National Consumer Law Center Inc

Overview

Mission

The national consumer law center works for consumer justice and economic security for low-income and other disadvantaged people in the u.s. Through its expertise in policy analysis and advocacy, publications, litigation, expert witness services, and training.

What it reported doing in 2024

Educating front-line legal services and non-profit lawyers, private attorneys, federal and state policymakers, regulatory and enforcement officials, and courts about substantive consumer law issues through conferences and trainings, expert witness services, and in-depth treatises, reports and issue briefs. Nclc provides training and educational resources to consumer law attorneys and advocates. Nclc publishes 21 consumer law treatises on every aspect of consumer law. Nclc advocates update its digital library regularly and provide sample pleadings, articles, trial tips, and strategies. Nclc produces three annual conferences, which in 2024 provided high-level training to more than 1,600 lawyers. At conferences and in online trainings, nclc trained more than 11,135 advocates in 2024. Nclc litigates consumer law cases on behalf of its low-income clients, and provides expert witness services and consulting on consumer law and utility issues.

Operating model

Revenue model
Other-operating. 60% of the money available for current operations came from other operating revenue.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
042488502
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
Boston, MA, USA
Phone
6175428010
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Legal Services

Official website

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of total spending goes to programs and the filed numbers largely add up. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 61
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 75
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 58.2%; rating input score 58
  • Program expense ratio: 77.9%; rating input score 78
  • Fundraising efficiency: $6.61 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 62nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 32.2%; rating input score 89; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.38; rating input score 78; 78th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.06; rating input score 80; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 20.2%; rating input score 4; 4th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 5.1% per year; rating input score 100; 42nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 5.5% per year; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7% per year; rating input score 100; 48th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 58.2% of revenue deployed · 77.9% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 12 of 12 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $11.4M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $327K · 25 people listed · 3 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 3 contractors listed · $431K reported
  • Consistency: 29 of 29 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 7 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 15 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 13 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 1 filed related-organization link
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

25 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • RICHARD DUBOIS (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR): $327,425 total reported compensation
  • CAROLYN CARTER (DEPUTY DIRECTOR): $261,233 total reported compensation
  • STEPHEN HURLEY (CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER): $248,917 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.