U.S. PIRG
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1970
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
U.S. PIRG firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- U.S. PIRG
- Legal name
- United States Public Interest Research Group, Inc.
- Website
- https://uspirg.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1970
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
U.S. PIRG industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Consumer Advocacy
- NAICS
- Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Environment, Conservation and Wildlife Organizations (813312), Advertising, Public Relations, and Related Services (5418)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Consumer Rights & Public Interest Advocacy (BPAGAFAK)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Affairs, Government Relations & Lobbying (BPAFADAB), Consumer & Lifestyle PR (MPAAADAB)
Keywords
Where U.S. PIRG is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices3 records
Markets served
U.S. PIRG business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others
Revenue model
- Membership dues and donations: PIRG generates revenue primarily through member donations and recurring membership contributions. Supporters can give monthly or one-time donations. The organization also offers planned giving options including bequests, retirement account designations, life insurance beneficiary designations, and securities donations.
- Planned giving and legacy donations: PIRG accepts planned gifts through wills, retirement accounts, life insurance policies, and securities. The organization maintains a Public Interest Champions Circle to recognize donors who have included PIRG in their estate plans.
- Vehicle donations: Through partnership with Charitable Auto Resources, supporters can donate vehicles to the sister organization U.S. PIRG Education Fund.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly recurring donation |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | One-time donation |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
U.S. PIRG product offering
Product offeringCore offering
U.S. PIRG is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit consumer and public interest advocacy organization that conducts advocacy campaigns, research, organizing, and coalition-building on issues including consumer protection, environmental health, democracy, transportation, waste, and clean air and water. It mobilizes individual members and supporters through donations, petition drives, and grassroots campaigns, and publishes research reports, data visualizations, and educational resources for the general public.
Product overview
U.S. PIRG is a consumer advocacy organization (501(c)(4)) that advances solutions to problems affecting public health, safety, and wellbeing. The organization operates through advocacy campaigns focused on consumer protection, democracy, health, transportation, waste & recycling, toxics, clean water & air, global warming, and energy. Its primary products include citizen science research initiatives like the International Plastic Pellet Count, data visualization tools such as the Electronic Waste Graveyard, and the Community Repair Hub. The organization also publishes educational resources on medical billing rights and consumer alerts on product recalls and safety issues. State-level offices across 24 states provide localized advocacy and campaigns including Right to Repair and Beyond Plastic.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- International Plastic Pellet Count
- Electronic Waste Graveyard
- Community Repair Hub
- Right to Repair Campaign
- Beyond Plastic Campaign
- Consumer Alerts
- Medical Bill Resources
Quantifiable outcome
- CFPB has returned more than $21 billion to consumers through advocacy efforts
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use U.S. PIRG
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
U.S. PIRG technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
U.S. PIRG partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.
- International Plastic Pellet Count Steering CommitteemajorCoalition including American Bird Conservancy, Environment America Research and Policy Center, Environmental Action, Nurdle Patrol, Oceana, The Surfrider Foundation, U.S. PIRG Education Fund, Waterkeeper Alliance, and 5 Gyres that co-organized the 2026 International Plastic Pellet Count citizen science initiative.
- The Nature Conservancy in ArizonamajorEnvironmental organization that co-authored research with Arizona PIRG Education Fund finding that EVs can save $100M for government fleets in Arizona.
- Frontier Group (for Arizona EV research)majorResearch partner that co-authored Arizona EV fleet savings research with Arizona PIRG Education Fund and The Nature Conservancy.
- Nurdle PatrolmajorCitizen science platform used for the International Plastic Pellet Count where volunteers log plastic pellet count data during 10-minute survey intervals.
- U.S. PIRG Education FundcoreSister 501(c)(3) organization that accepts tax-deductible donations. U.S. PIRG Education Fund offers an independent voice working on behalf of the public interest, focusing on research, education, and advocacy on consumer and environmental issues.
- The Public Interest NetworkcorePIRG is part of The Public Interest Network, a network of organizations working on public interest issues including environment, consumer protection, and good government. The network provides shared resources, infrastructure, and strategic coordination.
- State PIRG Affiliates (CALPIRG, OSPIRG, CoPIRG, MASSPIRG, etc.)core25 state-based affiliates including Arizona PIRG, California PIRG (CALPIRG), Colorado PIRG (CoPIRG), Oregon PIRG (OSPIRG), Massachusetts PIRG (MASSPIRG), Washington PIRG (WashPIRG), Wisconsin PIRG (WISPIRG), and others operating independently but aligned with national PIRG campaigns.
