY2023	$13.4M	$18.1M	−$4.7M	$29.6M	990 PDF
FY2022	$18.7M	$15.7M	$3.0M	$31.5M	990 PDF
FY2021	$18.7M	$14.1M	$4.6M	$36.4M	990 PDF
FY2020	$15.9M	$12.9M	$3.1M	$30.0M	990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash J · Pay O · Explanations

See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)

Part I · Summary $26,769,469 revenue, 12 lines filed

I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $13,300,225$23,239,349

I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $1,076,165$989,011

I-10 Investment incomePrior year $433,138$2,551,692

I-11 Other revenuePrior year $35,335−$10,583

I-12 Total revenuePrior year $14,844,863$26,769,469

I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,205,297$987,094

I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0

I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $10,758,636$11,204,539

I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $178,406$179,929

I-17 Other expensesPrior year $4,723,161$5,570,764

I-18 Total expensesPrior year $17,865,500$17,942,326

I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year −$3,020,637$8,827,143

Part VI · Governance 9 of 9 board members independent, no flags

VI-1a Voting members of the governing body9

VI-1b Independent voting members9

VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo

VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes

VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes

VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes

VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes

Part VIII · Statement of revenue $26,769,469 across 10 lines filed

Lines not itemized here account for $452 of total revenue; see the IRS return.

VIII-1c Fundraising events$245,420

VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$22,993,929

VIII-1g Noncash contributions (included above)$838,770

VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$23,239,349

VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $989,011$989,011

VIII-3 Investment incomeExcluded from tax $873,185$873,185

VIII-5 RoyaltiesExcluded from tax $41,998$41,998

VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsExcluded from tax $1,678,507$1,678,507

VIII-8 Net income from fundraising eventsExcluded from tax −$53,033−$53,033

VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $989,463 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $2,540,657$26,769,469

Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $17,942,326 across 22 lines filed

IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $887,094$887,094

IX-3 Grants and assistance to foreign recipientsPrograms $100,000$100,000

IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffPrograms $378,984 · Management $97,298 · Fundraising $39,637$515,919

IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $7,600,884 · Management $407,454 · Fundraising $321,104$8,329,442

IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $299,817 · Management $27,531 · Fundraising $14,846$342,194

IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $1,148,858 · Management $77,763 · Fundraising $56,717$1,283,338

IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $653,526 · Management $52,188 · Fundraising $27,932$733,646

IX-11b Legal feesManagement $8,895$8,895

IX-11c Accounting feesManagement $16,000$16,000

IX-11e Professional fundraising feesFundraising $179,929$179,929

IX-11f Investment management feesManagement $228,938$228,938

IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $1,224,721 · Management $242,639 · Fundraising −$35,278$1,432,082

IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $47,380$47,380

IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $1,023,478 · Management $379,601 · Fundraising $579,844$1,982,923

IX-14 Information technologyPrograms $20,815 · Management $152,274 · Fundraising $32,796$205,885

IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $54,125 · Management $62,444$116,569

IX-17 TravelPrograms $147,855 · Management $5,539 · Fundraising $11,838$165,232

IX-19 Conferences, conventions and meetingsPrograms $53,197 · Management $4,210 · Fundraising $10,362$67,769

IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationManagement $104,683$104,683

IX-23 InsuranceManagement $38,822$38,822

IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $408,027 · Management $266,431 · Fundraising $204,796$879,254

IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $824,593 · Management −$591,115 · Fundraising $42,854$276,332

IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $14,873,354 · Management $1,581,595 · Fundraising $1,487,377$17,942,326

Part X · Balance sheet $44,968,379 assets, 17 lines filed

X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $591,713$2,366,375

X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $437,085$1,424,032

X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $775,000$1,240,000

X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $96,644$72,510

X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $47,758$69,314

X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,131,711$2,083,248

X-11 Publicly traded securitiesStart of year $31,077,351$37,612,856

X-15 Other assetsStart of year $604,691$100,044

X-16 Total assetsStart of year $35,761,953$44,968,379

X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $1,009,281$878,854

X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $1,166,170$1,050,228

X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $1,828,567$2,377,774

X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $4,004,018$4,306,856

X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $26,560,415$34,891,312

X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $5,197,520$5,770,211

X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $31,757,935$40,661,523

X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $35,761,953$44,968,379

Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $40,661,523 net assets at year end

XI-1 Total revenue$26,769,469

XI-2 Total expenses$17,942,326

XI-3 Revenue less expenses$8,827,143

XI-4 Net assets at start of year$31,757,935

XI-5 Net unrealized gains (losses) on investments$175,456

XI-9 Other changes in net assets−$99,011

XI-10 Net assets at end of year$40,661,523

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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