American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc
The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc. is a public charity based in New York, New York, formed in 1966. It works to defend and preserve civil liberties and civil rights through legal work, affiliate support, education, and legislative advocacy.
Key facts about American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc
In short: American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc gave $28.4M across 73 grants in 2025 (avg $389K), top state Florida. 34% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 13-6213516
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $28,409,034
- Grants made (2025)
- 73
- Average grant
- $389,165
- Median grant
- $165,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (25 of 73, 2025)
- Total assets
- $961,853,261
- Primary geography
- Florida (12% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$961.9M
+16.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$28.4M
+16.4% YoY
Grant Count
73
+17.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$389K
-1.2% YoY
Is American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 25 of 73 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $242K; repeat grants $466K. How we count
Medians: $14K first-time, $241K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation describes its work as including litigation, support for ACLU affiliates, public education, legislative advocacy, and civil liberties policy formulation. Its educational work addresses rights including freedom of speech, association and assembly, equal protection, due process, and privacy. It also reports lobbying on civil rights matters, including voting, LGBTQ, reproductive, and immigrants’ rights.
The Foundation says its Affiliate Support and Nationwide Initiatives department provides grants and other support to affiliates for projects of local, regional, and national significance, along with training and technical assistance. It reports that ACLU affiliates or chapters operate in every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico.
Examples of grantees illustrate the range of supported work. The ACLU Foundation of Texas says it provides legal counsel to people whose civil liberties and rights are threatened. Citizens Not Politicians describes its work as advocating for an Ohio constitutional amendment to change the process for drawing voting districts. Missourians for Constitutional Freedom says it works to protect Missourians’ ability to make decisions about reproductive health care without political interference. Floridians Protecting Freedom describes its work as advocating for a citizen-led ballot initiative concerning reproductive freedom.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 73 grants totaling $28,409,034. Grant amounts ranged from $7,000 to $2,422,000, with a median of $165,000. The largest grant was $2,422,000 to the ACLU Foundation of Texas for its affiliate program. Other large grants included $2,322,500 to the ACLU Foundation of Florida and $1,733,800 to the ACLU Foundation of West Virginia, both for affiliate programs; $1,600,000 to Citizens Not Politicians for ballot initiatives; and $1,417,000 to the ACLU Foundation of Tennessee for its affiliate program.
Additional 2025 grants included $1,125,000 to Arizona for Abortion Access and $1,000,000 to Floridians Protecting Freedom, both for ballot initiatives. Other reported recipients included the ACLU Foundation of Virginia ($1,322,500), the ACLU Foundation of Arkansas ($1,292,500), Missourians for Constitutional Freedom ($1,150,000), and the ACLU Foundation of South Carolina ($1,034,500).
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s affiliate network spans every state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars by recipient state were Florida (12%), Texas (9%), Ohio (6%), West Virginia (6%), and Virginia (5%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 73 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $14.9M (2021) to $28.4M (2025). In 2025 it made 73 grants totaling $28.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was ACLU Foundation of Texas ($2.4M). Together the top 10 received $15.4M.
Grant Size Distribution
305 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $250–500K range: 87 grants of 305 (29%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACLU Foundation of Texas Houston, TX | Affiliate Program | $2,422,000 |
| ACLU Foundation of Florida Miami, FL | Affiliate Program | $2,322,500 |
| ACLU Foundation of West Virginia Charleston, WV | Affiliate Program | $1,733,800 |
| Citizens Not Politicians Columbus, OH | Ballot Initiatives | $1,600,000 |
| ACLU Foundation of Tennessee Nashville, TN | Affiliate Program | $1,417,000 |
| ACLU Foundation of Virginia Richmond, VA | Affiliate Program | $1,322,500 |
| ACLU Foundation of Arkansas Little Rock, AR | Affiliate Program | $1,292,500 |
| Missourians for Constitutional Freedom St. Louis, MO | Ballot Initiatives | $1,150,000 |
| Arizona for Abortion Access Phoenix, AZ | Ballot Initiatives | $1,125,000 |
| ACLU Foundation of South Carolina Charleston, SC | Affiliate Program | $1,034,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $961,853,261 | $306,750,536 | $245,542,362 | $28,409,034 |
| 2024 | $828,604,389 | $185,146,988 | $201,684,585 | $24,410,042 |
| 2023 | $785,630,158 | $201,181,635 | $186,344,190 | $15,994,046 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $961,853,261 | $828,604,389 | $785,630,158 |
| Revenue | $306,750,536 | $185,146,988 | $201,181,635 |
| Expenses | $245,542,362 | $201,684,585 | $186,344,190 |
| Net Investment Income | $8,528,889 | $7,226,828 | $8,216,520 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 22, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS December 10, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Deborah Archer as director/president; Charu Verma as director/vice president; Connie Tcheng as director/treasurer as of February 1, 2025; Dax Goldstein as director/secretary; and Shaakirrah Sanders as director/general counsel. It lists Robert Remar as director/vice president and treasurer through February 1, 2025, and Ronald Tyler as general counsel through that date.
