American Civil Liberties Union Inc
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
AS NOTED IN ITS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, THE MISSION OF THE ACLU IS "TO MAINTAIN AND ADVANCE CIVIL LIBERTIES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, THE FREEDOMS OF ASSOCIATION, PRESS, RELIGION AND SPEECH, AND THE RIGHTS TO THE FRANCHISE, TO DUE PROCESS OF LAW, AND TO EQUAL PROTECTION OF THE LAWS FOR ALL PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE U.S. AND ITS JURISDICTIONS. THE ACLU'S OBJECTS SHALL BE SOUGHT WHOLLY WITHOUT POLITICAL PARTISANSHIP." THE ACLU TODAY REMAINS FOCUSED ON THE OVERARCHING GOALS SET BY ITS FOUNDERS MORE THAN 100 YRS AGO, SERVING AS THE NATION'S GUARDIAN OF LIBERTY, WORKING DAILY IN COURTS, LEGISLATURES AND COMMUNITIES TO DEFEND AND PRESERVE THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES THAT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE US GUARANTEE. THE ACLU ALSO WORKS TO EXTEND RIGHTS TO SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN DENIED THEIR RIGHTS, INCLUDING PEOPLE OF COLOR; WOMEN; LESBIANS, GAY MEN, BISEXUALS AND TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NONBINARY PEOPLE; PRISONERS; AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
- Income
- $222.1 million
- Spending
- $185.6 million
- Employees
- 383
- Volunteers
- 85
- Highest pay
- $1.1 million, executive director/ceo
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Financial health
We do not score finances when yearly spending is very small or the return has too little detail. The ratios stop meaning much at that size.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Governance
This return does not answer enough of the governance questions to score.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. 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)
- $88.3 million spent. AFFILIATE SUPPORT - THE ACLU HAS AN AFFILIATE OR CHAPTER IN EVERY STATE AND IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AND PUERTO RICO. AFFILIATES HANDLE REQUESTS FOR LEGAL ASSISTANCE, LOBBY STATE LEGISLATURES AND HOST EDUCATIONAL FORUMS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR. THE NATIONAL ACLU COORDINATES FUNDRAISING EFFORTS WITH ITS AFFILIATES AND SHARES THE PROCEEDS OF FUNDRAISING EFFORTS WITH AFFILIATES IN ACCORDANCE WITH A DETAILED POLICY. THROUGH ITS AFFILIATE SUPPORT AND NATIONWIDE INITIATIVES (ASNI) DEPARTMENT, THE NATIONAL ACLU PROVIDES GRANTS AND SUPPORT TO AFFILIATES ON SPECIFIC INITIATIVES AND PROJECTS THAT HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS INVOLVING MATTERS OF BOTH LOCAL/REGIONAL AND NATIONAL SIGNIFICANCE. ASNI PROVIDES ONGOING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO AFFILIATES ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS OF RELEVANCE. THE $88,289,780 OF EXPENSES INCLUDES GRANTS TO AFFILIATES, BEYOND THE $8,546,612 GRANT, TO SUPPORT LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES. ASNI PROVIDES ONGOING TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO AFFILIATES ON A VARIETY OF TOPICS OF RELEVANCE. THE $88,289,780 OF EXPENSES INCLUDES GRANTS TO AFFILIATES, BEYOND THE $8,546,612 GRANT, TO SUPPORT LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES.
- $32.1 million spent. EDUCATION - THROUGH NEWSLETTERS, ITS COMPREHENSIVE WEBSITE, ADVERTISEMENTS, OP-ED ARTICLES, MEDIA INTERVIEWS, PUBLICATIONS, SOCIAL MEDIA, AND NUMEROUS MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS CONDUCTED IN COLLABORATION WITH ITS AFFILIATES THROUGHOUT THE US, THE ACLU PROVIDES ONGOING EDUCATION TO ITS approximately 1,400,000 supporters AND TO THE PUBLIC AT LARGE CONCERNING A WIDE RANGE OF CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES. THE ORGANIZATION'S EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS EMPHASIZE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS TO FREE SPEECH, ASSOCIATION AND ASSEMBLY; THE RIGHT TO EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER THE LAW; THE RIGHT TO DUE PROCESS AND TO FAIR TREATMENT WHEN THE LOSS OF LIBERTY OR PROPERTY IS AT STAKE; AND THE RIGHT TO PRIVACY AND FREEDOM FROM UNWARRANTED GOVERNMENT INTRUSION INTO PERSONAL AND PRIVATE AFFAIRS.
