American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Iowa
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE FOUNDATION WORKS TO DEFEND AND PROMOTE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES, FOCUSING ESPECIALLY ON THE FIRST, FOURTH, FIFTH, SIXTH, EIGHTH, AND 14TH AMENDMENTS. THE FOUNDATION ALSO WORKS TO DEFEND AND PROMOTE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF IOWA. IT ACCOMPLISHES THESE OBJECTIVES THROUGH LITIGATION AND LEGAL ADVOCACY AS WELL AS THROUGH PUBLIC EDUCATION AND OUTREACH ALL DONE TO SECURE AND ADVANCE THE CIVIL LIBERTIES VALUES WHICH ARE REFLECTED IN THOSE AND OTHER AMENDMENTS AND PROVISIONS OF THE CONSTITUTION
- Income
- $1.8 million
- Spending
- $1.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 72%
- Reserves
- 10.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 99%
- Employees
- 15
- Volunteers
- 13,000
- Highest pay
- $169,849, executive director
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 89 out of 100. Higher than 67% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 10.9 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 22% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 11% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 7% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1572% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 16 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2518 of 18 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 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 (3)
- $552,524 spent. LEGAL PROGRAM SERVICES: (1) LITIGATED CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE TO IOWA'S CRIMINAL REENTRY LAW, THE WORST ANTI-IMMIGRANT BILL IN STATE HISTORY, OBTAINING PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION. (2) FILED CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT CHALLENGING UNCONSTITUTIONAL JAIL FEES IN BLACK HAWK COUNTY, IOWA. (3) LITIGATED CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE TO IOWA SCHOOL BOOK BAN LAW, INCLUDING ITS DON'T SAY LGBTQ+ AND FORCED OUTING COMPONENTS, ON APPEAL OF A PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION, AND BACK BEFORE THE DISTRICT COURT ON REMAND. (4) LITIGATED CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE TO IOWA'S ABORTION BAN, TAKING EFFECT AROUND SIX WEEKS, BEFORE MANY WOMEN EVEN KNOW THEY ARE PREGNANT. (5) FILED THREE PRISONER STATE DISCIPLINARY POST-CONVICTION RELIEF CASES FOR IOWA INMATES SUBJECTED TO UNRELIABLE DRUG TESTING AND THE ALARMINGLY LOW SOME EVIDENCE BURDEN OF PROOF REQUIRED TO CONVICT AN INMATE OF A DISCIPLINARY VIOLATION RESULTING IN LOSS OF EARNED TIME AND LOSS OF ACCESS TO REHABILITATIVE PROGRAMMING. (6) FILED EMERGENCY LITIGATION TO PROTECT NATURALIZED U.S. CITIZEN VOTERS IN IOWA FROM IOWA SECRETARY OF STATE DIRECTIVE TO CHALLENGE THEM, AT THE POLLS OR WHEN VOTING ABSENTEE, BASED ON ONLY THEIR PREVIOUS STATUS OF HAVING BEEN LAWFUL PERMANENT RESIDENTS AT THE TIME THEY OBTAINED THEIR DRIVER'S LICENSES, DESPITE THE STATE'S KNOWLEDGE THAT THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE CHALLENGED VOTERS HAD BECOME NATURALIZED U.S. CITIZENS SINCE THAT TIME, AND WERE THUS ELIGIBLE TO VOTE. IN BRINGING THE LITIGATION, WE SUCCESSFULLY PRESSURED THE SECRETARY TO BACK OFF SOME OF THE MOST EXTREME ASPECTS OF HIS INITIAL ORDER. (7) OTHER LEGAL ADVOCACY TO PROTECT VOTERS AHEAD OF 2024 GENERAL ELECTION, DIRECTING LETTERS TO ALL 99 IOWA COUNTY AUDITORS AND THE IOWA SECRETARY OF STATE ASKING THEM TO REJECT ALL MASS CHALLENGES FILED WITHIN 90 DAYS OF THE ELECTION, AND TO RESTORE ANY VOTERS IMPROPERLY REMOVED FROM THE LISTS. (8) AMICUS BRIEFS FILED IN IOWA SUPREME COURT CASES, ARGUING: A WARRANT SUPPORTED BY PROBABLE CAUSE IS REQUIRED PRIOR TO CONDUCTING A SEARCH OF A RENTER-OCCUPIED PROPERTY WHEN THE RENTER DOES NOT CONSENT TO THE SEARCH; COURT FEES MUST NOT BE IMPOSED IN DISMISSED CRIMINAL CASES. (9) AMICUS BRIEFS FILED IN FEDERAL COURT CASES, ARGUING: THE EIGHTH AMENDMENT'S PROHIBITION ON CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENTS DOES NOT ALLOW CITIES TO ISSUE FINES OR ARREST PEOPLE FOR SLEEPING OUTSIDE IN PUBLIC WHEN THEY HAVE NO ACCESS TO ADEQUATE SHELTER; THE RIGHT OF STUDENTS TO RECEIVE INFORMATION ABOUT RACE DISCRIMINATION IN SCHOOLS IS ENTITLED TO PROTECTION UNDER THE FIRST AMENDMENT; AN EEOC REGULATION INCLUDING ACCOMMODATIONS RELATED TO MISCARRIAGE AND ABORTION WERE PROPERLY WITHIN REQUIRED PROTECTIONS AGAINST DISCRIMINATION ON ACCOUNT OF PREGNANCY.
