American Civil Liberties Union
Public records raise at least one point you should look into before giving.
What it says it does
THE UNION WORKS TO ADVOCATE AND ADVANCE A PUBLIC POLICY AGENDA TO SUPPORT AND PROTECT THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA. IT WORKS TO MAINTAIN THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES THE RIGHTS OF FREE SPEECH, FREE PRESS, FREE ASSEMBLAGE AND OTHER CIVIL RIGHTS AND TO TAKE ALL LEGITIMATE ACTION IN FURTHERANCE OF SUCH PURPOSES AND ENCOURAGE, THROUGH A PROGRAM OF EDUCATION, A BETTER UNDERSTANDING AND RESPECT FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES BY ALL IOWA RESIDENTS.
- Income
- $467,329
- Spending
- $464,061
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 600
- Highest pay
- $169,849, executive director
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 (2)
- $215,162 spent. LEGISLATIVE & POLICY PROGRAM SERVICES: (1) DRAFTED MODEL LEGISLATION TO PROTECT PEOPLE'S DUE PROCESS RIGHTS BEFORE GOVERNMENT AGENCIES REGARDING EMINENT DOMAIN; PASSED THE IOWA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 2024. (2) CONTINUED OUR MULTI-YEAR EMPHASIS ON OPEN GOVERNMENT, ANTI-SLAPP (FIRST AMENDMENT), AND EVICTION EXPUNGEMENT AS PART OF OUR AFFIRMATIVE AGENDA; ANTI-SLAPP, OPEN GOVERNMENT, AND EVICTION EXPUNGEMENT ALL PASSED THE IOWA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES IN 2024. (3) CONTINUED CAPITOL CORPS PROGRAMMING THROUGH THE END OF THE 2024 LEGISLATIVE SESSION TO HELP CONSTITUENTS MEET THEIR LEGISLATORS. (4) LEADING ORGANIZATION IN OPPOSING AN ANTI-HOMELESS LOCAL ORDINANCE IN IOWA'S LARGEST CITY. (5) IN SUMMER 2024, WE EXPANDED RELIGIOUS AND SERVICE PROVIDER COALITION TO ADVANCE PROTECTIONS FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, SPECIFICALLY, ON THE ISSUES OF EVICTION RECORDS EXPUNGEMENT AND EARLY LEASE TERMINATION FOR SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, STALKING, AND HARASSMENT - CORE ISSUES BASED ON RACE AND GENDER DISPARITIES IN LEGAL PROTECTIONS AND SERVICES. (6) IN JANUARY 2025, WE DOUBLED OUR IN-HOUSE LOBBYING TEAM AT THE IOWA LEGISLATURE BY ADDING ADDITIONAL AFFILIATE STAFF TO OUR POLICY PROGRAM. (7) WE REINSTITUTED CAPITOL CORPS CONSTITUENT ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM IN 2025 TO FOCUS ON ANTI-SLAPP, OPEN GOVERNMENT, EVICTION EXPUNGEMENT, AND THE IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS ACT (ICRA); IN FEB 2025, WE HAD MORE THAN 400 DIRECT CONSTITUENT ACTIONS ON ICRA FROM OUR NEW CAPITOL CORPS 2025 VOLUNTEER BASE OF MORE THAN 300 PEOPLE. (8) WE WERE AMONG THE CHIEF ADVOCATES AGAINST REMOVAL OF GENDER IDENTITY FROM THE IOWA CIVIL RIGHTS ACT, BUT UNFORTUNATELY, WE WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. (9) ANTI-SLAPP, OPEN RECORDS, AND EMINENT DOMAIN BILLS ALL PASSED THE IOWA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES AND WERE ELIGIBLE FOR CONSIDERATION BY THE IOWA SENATE AS OF THE END OF THE FISCAL YEAR. (10) CONTINUED OUR ONGOING EFFORTS TO MEET MORE IOWA STATE LEGISLATORS, SPECIFICALLY, IOWA STATE SENATORS, TO DETERMINE WHERE WE CAN BE HELPFUL IN AREAS IN WHICH THEIR WORK PROTECTS CIVIL RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES AND WE ARE SUCCEEDING; WE HAVE MAINTAINED EXISTING STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH LEGISLATORS OF ALL PARTIES, AND HAVE EXPANDED OUR ROLE AS TRUSTED VOICES.
- $72,772 spent. PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM SERVICES: PROVIDED EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY CONTENT REGARDING CIVIL LIBERTIES AND CIVIL RIGHTS VIA AFFILIATE WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA CHANNELS INCLUDING FACEBOOK, THREADS, AND INSTAGRAM. AMONG TOPICS INCLUDED WERE INFORMATION ON THE RIGHT TO PROTEST, VOTING RIGHTS, RIGHTS WHEN INTERACTING WITH POLICE, STUDENT RIGHTS, CENSORSHIP ONLINE BY POLITICAL OFFICIALS, RIGHTS WHEN PHOTOGRAPHING IN PUBLIC, SCHOOL RESOURCE OFFICERS, THE COMPLEXITIES OF IMMIGRATION STATUS, AND BANNED BOOKS.
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.