- $21.5 million spent. LEGISLATIVE ADVOCACY - THE ACLU'S LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATES ARE A CONSTANT PRESENCE ON CAPITOL HILL AND IN STATE LEGISLATURES, WHERE THEY WORK TO ADDRESS CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES. BASED PRIMARILY IN THE ACLU'S WASHINGTON, DC OFFICE, THE ORGANIZATION'S LEGISLATIVE POLICY TEAM WORKS TO ENSURE THAT PROPOSED LEGISLATION MOVES TOWARDS, RATHER THAN AWAY, FROM THE CIVIL LIBERTIES GOALS OF THE ORGANIZATION. WORKING IN COLLABORATION WITH STAFF FROM ACLU AFFILIATES ACROSS THE COUNTRY AND IN COALITION WITH OTHER GROUPS WITH A SHARED INTEREST IN SPECIFIC CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES, THE ACLU CONDUCTS RESEARCH, PUBLISHES POSITION PAPERS, HOSTS FORUMS FOR THE PUBLIC, AND MEETS WITH KEY LEGISLATORS AND MEMBERS OF THEIR STAFFS TO DISCUSS STRATEGIES TO PROTECT CIVIL LIBERTIES AND RIGHTS.
- $7.6 million spent. LEGAL - THE ACLU SEEKS TO IMPACT CIVIL LIBERTIES THROUGH WORK ON LEGISLATION AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL, AS APPROPRIATE. THE ORGANIZATION'S LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATES ARE A CONSTANT PRESENCE ON FEDERAL AND STATE CIVIL LIBERTIES LEGISLATIVE ISSUES. UPDATES ON KEY LEGISLATIVE ISSUES IMPACTING CIVIL LIBERTIES ARE INCLUDED IN MAIL, EMAIL, AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO ACLU MEMBERS NATIONWIDE, AS WELL AS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS. IN ADDITION, THE ACLU DEVELOPS POLICY RELATING TO POSITIONS ON CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES. EXPENSES $6,263,161. INCLUDING GRANTS OF $0. REVENUE $0. CIVIL LIBERTIES POLICY FORMULATION - THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ACLU WORKS THROUGH ITS STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES TO ANALYZE CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, TO DEVELOP POLICIES THAT WILL SERVE AS THE FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR LEGISLATIVE, EDUCATIONAL AND CASE-SPECIFIC WORK AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, AND THE ORGANIZATION IMPLEMENTS AND ASSISTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY GOALS THROUGH ITS AFFILIATES. EXPENSES $1,308,411. INCLUDING GRANTS OF $0. REVENUE $0.
- (Expenses $ 7,571,572 including grants of $ 0)(Revenue $ 0) LEGAL - THE ACLU SEEKS TO IMPACT CIVIL LIBERTIES THROUGH WORK ON LEGISLATION AT THE FEDERAL AND STATE LEVEL, AS APPROPRIATE. THE ORGANIZATION'S LEGISLATIVE ADVOCATES ARE A CONSTANT PRESENCE ON FEDERAL AND STATE CIVIL LIBERTIES LEGISLATIVE ISSUES. UPDATES ON KEY LEGISLATIVE ISSUES IMPACTING CIVIL LIBERTIES ARE INCLUDED IN MAIL, EMAIL, AND OTHER COMMUNICATIONS TO ACLU MEMBERS NATIONWIDE, AS WELL AS IN PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS. IN ADDITION, THE ACLU DEVELOPS POLICY RELATING TO POSITIONS ON CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES. EXPENSES $6,263,161. INCLUDING GRANTS OF $0. REVENUE $0. CIVIL LIBERTIES POLICY FORMULATION - THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE ACLU WORKS THROUGH ITS STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES TO ANALYZE CIVIL LIBERTIES ISSUES AND, WHERE APPROPRIATE, TO DEVELOP POLICIES THAT WILL SERVE AS THE FRAME OF REFERENCE FOR LEGISLATIVE, EDUCATIONAL AND CASE-SPECIFIC WORK AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL, AND THE ORGANIZATION IMPLEMENTS AND ASSISTS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF POLICY GOALS THROUGH ITS AFFILIATES. EXPENSES $1,308,411. INCLUDING GRANTS OF $0. REVENUE $0.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.
Are donations tax-deductible? Caution.
The IRS master file records contributions to this 501(c)(4) social welfare organization as not deductible.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending March 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since December 1970.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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.