ACLU Foundation of Southern California
See form 990, part I, line 1
ACLU Foundation of Southern California at a glance
In short: ACLU Foundation of Southern California gave $44K across 3 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $44,000
- -57.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3
- +50.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $14,667
- -71.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,000
- Total assets
- $43,543,296
- -2.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (55% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who ACLU Foundation of Southern California funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Rightway Foundation ($24K). Together the top 3 received $44K.
Grant Size Distribution
12 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 8 grants of 12 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How ACLU Foundation of Southern California gives
- Giving fell 59% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $44K (2025) to $137K (2019). In 2025 it made 3 grants totaling $44K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Rightway Foundation Los Angeles, CA | Grant for Reimagine Child Safety Coalition | $24,000 |
| Decrimswca Chicago, IL | Decrim Sex Work Retreat Subgrant | $12,000 |
| Vera Institute of Justice Brooklyn, NY | Contribution to 'No on 36' ADS | $8,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $43,543,296 | $15,341,862 | $13,935,521 | $44,000 | 3 | $1,183,931 |
| 2024 | $44,718,403 | $9,893,281 | $13,761,617 | $102,884 | 2 | $1,326,223 |
| 2023 | $46,479,486 | $11,479,077 | $12,933,416 | $131,884 | 2 | $966,684 |
| 2022 | $48,853,408 | $18,834,457 | $13,057,663 | $106,069 | 2 | $2,366,575 |
| 2021 | $45,040,738 | $16,165,175 | $15,134,402 | $82,500 | 3 | $1,162,836 |
| 2020 | $38,815,968 | $13,327,916 | $13,126,610 | — | — | $1,308,552 |
| 2019 | $45,271,211 | $13,672,415 | $12,931,850 | $137,000 | 2 | $1,318,618 |
About ACLU Foundation of Southern California
Based on IRS filings
ACLU Foundation of Southern California is a public charity focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in Los Angeles, CA. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $43.5M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 3 grants totaling $44K. Net investment income was $1.2M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
ACLU Foundation of Southern California is led by Hector Villagra, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 12 of 46 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Hector Villagra
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
36 hrs/week
$168K (2019) → $190K (2025)
Elisavet Garcia
Interim Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
45 hrs/week
$118K (2025)
Connie Tcheng
Chair & Vice Chair
Director → Chair, 2024
Chair → Chair & Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Carlos Amador
Chair
Director → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2024
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Eliasberg
Chief Counsel, Director of First Amendment & Demo
Senior Counsel → Chief Counsel, 2023
Chief Counsel → Chief Counsel, Director of First Amendment & Demo, 2025
On filings since 2019
45 hrs/week
$169K (2019) → $192K (2025)
Amanda Goad
Director, Lgbtq & Reproductive Justice
Audrey Irmas Director & Lgbtq → Director, Lgbtq & Reproductive Justice., 2022
Director, Lgbtq & Reproductive Justice. → Director, Lgbtq & Reproductive Justice, 2023
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$127K (2020) → $150K (2025)
Dejon Jackson
Director of Operations
New on the 2025 filing
47.5 hrs/week
$133K (2025)
Barry Hirsch
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Danice Woodley
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dolores Leal
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Douglas E. Mirell
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ellen Greenstone
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Hannah Cannom
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jacob Kreilkamp
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jon Wiener
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kelly Lytle Hernandez
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marla Stone
Director
Director → Chair, 2021
Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Ellen Gale
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sara Widzer
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sherry Frumkin
Director
Vice Chair & Director → Vice Chair, 2020
Vice Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacey Herzing
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Persky
Director
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ehsan Zaffar
Director
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Betty Toto
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brenda Holmes
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dax Goldstein
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Emily Dasilva
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gary Williams
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Isabelle Gunning
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julie Morales
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle White
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rita Henry
Director
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Julie Weinstein
Chief Development Officer
On filings since 2019
54 hrs/week
$152K (2019) → $213K (2025)
Minouche D. Kandel
Senior Staff Attorney
On filings since 2020
45 hrs/week
$142K (2020) → $166K (2025)
Marcus Benigno
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
Chief Committee & Mktng Officer → Chief Comms & Mktng Officer, 2024
Chief Comms & Mktng Officer → Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, 2025
On filings since 2021
33 hrs/week
$122K (2021) → $117K (2025)
Victor Leung
Chief Legal & Advocacy Officer
Edu Equity Project & Deputy Litigatigation Director → Chief Advocacy & Legal Director, 2024
Chief Advocacy & Legal Director → Chief Legal & Advocacy Officer, 2025
On filings since 2021
39 hrs/week
$117K (2021) → $140K (2025)
Deborah Roberson
Chief Hr Officer
Chief Hr Officer → Chief Human Resources Officer, 2023
