The Center for Public Interest Research

What The Center for Public Interest Research does

The Center for Public Interest Research (CPIR) is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1984 and headquartered in Denver, Colorado, operating as part of The Public Interest Network. The organization conducts public interest research, civic engagement, and public education programs around critical public issues, and serves as a backbone entity that assists partner 501(c)(3) organizations through grants, joint project sponsorship, and training in advocacy, organizing, campaign development, and fundraising. Its programs include the Student PIRGs' New Voters Project (America's oldest and largest nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program, operating on 100 college campuses since 1984 and having helped register over 2 million young people), the Community Voters Project (founded in 2004, having registered over 1 million voters in historically underrepresented communities), Frontier Group (public interest research), Snowriders International (environmental advocacy for winter sports enthusiasts), and Explore Booksellers (a community bookstore institution in Aspen, Colorado). CPIR maintains 4945(f) status with the IRS and operates from offices in Denver, Boston, and London.

CPIR operates on a nonprofit funding model: as a 501(c)(3), it does not sell products or services commercially, and its activities are funded through grants and donations. It also assists partner 501(c)(3) organizations engaged in similar activities through grants and by sponsoring joint or new public interest projects. The organization has no proprietary technology platform; its core distribution is field-based organizing on college campuses and in communities, supplemented by a small retail presence through Explore Booksellers. It maintains an 11-50 employee headcount and is governed by a Board of Directors composed of independent directors alongside executives from The Public Interest Network (including the President of Environment America and senior Public Interest Network officers serving as Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, and Board Member). Its executive leadership comprises Executive Director Amy Floyd, New Voters Project Director Manny Rin, and Frontier Group Managing Director Susan Rakov.

The organization's principal beneficiaries are college students and young voters aged 18-29, historically underrepresented communities facing voter registration barriers, and partner 501(c)(3) organizations needing capacity-building support. Its competitive positioning rests on four decades of continuous operation, its embedded role within The Public Interest Network, and a dual field-distribution model spanning 100 campuses and community-based voter mobilization efforts.

Name

The Center for Public Interest Research

Legal name

The Center for Public Interest Research

Website

https://cfpir.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Center for Public Interest Research is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that conducts public interest research, civic engagement, and public education through programs including youth voter mobilization on 100 campuses and community voter registration, supported by grants and donations within The Public Interest Network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Civic Engagement and Public Interest Research

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Policy, Research & Advocacy Organizations (Nonprofit) (BPAGADAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO), Consumer Rights & Public Interest Advocacy (BPAGAFAK), Policy, Regulatory & Public Affairs Research (BPAHALAF)

Keywords

• Public interest research
• Civic engagement programs
• Voter registration
• Youth voter mobilization
• Community organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grants and donations: The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and receives funding through grants and donations to support public interest research, civic engagement, and public education programs. It also assists partner 501(c)(3) organizations through grants and sponsors joint or new public interest projects.

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels1 record

Core offering

The Center for Public Interest Research is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that conducts public interest research, civic engagement, and public education on critical public issues. It operates five project programs — Student PIRGs' New Voters Project, Community Voters Project, Frontier Group, Explore Booksellers, and Snowriders International — focused on non-partisan voter mobilization, research, and community service. The organization also supports partner 501(c)(3) organizations through grants, joint project sponsorship, and training in advocacy, organizing, campaign development, and fundraising.

Product overview

The Center for Public Interest Research is a non-partisan 501(c)(3) organization that operates as a programmatic entity rather than a technology product company. It conducts public interest research, civic engagement, and public education through five distinct project programs: Student PIRGs' New Voters Project (youth voter mobilization on 100+ campuses), Community Voters Project (voter registration in underrepresented communities), Frontier Group (research), Explore Booksellers (community literary institution in Aspen), and Snowriders International (environmental advocacy for winter sports enthusiasts). The organization does not offer a software platform or technology product.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Student PIRGs' New Voters Project: America's oldest and largest nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program, working on 100 campuses to activate young voters through registration drives and GOTV efforts.
• Community Voters Project
• Snowriders International
• Explore Booksellers
• Frontier Group

Products and services

• Student PIRGs' New Voters Project Non-partisan youth voter mobilization program operating on 100 college campuses across the United States to register young voters and conduct Get Out The Vote outreach. Since 1984 it has helped register over 2 million young people and made more than 3 million GOTV contacts.
• Community Voters Project Non-partisan voter registration and mobilization program that conducts campaigns in historically underrepresented communities. Since 2004 the program has helped more than one million voters register to vote.
• Frontier Group Research organization that conducts public interest research as part of The Center for Public Interest Research's portfolio of projects.
• Explore Booksellers A community bookstore institution in Aspen, Colorado that hosts free literary events with local and visiting authors, educational workshops, and discussions with thought leaders.
• Snowriders International An organization of skiers, boarders, and mountain recreation enthusiasts dedicated to promoting winter sports and protecting the environment through service, education, research, and advocacy.
• Public Interest Research, Civic Engagement, and Public Education Programs Core nonprofit offering that conducts public interest research, civic engagement, and public education programs around critical public issues, and assists partner 501(c)(3) organizations through grants, joint project sponsorship, and training in advocacy, organizing, campaign development, and fundraising.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helped register over 2 million young people to vote since 1984
• +3 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• The Public Interest NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Public Interest Network is the parent organization that operates and supports The Center for Public Interest Research and other organizations committed to a shared vision of a better world and a strategic approach to social change.
• PIRG New Voters Project, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint program partner with the Center for Public Interest Research in operating the Student PIRGs' New Voters Project, America's oldest and largest nonpartisan youth voter mobilization program. Both organizations are 501(c)(3) organizations maintaining 4945(f) status.
• Fair Share Education FundcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-sponsors the Community Voters Project with the Center for Public Interest Research. Both organizations are 501(c)(3) organizations, and the Center maintains 4945(f) status with the I.R.S.
• Student PIRGscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudent PIRGs operates the New Voters Project in collaboration with the Center for Public Interest Research, working on 100 campuses to activate youth voter engagement.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Strengths4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Center for Public Interest Research