You are here

Home >

About Us

Our team of researchers uncover the facts; our staff bring our findings to the public, through the media as well as one-on-one interactions; and our advocates are bringing the voice of the public to the halls of power on behalf of consumers.

An Independent Voice For Consumers

NCPIRG is a consumer group that stands up to powerful interests whenever they threaten our health and safety, our financial security or our right to fully participate in our democratic society.

For decades, we’ve stood up for consumers, countering the influence of big banks, insurers, the oil industry, and other powerful special interests.

Our Top Priorities

Using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation, NCPIRG stands up to powerful interests and delivers concrete results. 

AN INDEPENDENT CONSUMER VOICE

 Consumer Protection Director Ed Mierzwinski has fought for consumers for  more than 20 years. He spearheaded our fight to create the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which recently forced Capital One to pay back $140 million in unfair credit card fees.>LEARN MORE

STOP SUBSIDIZING OBESITY

When big agribusinesses like Monsanto fought to keep their billion dollar junk food subsidies, we organized public opposition by talking to over 1 million people and building a coalition of more than 550 small farmers. >LEARN MORE
 


PROTECTING CONSUMERS

Our toy safety reports and lab research have led to recalls of more than 150 toxic or dangerous toys, and our advocates have pushed to keep toxic chemicals out of all consumer products. >LEARN MORE

 

CLOSE CORPORATE TAX LOOPHOLES

We exposed the Fortune 500 companies like GE and Goldman Sachs that stash their profits overseas to dodge taxes. Offshore tax havens cost us an estimated $150 billion every year. >LEARN MORE
 


 

When consumers are cheated or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, NCPIRG speaks up and takes action. We uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight to end them, using the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation. NCPIRG’s mission is to deliver persistent, result-oriented public interest policy that protects consumers, encourages a fair, sustainable economy, and fosters responsive, democratic government.

NCPIRG and the Federation of State Public Interest Research Groups

NCPIRG is an independent, state-based, citizen-funded organization that advocates for the public interest and is a member of U.S. PIRG, the federation of state Public Interest Research Groups.

 

Since 1970, state PIRGs have delivered results-oriented citizen activism, stood up to powerful special interests, and used the time-tested tools of investigative research, media exposés, grassroots organizing, advocacy and litigation to win real results on issues that matter.

 

Across the country, state PIRGs employ close to 400 organizers, policy analysts, scientists and attorneys, and are active in 47 states, with a federal lobby office in Washington, D.C. On national issues that impact consumers, we also coordinate our efforts, pool resources, and share expertise so that we can have the biggest impact — in our state and for the country at large.

NCPIRG Staff — A Partial List

NCPIRG is an advocate for the public interest. When consumers are cheated, or the voices of ordinary citizens are drowned out by special interest lobbyists, NCPIRG speaks up and takes action. We uncover threats to public health and well-being and fight for the public interest.


 

ALLISON CAIRO

Deputy Director

(312) 291-0349 ext. 303

>CONTACT
>BIO
 

 

GARY KALMAN

Federal Legislative Office Director

(202) 546-9707 x311

>CONTACT
>BIO
 

 

ED MIERZWINSKI

Federal Consumer Program Director

(202) 546-9707 x314

>CONTACT
>BIO
 


 

 

What's New

Report | NCPIRG Education Fund | Transportation

A New Direction

The time has come for America to hit the “reset” button on transportation policy—replacing the policy infrastructure of the Driving Boom years with a more efficient, flexible and nimble system that is better able to meet the transportation needs of the 21st century.

> Keep Reading
Report | NCPIRG Education Fund | Tax

Following the Money 2013

Every year, state governments spend tens of billions of dollars through contracts with private entities for goods and services, subsidies to encourage economic development, grants, and other forms of spending. Accountability and public scrutiny are necessary to ensure that state funds are well spent.

> Keep Reading
News Release | NCPIRG Education Fund | Tax

North Carolina Receives a “D” in Annual Report on Transparency of Government Spending

March 26 – North Carolina received a “D” when it comes to government spending transparency, according to “Following the Money 2013: How the States Rank on Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data,” the fourth annual report of its kind by the NCPIRG Education Fund.

> Keep Reading
Report | NCPIRG Education Fund | Budget

TRANSPARENCY IN CITY SPENDING

The ability to see how government uses the public purse is fundamental to democracy. Transparency in government spending checks corruption, bolsters public confidence, improves responsiveness, and promotes greater effectiveness and fiscal responsibility.

> Keep Reading
Report | NCPIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland 2012

The 2012 Trouble in Toyland report is the 27th annual NCPIRG survey of toy safety. In this report, NCPIRG provides safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.

