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Oregon Consumer Justice

EIN 82-0850234 · Portland, OR

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthWeak27 out of 100GovernanceGood80 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

OREGON CONSUMER JUSTICE (OCJ) ORGANIZES, ADVOCATES, AND SUPPORTS LITIGATION TO ADVANCE A JUSTICE MOVEMENT THAT PUTS PEOPLE FIRST, ENSURING ALL HAVE THE FREEDOM TO THRIVE AND EQUITABLY SHARE IN OUR ABUNDANCE OF RESOURCES. SEE SCHEDULE O.FOR TOO LONG, FLAWED SYSTEMS AND ECONOMIC POLICIES THAT FAVOR PROFITS OVER PEOPLE HAVE STOOD IN THE WAY OF THIS REALITY, WITH COMMUNITIES OF COLOR MOST OFTEN EXPERIENCING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT HARM. STRENGTHENED THROUGH RESPONSIVE AND ECIPROCAL COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS, OCJ IS BUILDING A FUTURE WHERE FINANCIAL AND BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS CAN BE RELIED UPON AS SAFE AND WHERE ALL OREGONIANS KNOW AND HAVE RECOURSE TO EXERCISE THEIR CONSUMER RIGHTS.

Income
$9.2 million
Spending
$12.3 million
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
1.1 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 87%
Employees
22
Volunteers
7
Highest pay
$304,325, executive director

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

Financial health

Weak: 27 out of 100. Higher than 2% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    10 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 1.1 months of spending.

  • Debt

    2 of 20

    It owes 95% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 33% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 32% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.

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

Governance

Good: 80 out of 100. Higher than 25% of charities in its peer group (crime and legal services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    5 of 25

