Center for Responsible Lending

Established in 2002 by Self-Help, CRL is a nonprofit, nonpartisan research and policy organization that focuses on financial products and services, including mortgages, credit cards, payday lending, and bank overdraft fees. It is affiliated with the Self-Help Credit Union, also founded by Martin Eakes in Durham, North Carolina. CRL has issued research reports, issue briefs, and policy statements on a range of topics. CRL has pushed for financial reform including the creation of the Consumer Financial Protection Agency in the wake of the mortgage meltdown

The founders of CRL are Herbert Sandler and his wife Marion Sandler, founders of the Sandler Foundation. The Sandlers have been criticized for their role in the 2008 financial crisis. Their financial company, Golden West, was one of the many banks to offer the adjustable rate mortgages that were blamed for the subprime mortgage crisis. The Sandlers' ties to the financial crisis were detailed by CBS's 60 Minutes.

Martin Eakes, CEO of the Center for Responsible Lending and Self-Help, has stated that problems in the subprime lending market were driven by a focus on self-interest among financial actors. He advocates for a broader definition of success that includes benefits to families and communities through sustainable lending practices.

In 2023, CRL supported South Carolina legislation (S.910) aimed at limiting access to small-dollar loans. The bill faced opposition from free-market advocacy groups, which argued that it unfairly exempted larger financial institutions, including credit unions such as Self-Help, while imposing restrictions on short-term lenders. CRL has also drawn attention for its funding sources, having received over $3 million from the Foundation to Promote Open Society between 2018 and 2022, according to IRS filings and foundation reports.