> Keep Reading

Pages

News Release | NCPIRG Education Fund | Tax

North Carolina Receives a “D” in Annual Report on Transparency of Government Spending

March 26 – North Carolina received a “D” when it comes to government spending transparency, according to “Following the Money 2013: How the States Rank on Providing Online Access to Government Spending Data,” the fourth annual report of its kind by the NCPIRG Education Fund.

> Keep Reading
News Release | NCPIRG Education Fund | Budget, Food

Ag Subsidies Pay for 21 Twinkies per Taxpayer, But Only Half of an Apple Apiece

Federal subsidies for commodity crops are subsidizing junk food additives like high fructose corn syrup, enough to pay for 21 Twinkies per taxpayer every year, according to NCPIRG’s new report, Apples to Twinkies 2012. Meanwhile, limited subsidies for fresh fruits and vegetables would buy one half of an apple per taxpayer.

> Keep Reading
News Release | NCPIRG | Higher Ed

Responding to Students, Congress Extends Low College Loan Rate

Statement of Rich Williams, NCPIRG Higher Education Advocate, on the Congressional passage of bipartisan legislation to prevent subsidized Stafford student loan interest rates from doubling:

Congress listened to students and their families and delivered a bill that stops student loan interest rates from doubling. Students already face unprecedented student loan debt and adding an additional $1,000 more would not only crunch individual borrowers, but would have further weighed down the recovering economy. We applaud Congress for coming together to pass this much-needed legislation.

> Keep Reading
News Release | NCPIRG | Transportation

Transportation Bill is a Step Backwards

Statement by Phineas Baxandall, NCPIRG’s Senior Transportation Analyst, regarding the disappointing federal Transportation Bill as released from conference committee today.

> Keep Reading
News Release | NCPIRG | Health Care

Supreme Court Upholds Health Reform

Today’s decision is good news for consumers. Insurance companies can’t go back to the days of dropping your coverage once you become ill, or denying coverage to sick children. And beginning in 2014, the days of insurers being able to deny anyone coverage for “pre-existing conditions” will be history. 

> Keep Reading

Pages

Result | Public Health

KIDS’ SCHOOL LUNCHES NOW SAFER

For years, America’s schoolchildren have been eating beef, chicken and other foods that would have been rejected as substandard even by fast food chains. Thanks in part to our advocacy, the U.S.D.A. has stopped buying such low-quality meat for school lunches.

> Keep Reading
Result | Health Care

Young People Now Covered

This year, the federal health care reforms that NCPIRG worked to win have started to pay off for young people. In the past, teens saw their premiums soar or were denied coverage when they turned 19, even if they’d been insured their whole lives. Now, they can remain on their parents’ plans until age 26. 

> Keep Reading
Report | NCPIRG Education Fund | Transportation

A New Direction

The time has come for America to hit the “reset” button on transportation policy—replacing the policy infrastructure of the Driving Boom years with a more efficient, flexible and nimble system that is better able to meet the transportation needs of the 21st century.

> Keep Reading
Report | NCPIRG Education Fund | Tax

Following the Money 2013

Every year, state governments spend tens of billions of dollars through contracts with private entities for goods and services, subsidies to encourage economic development, grants, and other forms of spending. Accountability and public scrutiny are necessary to ensure that state funds are well spent.

> Keep Reading
Report | NCPIRG Education Fund | Budget

TRANSPARENCY IN CITY SPENDING

The ability to see how government uses the public purse is fundamental to democracy. Transparency in government spending checks corruption, bolsters public confidence, improves responsiveness, and promotes greater effectiveness and fiscal responsibility.

> Keep Reading
Report | NCPIRG Education Fund | Consumer Protection

Trouble in Toyland 2012

The 2012 Trouble in Toyland report is the 27th annual NCPIRG survey of toy safety. In this report, NCPIRG provides safety guidelines for consumers when purchasing toys for small children and provides examples of toys currently on store shelves that may pose potential safety hazards.

> Keep Reading
Report | NCPIRG Education Fund | Budget, Food

Apples to Twinkies 2012

In this report, we find that in 2011, over $1.28 billion in taxpayer subsidies went to junk food ingredients, bringing the total to a staggering $18.2 billion since 1995. To put that figure in perspective, $18.2 billion is enough to buy 2.9 billion Twinkies every year - 21 for every single American taxpayer. 

> Keep Reading

Pages

Tools & Resources

Priority Action

The CUT Loopholes Act would put an end to the price and profit shifting that allows publicly traded companies to engage in pervasive tax avoidance.

Take Action

Consumer Alerts

Join our network and stay up to date on our campaigns, get important consumer updates and take action on critical issues.

Support Us

Your donation supports NCPIRG's work to stand up for consumers on the issues that matter, especially when powerful interests are blocking progress.

Donate Today
/* Site Analytics code end */