    1 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

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 June 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 (4)
  1. $9.5 million spent. LAW: WE SUPPORT OREGONIANS CONFRONTING UNLAWFUL PRACTICES IN TAKING LEGAL ACTION AND FINDING JUSTICE THROUGH OUR COURTS. THROUGH OUR LEGAL PARTNERS AT OREGON CONSUMER JUSTICE LAW PC, AND OUR NETWORK OF CONSUMER ATTORNEYS STATEWIDE, WE CONNECT PEOPLE WITH THE SUPPORT THEY DESERVE - ESPECIALLY THOSE WHO'VE HAD LITTLE TO NO ACCESS TO LEGAL SERVICES. OCJ HAS PROVIDED EDUCATION AND ACCESS TO RESOURCES TO EXPAND THE POOL AND INCREASE THE CAPABILITIES OF SKILLED ATTORNEYS PRACTICING CONSUMER LAW IN OREGON. OVER THE PAST YEAR, WE HAVE PARTNERED WITH A MULTI-FACETED CONSUMER JUSTICE LAW FIRM, OREGON CONSUMER JUSTICE LAW, PC, TO PROVIDE LEGAL SERVICES TO OREGON CONSUMERS. BY THE END OF OUR PROGRAM YEAR, OCJ LAW HAD FILED 65 CASES WITH MANY MORE IN THE PIPELINE. SEE SCHEDULE OOCJ LAW HAS ALSO FILED THEIR FIRST IMPACT LITIGATION (E.G. CLASS ACTION) CASE TO AFFECT LARGE-SCALE CHANGE.
  2. $1.2 million spent. POLICY: OVER THE PAST YEAR, THE POLICY TEAM HAS MADE SIGNIFICANT STRIDES, EXPANDING OUR ABILITY TO ENGAGE IN IMPACTFUL STATE AND FEDERAL WORK. WE'VE CREATED NEW ROLES, INCLUDING SEPARATE DIRECTORS FOR STATE AND FEDERAL POLICY, AND HAVE SEEN THE BENEFITS OF HIRING PERMANENT STAFF IN THE FALL. WE'VE ALSO INVESTED IN BUILDING THE NEXT GENERATION OF ADVOCATES BY LAUNCHING OUR POLICY FELLOW PROGRAM, HIRING A YEAR-LONG FELLOW TO PROVIDE AN EMERGING PROFESSIONAL WITH IN-DEPTH EXPERIENCE IN CONSUMER JUSTICE POLICY. WE COMPLETED OUR THIRD YEAR OF OUR POLICY INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, WHICH ALLOWS US TO MENTOR ASPIRING ADVOCATES AND BRING FRESH PERSPECTIVES TO OUR ORGANIZATION. WE PARTNERED WITH THE PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK TO HOST A MASTER'S STUDENT FOR A NINE-MONTH PLACEMENT. SEE SCHEDULE OTHIS YEAR, WE ALSO HOSTED OUR FIRST PRE-SESSION POLICY SUMMIT, BRINGING COMMUNITY PARTNERS TOGETHER FOR A DEEP DIVE INTO KEY CONSUMER ISSUES. THESE EFFORTS, ALONG WITH OUR OTHER WORK, LED TO HUGE LEGISLATIVE WINS IN THE 2025 SESSION, WHERE WE SUPPORTED THE PASSAGE OF 18 PRO-CONSUMER BILLS.
  3. $926,623 spent. COMMUNICATIONS + ENGAGEMENT: LAST SUMMER, WE PUBLICLY ANNOUNCED THE ROLLOUT OF OUR NEW EDUCATIONAL TOOLS AND ACCESS TO JUSTICE SOLUTIONS TO PROVIDE OREGONIANS WITH GREATER SUPPORT TO PROTECT THEMSELVES AGAINST PREDATORY PRACTICES AND LAW-BREAKING COMPANIES. ONE WAY WE CONTINUE TO CENTER THE VOICES OF CONSUMERS IS THROUGH OUR STATEWIDE SURVEYS, WHERE WE UPLIFT THE FINDINGS TO SUPPORT PRO-CONSUMER POLICY AND CRAFT RESPONSIVE AND RELEVANT EDUCATIONAL TOOLS (INCLUDING OUR EXPANDED RESOURCE LIBRARY, INCLUDING A CONSUMER PROTECTION TIMELINE AND EXPLAINER VIDEOS). WE ALSO PARTNERED WITH IMPACTED CONSUMERS IDENTIFIED THROUGH THE SURVEY TO SHARE THEIR STORIES DIRECTLY WITH LAWMAKERS AND ADVOCATE FOR STRONGER PROTECTIONS FOR ALL OF US. SEE SCHEDULE OWE HOSTED TWO FAIR LEARNING FORUMS, FREE EDUCATIONAL EVENTS FOR ADVOCATES AND LEGAL PROFESSIONALS, COVERING TOPICS LIKE LAW CHANGES AND TRAUMA-INFORMED PRACTICES TO BETTER SHOW UP FOR OREGON CONSUMERS. OCJ ALSO PUBLISHED TWO NEW ISSUES OF OUR CONSUMER CONFIDENCE COMICS, FOCUSING ON DEBT COLLECTION AND SHIPPING THOUSANDS OF FREE COPIES (IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH) STATEWIDE.
  4. EDUCATION: DURING THE PAST YEAR, OCJ WORKED TO CONNECT THE LEGAL COMMUNITY WITH COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO DEVELOP AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE ISSUES OREGON CONSUMERS FACE AND BUILD LOCAL LEADERSHIP TO CREATE SOLUTIONS. THIS WAS ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH A RESEARCH PARTNERSHIP WITH THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON THROUGH CONSUMER PROTECTION GRANTS AS OUTLINED IN OUR FOUNDING COURT ORDER. ADDITIONALLY, WE ENGAGED OVER 230 ATTORNEYS, JUDGES, LAW STUDENTS, LEGAL PROFESSIONALS, AND ADVOCATES DURING OUR TWO FAIR LEARNING FORUM EVENTS AND PROVIDED 65 SCHOLARSHIPS TO CONSUMER JUSTICE ATTORNEYS TO ATTEND NATIONAL CONSUMER LAW CENTER'S CONSUMER RIGHTS LITIGATION CONFERENCE AND SPRING TRAINING.

Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.

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

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

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since December 2019.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 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.