- Frontier GroupmajorResearch and policy organization providing research support for PIRG campaigns. Frontier Group analysts produce reports on issues including transportation, energy, waste, and environmental policy.
- Fund for the Public InterestmajorOrganization that runs canvassing operations and field programs supporting PIRG's national and state campaigns, providing grassroots outreach and member recruitment.
- National Environmental Law CentermajorLegal organization that provides litigation support for environmental advocacy efforts, including cases involving clean water, toxic substances, and environmental protection.
- Charitable Auto ResourcesminorVehicle donation partner accepting car, truck, and boat donations on behalf of U.S. PIRG Education Fund, with donations potentially being tax-deductible.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
U.S. PIRG competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Sierra Club: Sierra Club is a mass-membership environmental nonprofit with state chapters — directly comparable to PIRG's federated model on environmental advocacy, climate, and clean energy campaigns.
- Environmental Defense Fund: EDF is a much larger environmental advocacy organization with science-driven policy work. PIRG's environmental campaigns (Beyond Plastic, clean water, climate) overlap with EDF's priorities, though EDF operates at a larger scale and budget.
- American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU): ACLU is a large, federated nonprofit advocacy organization with state affiliates operating across civil rights, democracy, and consumer-protection-adjacent issues. PIRG's state affiliate structure and advocacy model closely parallel ACLU's organizing approach.
- Natural Resources Defense Council: NRDC is a major environmental advocacy organization combining legal, scientific, and policy work. PIRG's environmental campaigns and research function (via Frontier Group) parallel NRDC's blended advocacy-and-research approach.
Direct peers
- Consumer Reports: Consumer Reports is a member-supported nonprofit focused on consumer protection, product safety testing, and consumer rights — directly overlapping PIRG's consumer advocacy, alerts, and right-to-repair campaigns.
- Public Citizen: Public Citizen is a closely matched consumer and public interest advocacy nonprofit. Both organizations lobby on consumer protection, healthcare costs, and corporate accountability, and compete for the same donor base in overlapping issue areas.
- Common Cause: Common Cause is a grassroots democracy and government accountability nonprofit. PIRG's democracy work and state-level organizing model closely mirror Common Cause's structure and donor base.
Emerging players
- Earthjustice: Earthjustice focuses on environmental litigation — closely overlapping PIRG's environmental advocacy and partnership with the National Environmental Law Center, though its primary lever is the courtroom rather than grassroots organizing.
- Center for Public Integrity: The Center for Public Integrity is a nonprofit investigative journalism organization focused on government accountability. Its democracy and good-government mission overlaps with PIRG's democracy and consumer protection advocacy.
Others
- U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund (PIRG Education Fund): PIRG's 501(c)(3) sister organization handles tax-deductible research, education, and non-lobbying advocacy. It is structurally intertwined with U.S. PIRG and shares staff, leadership, and resources through The Public Interest Network.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
U.S. PIRG social profiles
Digital presenceU.S. PIRG compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance3 records
U.S. PIRG financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
U.S. PIRG leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
U.S. PIRG funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
U.S. PIRG M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about U.S. PIRG
What does U.S. PIRG do?
U.S. PIRG is a 501(c)(4) nonprofit consumer and public interest advocacy organization that conducts advocacy campaigns, research, organizing, and coalition-building on issues including consumer protection, environmental health, democracy, transportation, waste, and clean air and water. It mobilizes individual members and supporters through donations, petition drives, and grassroots campaigns, and publishes research reports, data visualizations, and educational resources for the general public.
Is U.S. PIRG a public or private company?
U.S. PIRG is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was U.S. PIRG founded?
U.S. PIRG was founded in 1970. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is U.S. PIRG based?
U.S. PIRG is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does U.S. PIRG make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership dues and donations are the primary driver. The others are planned giving and legacy donations and vehicle donations.
Who are U.S. PIRG's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Sierra Club, Environmental Defense Fund, American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and Natural Resources Defense Council. Direct peers are Consumer Reports, Public Citizen and Common Cause. Emerging players are Earthjustice and Center for Public Integrity. U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund (PIRG Education Fund) is listed as an others.
Does U.S. PIRG have an API?
No public API is recorded for U.S. PIRG.
What industry is U.S. PIRG in?
U.S. PIRG's product category is Consumer Advocacy. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAK, Consumer Rights & Public Interest Advocacy, with a secondary code of BPAFADAB, Public Affairs, Government Relations & Lobbying. Its NAICS code is 8133 and its SIC code is 8600.