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Passes our checks

American Consumer Council

EIN 33-0718596 · San Diego, CA

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong100 out of 100GovernanceGood85 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Consumer Education and Advocacy for 458,232 members through custom educational videos, newsletters, and website updates on consumer information and alerts.

Income
$1.6 million
Spending
$1.1 million
Spent on programs
100%
Reserves
28 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 88%
Employees
3
Volunteers
11
Highest pay
$168,600, treasurer

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Financial health

Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 86% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 28.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 29% of income.

  • Income trend

    15 of 15

    Income rose 21% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    100% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Governance

Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 43% of charities in its peer group (public benefit, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    7 of 8 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    0 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Impact evidence

Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.

Programs described in its return (5)
  1. $793,395 spent. Membership Development and Member Participation: ACC has added the small program, a tool to support small business owners, while maintaining the green C certification program. Both programs have played an important role in supporting the growth of the expanding corporate membership. Our membership fee has remained at an affordable level allowing the council to sustain steady membership growth while strengthening collaboration with more than 60 state consumer councils nationwide. By keeping costs accessible, a broader and more diverse audience has been able to participate in ACC's wide range of programs, including consumer education initiatives, informational resources, and advocacy efforts. This approach has helped expand engagement, increase program reach, and reinforce the Council's role as a trusted resource for consumers and partners organizations alike. Our IT department consistently maintains and updates software systems, monitoring potential risks, and implementing safeguards designed to protect sensitive membership information. These ongoing security measures help preserve member trust, support compliance with best practices, and ensure that personal data remains secure while allowing members to confidently engage with ACC programs and services.
  2. $179,213 spent. Consumer Advocacy: Through collaboration with our members and our corporate partners, ACC's advocacy efforts have proven to be valuable resources for addressing a wide range of consumer issues and concerns. It remains a core focus of ACC, supported by continued enhancements to our database tracking system that have significantly strengthened our advocacy tools. These ongoing improvements have increased efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness in the handling of member and consumer matters, allowing issues to be documented, monitored, and resolved more effectively. The upgraded system enables ACC to identify trends, track outcomes, and ensure timely follow-up, reinforcing our commitment to protecting and supporting consumers.
  3. $145,268 spent. Financial Education Programs: Guided by feedback from our membership surveys, the American Consumer Council (ACC) is expanding its financial education programs with new video library content and timely new newsletter topics. Our Information Technology department continually enhances security protocols to ensure our website remains both secure and user-friendly. ACC members and corporate partners rely on the website as a valuable resource for consumer issues and alerts. Additionally ACC has been able to offer many of its educational programs at no cost.
  4. $9,865 spent. Other Program Services (Describe on SChedule O)
  5. Line 4d Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Program: The Association's staff collaborates with companies seeking participation in the Green C Certification Program and promotes organizational compliance with warranty commitments and product standards provided to consumers.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending April 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate

Legitimacy checks

  1. Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.

    Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  2. Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.

    Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.

    Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.

  3. Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.

    On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.

    Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.

    Most recent return on file covers the year ending April 2025.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since March 1997.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.

  6. Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.

    Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.

    Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.

Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.