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc is led by Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director & CEO on every filing since 2021; 9 of 32 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Anthony D. Romero
Executive Director & CEO
On filings since 2021
14 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deborah Archer
Director & President
On filings since 2021
3.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Terence R. Dougherty
Dep. Executive Director & General Counsel
COO & General Counsel → Dep Executive Director Ops & General Counsel, 2023
Dep Executive Director Ops & General Counsel → Dep. Executive Director & General Counsel, 2025
On filings since 2021
14 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aj Hikes
Dep. Executive Director of Strategy & Culture
Dep. Executive Director Strategy & Culture → Dep. Executive Director of Strategy & Culture, 2025
On filings since 2024
14 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cecillia D Wang
National Legal Director
Deputy Legal Director → National Legal Director, 2025
On filings since 2021
34 hrs/week
$303K (2021) → $399K (2025)
David D. Cole
National Legal Director
On filings since 2021
34 hrs/week
$428K (2021) → $494K (2025)
Elizabeth Fitzgerald
Director of Development
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$284K (2021) → $354K (2025)
Kary L Moss
National Director of Affiliates Support & Nationwide Initiatives
Director Affil. Support & Nationwide Init. → Director Aff Support & Nation. Init, 2023
Director Aff Support & Nation. Init → National Director of Affiliates Support & Nationwide Initiatives, 2025
On filings since 2021
34 hrs/week
$381K (2021) → $499K (2025)
Mohammad Zaidi
Senior Director of Nationwide Leadership & Planned Gifts
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$286K (2025)
Anil Mujumdar
Director
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Charu Verma
Director & Vice President
Director → Director, Vice President & Treasurer, 2023
Director, Vice President & Treasurer → Director & Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2021
3.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Remar
Director, Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2021
3.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shaakirrah Sanders
Director & General Counsel
On filings since 2022
3.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Connie Tcheng
Director & Treasurer
Director → Director & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
3.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Donita Judge
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Dax Goldstein
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2024
3.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ruth Colker
Director
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cherie Dawson Edwards
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Coleman Bazelon
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Darlene English
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gabrielle Uballez
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Espino
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Yomi Young
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Louise Melling
Deputy Legal Director & Center for Liberty
Deputy Legal Director → Deputy Legal Director & Center for Liberty, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$305K (2021) → $364K (2025)
Mark V. Wier
Chief Development Officer
On filings since 2021
34 hrs/week
$442K (2021) → $520K (2025)
Miriam Yasmin Cader
Deputy Legal Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$309K (2023) → $329K (2025)
Kriston Alford McIntosh
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer
Chief Communications Officer → Chief Communications & Marketing Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
26 hrs/week
$335K (2024) → $435K (2025)
Charizma T. Williams
COO
CFO → Chief Financial Officer, 2022
Chief Financial Officer → COO, 2023
On filings since 2021
14 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ronald Tyler
General Counsel
Director & General Counsel → General Counsel, 2025
On filings since 2021
3.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larisa Mueller
CFO
On filings since 2023
14 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Deirdre Schifeling
Chief Political & Advocacy Officer
National Political Director → Chief Political & Advocacy Officer, 2025
On filings since 2024
14 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Amardeep Singh
Chief Information Officer
New on the 2025 filing
14 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (22)
- Former: Grace Chan (2021–2024) — Director & Secretary
- Former: Jeffrey Hong (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Sophia K Goldmacher (2021–2024) — Chief People Officer
- Former: William Aceves (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Sharon Kyle (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Yomi Wrong (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Michelle Brown-Yazzie (2023–2024) — Director
- Former: Cherie-Dawson Edwards (2024) — Director
- Former: Nj Akbar (2024) — Chf. Eq., Diversty & Incl. Officer
- Former: Dorothy M Ehrlich (2021–2023) — Deputy Executive Director
- Former: Michele Goodwin (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Rebecca Lowell Edwards (2021–2023) — Chief Communications Officer
- Former: Ronald Chen (2021–2023) — Director & General Counsel
- Former: Ronald Newman (2021–2023) — Nat'l Polit Director
- Former: Tracy Griffith (2021–2023) — Director & Secretary
- Former: Amber Hikes (2022–2023) — Dep. Executive Director Strategy & Culture
- Former: Greg Hasty (2022–2023) — Director
- Former: Kimberly P. Trueblood (2021–2022) — Chief of Staff
- Former: Mary Hernandez (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Jefferey P. Robinson (2021) — Deputy Legal Director
- Former: Susan Herman (2021) — Director & President
- Former: Tim Fox (2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $520K, to Mark V Wier (Chief Development Officer). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 125 Broad Street 18Th Floor, New York, NY 10004
Phone: (212) 549-2500
Website: https://aclufoundation.org
Frequently asked questions about American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc
How much does American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc give each year?
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc gave $28.4M across 73 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $24.4M across 62 grants.
What is American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $165,000, and its average grant was $389,165, across 73 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc that year got $242K on average.
Where does American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc give grants?
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc's top state is Florida, with 12% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Texas (9%) and Ohio (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (9 grants), Miami, FL (2 grants), St. Louis, MO (2 grants) and Phoenix, AZ (2 grants).
Does American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 73 grants with a stated purpose on American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Affiliate Program" (47 grants), "Scholarships" (11 grants) and "Charitable Activities" (9 grants).
Who are American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include ACLU Foundation of Texas ($2,422,000), ACLU Foundation of Florida ($2,322,500) and ACLU Foundation of West Virginia ($1,733,800), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 23% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc?
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc reported $961.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $306.8M.
What does American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation describes its work as including litigation, support for ACLU affiliates, public education, legislative advocacy, and civil liberties policy formulation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc?
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check aclufoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc's EIN?
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6213516. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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