Chief Human Resources Officer → Chief Hr Officer, 2025
On filings since 2022
45 hrs/week
$21K (2022) → $178K (2025)
Esmeralda Martinez
Chief Financial Officer
Interim Chief Financial Officer → Chief Financial Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
45 hrs/week
$120K (2024) → $156K (2025)
Sarah Howard
Deputy Director of Philanthropy
New on the 2025 filing
45 hrs/week
$130K (2025)
Elliot Gordon
Treasurer
Director & CFO → Director, 2022
Director → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nichelle S. Carr
Aeo
Director → Secretary & Edi Officer, 2021
Secretary & Edi Officer → Aeo, 2025
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stacy Horth-Neubert
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2019
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Connie Parker
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karriann Farrell Hinds
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Malek Moazzam-Doulat
Vice President
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Zella Knight
Secretary
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (51)
- Former: Gary Mandinach (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Jeffrey J. Douglas (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Judy Balaban (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Kate Summers (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Latia Curry (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Michele Goodwin (2019–2024) — Chair
- Former: Preeti Kulkarni (2019–2024) — Chief Financial Officer
- Former: Rob Hennig (2019–2024) — Vice Chair & Co-Chair
- Former: Sidney Machtinger (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Jennifer Pasquarella (2020–2024) — Director Immigrants' Rights
- Former: Michael Kaufman (2020–2024) — Senior Staff Attorney
- Former: Bruce Whizin (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Dennis Lavinthal (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Frank Broccolo (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: John Ulin (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Leo Frumkin (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Melissa Goodman (2019–2023) — Director of Advocacy
- Former: Peter Bibring (2019–2023) — Senior Counsel
- Former: Shari Leinwand (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Steve Heckler (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Suzanne Lerner (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Shamya Ullah (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Alan Sieroty (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Alex Menenberg (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Beth Sieroty Meltzer (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Chic Wolk (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Kristin Zethren (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Natalie Tran (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Steven D. Ades (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Susan Adelman (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Christopher Rice-Shepherd (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jango Sircus (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: John Erickson (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Rana Sharif (2022) — Director
- Former: Ahilan Arulananatham (2019–2021) — Senior Council
- Former: Danny Goldberg (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Farhaad Virani (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Fred Specktor (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Nick Sanchez (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Roger L. Kohn (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Roger Lowenstein (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Sylvia Torres-Guillen (2019–2021) — Director Education Equity
- Former: Tom Unterman (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Anaya Roy (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Shari Frumkin (2021) — Vice Chair
- Former: Jerry Moss (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Kirk Hornbeck (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Rebecca Meiers-De Pastino (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Richard Barry (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Steven Markoff (2019–2020) — Director
- Former: Vicki Fox (2019) — Director of Strategic Partnership & Marketing
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $213K, to Julie Weinstein (Chief Development Officer). 12 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about ACLU Foundation of Southern California
How much does ACLU Foundation of Southern California give each year?
ACLU Foundation of Southern California gave $44K across 3 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $103K across 2 grants.
What is ACLU Foundation of Southern California's typical grant size?
ACLU Foundation of Southern California's median grant in 2025 was $12,000, and its average grant was $14,667, across 3 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does ACLU Foundation of Southern California give grants?
ACLU Foundation of Southern California gives mostly in California: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (27%) and New York (18%).
Does ACLU Foundation of Southern California give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 3 grants with a stated purpose on ACLU Foundation of Southern California's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
How large is ACLU Foundation of Southern California?
ACLU Foundation of Southern California reported $43.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $15.3M.
What is ACLU Foundation of Southern California?
ACLU Foundation of Southern California is a public charity focused on Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy, based in Los Angeles, CA. It holds $43.5M in total assets as of 2025.
What is ACLU Foundation of Southern California's EIN?
ACLU Foundation of Southern California's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-2673361. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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ACLU Foundation of Southern California down — hundreds of funders to go?