- $338,304 spent. PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAM SERVICES: (1) FINALIZED OUR THREE YEAR REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM ACTION TEAM PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN. (2) BEGINNING IN 2021, THE CAMPAIGN SOUGHT TO ENGAGE, EDUCATE, AND RECRUIT 10,000 VOLUNTEERS AND ADVOCATES BY NOVEMBER 2024; WE BEGAN THE FISCAL YEAR A YEAR AHEAD OF SCHEDULE ON OUR GOAL. (3) THE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN ENDED WITH VOLUNTEERS IN EVERY STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT, HOUSE AND SENATE, WITH A FINAL NUMBER OF 13,294, WHICH EXCEEDED OUR GOAL BY ROUGHLY 30%. (4) AFFILIATE STAFF HELD 181 INDIVIDUAL EVENTS, TO AN AUDIENCE OF MORE THAN A THOUSAND. (5) HELD OUR SECOND DAY OF ACTION IN MAY 2024, WITH 60 VOLUNTEERS, WITH OVER 750 DOORS KNOCKED IN 20 SEPARATE COMMUNITIES. (6) FROM JULY - NOVEMBER, WE HAD OUR FINAL PUSH, RESULTING IN CONTACT WITH 53,135, INCLUDING 43,000+ INDIVIDUAL TEXT MESSAGES - SENT FROM A LIVE PERSON - THROUGH PHONE BANKS MANAGED BY STAFF AND PERFORMED BY VOLUNTEERS AND CANVAS BANKS. (7) IN NOVEMBER 2024, WE ANALYZED THE FULL PROGRAM, AND CLOSED ITS DOORS THROUGH A SERIES OF VOLUNTEER AND PARTNER WEBINARS TO SHOW PEOPLE WHAT THEY HAD ACCOMPLISHED, WITH THE SIMPLE THEME THAT INDIVIDUAL CITIZEN ENGAGEMENT IS THE INDISPENSABLE PIECE OF OUR C3 PUBLIC EDUCATION WORK. (8) IN DECEMBER 2024, WE FORMALLY DISSOLVED THE REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS ACTION TEAM AS IT HAD EXISTED DURING OUR THREE-YEAR PROGRAM. (9) AS A RESULT OF THIS INTENTIONAL DOWNSIZE, WE HAVE MOVED OUR PUBLIC EDUCATION VOLUNTEER PROGRAM TO CAPITOL CORPS, AND TO THE PEOPLE WHO PROVIDE DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO OUR AFFILIATE STAFF AND ACTIVITIES AT EVENTS - HOWEVER, EVEN AS THE PROGRAM ENDED, WE HAVE MAINTAINED OUR CONTACTS AND OUR LISTS FOR USE IN THE FUTURE, WHICH PAID OFF FROM JAN - APR 2025, AS DENOTED ABOVE. (10) PRINTED AND MAILED OUR DEFENDER NEWSLETTER TO A MAILING LIST OF APPROXIMATELY 13,000 SUPPORTERS AND OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES. (11) RESPONDED TO MEDIA INQUIRIES, HELD PRESS CONFERENCES AND CRAFTED MEDIA STATEMENTS ON OUR EFFORTS AND ON MATTERS REGARDING CIVIL LIBERTIES AND CIVIL RIGHTS. (12) UPDATED AND PRINTED BROCHURES REGARDING CIVIL LIBERTIES WITH TOPICS SUCH AS THE RIGHT TO PROTEST, VOTING RIGHTS (IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH), AND RIGHTS WHEN INTERACTING WITH POLICE (IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH).
- $284,712 spent. LEGISLATIVE AND 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) 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.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending March 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. 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)(3) charitable 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? 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.
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 November 1969.
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.
Could it be confused with another charity? Worth knowing.
A much larger organization has a similar name: American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc (New York, NY), EIN 13-6213516. If that is the one you meant, check the EIN before giving.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
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