American Civil Liberties Union Inc logo

American Civil Liberties Union Inc

NEW YORK, NY EIN: 13-3871360 Website

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nonprofit, nonpartisan civil rights organization founded in 1920. Designated as a 501(c)(4) civic league and social welfare organization, the ACLU is headquartered at 125 Broad Street, Floor 18, in New York City. The organization operates with approximately 389 employees and maintains a network of affiliates in all 50 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico. With a membership base of 1.2 million, the ACLU works to defend and preserve the freedoms guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights through litigation, legislative advocacy, communications, and public education programs.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$242.8M

+36.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$10.4M

+13.3% YoY

Grant Count

57

+14.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$183K

-0.6% YoY

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The ACLU's mission is to realize the promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees. The organization works daily in courts, federal and state legislatures, and communities to protect the civil liberties of all people in the United States.

Primary program areas include:

  • Affiliate Support: The ACLU coordinates with affiliates in every state and territory, which handle requests for legal assistance, lobby state legislatures, and host educational forums. The national organization coordinates fundraising efforts and shares proceeds with affiliates according to detailed policy.

  • Legislative Advocacy: The ACLU maintains a legislative presence on Capitol Hill and in state legislatures, with a policy team based primarily in the Washington, D.C. office working to advance civil liberties goals through proposed legislation.

  • Community and Civic Engagement: Through trainings, campaigns, voter education, and public education initiatives, the ACLU supports communities to defend and advance civil liberties. Issue priorities include criminal justice reform, democracy and civic engagement, voting rights, gender and sexuality rights, reproductive justice, immigrant rights, and racial and economic justice.

  • Legal Representation: The ACLU provides legal assistance through direct representation or preparation of amicus curiae briefs in cases where civil liberties are at risk.

Grantmaking

The ACLU Foundation, the related 501(c)(3) arm of the organization, has received grants from external funders. Recent grant activity includes:

Ready to take the next step with American Civil Liberties Union Inc?

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

48states
+40 more states

Cities

AlbuquerqueAnchorageAtlantaBaltimoreBoiseBostonCharlestonChicagoClevelandColchesterColumbusConcordDedhamDenverDes MoinesDetroitEasthamptonHartfordHonoluluHouston

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Fiscal Year Ending March 2025:

  • Revenue: $222,051,375
  • Expenses: $185,590,909
  • Net Income: $36,460,466
  • Net Assets: $194,527,475
  • Total Assets: $243,000,000
  • Total Liabilities: $48,300,000

Fiscal Year Ending March 2024:

  • Total Revenues: $142,704,104
  • Total Expenses: $143,607,758
  • Total Assets: $177,315,051

The organization's 2024 budget was reported at $383 million across all ACLU entities. Donations to the ACLU Inc. (501(c)(4) arm) are not tax deductible, though donations to the related ACLU Foundation (501(c)(3) arm) are tax deductible.

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$61M$122M$183M$244M20212022202320242025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$242,812,594$177,315,051$181,410,698
Revenue$222,051,375$142,704,104$146,699,874
Expenses$185,590,909$143,607,758$174,521,367
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income$1,788,620$1,130,307$296,068
Distributable Amount

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$4M$8M$11M$15M42 grants202144 grants202251 grants202350 grants202457 grants2025

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

KANSANS UNITED FOR CIVIL…$650KACLU OF NORTHERN CALIFOR…$469KNEW YORK CIVIL LIBERTIES…$446KACLU OF MICHIGAN$431KACLU OF MASSACHUSSETTS$427KACLU OF NEW JERSEY$402KACLU OF NORTH CAROLINA$385KACLU OF TEXAS$347KACLU OF WASHINGTON$299KACLU OF SOUTHERN CALIFOR…$284K

Grant Size Distribution

236 grants across all recorded years

46<$50K47$50–100K78$100–250K34$250–500K22$500K–1M9$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

No grants recorded for .

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Anthony Romero serves as the Principal Officer of the organization.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

ANTHONY D ROMEROEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO$760KAJ HIKESDEP. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF S…$570KTERENCE R DOUGHERTYDEP. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/GENE…$569KCHARIZMA T WILLIAMSCOO$492KDEIRDRE SCHIFELINGCHIEF POLITICAL & ADVOCACY O…$467KAMARDEEP SINGHCHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER (T…$432KLARISA MUELLERCFO$361KALETHEIA HENRYCHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER$322KSTEPHANIE WECHTDEPUTY CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER$294KISHUGHUN ORKARCHIEF EQUITY & INCLUSION OFF…$291KIJEOMA G MBAMALUCHIEF TECH & ANALYTICS OFFICER$290K

From 2025 filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
CHARU VERMADIRECTOR/VICE PRESIDENT3.5
CONNIE TCHENGDIRECTOR/TREASURER(AS OF 02/01/2025)3.5
DAX GOLDSTEINDIRECTOR/SECRETARY3.5
DEBORAH ARCHERDIRECTOR/PRESIDENT3.5
NANCY FANNONCO-SECRETARY (THRU 10/5/2024)3.5
ROBERT REMARDIRECTOR/VP, TREASURER (THRU 02/01/2025)3.5
RONALD CHENDIRECTOR/GENERAL COUNSEL3.5
RONALD TYLEREX-OFFICIO OFFICER3.5
SHAAKIRRAH SANDERSDIRECTOR/GENERAL COUNSEL3.5
ALEXIS KARTERONDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
ALICE BOYERDIRECTOR3
ALLAN HILLMANDIRECTOR3
ALONZO KELLYDIRECTOR (AS OF 10/01/2024)3
AMBER CYPHERS STEPHENSDIRECTOR3
AMER SAJEDDIRECTOR3
ANDREW ALEMANDIRECTOR3
ANGELA COOKDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
ANIL MUJUMDARDIRECTOR (THRU 02/02/2025)2
ANNE FARMERDIRECTOR3
ANNE GORDONDIRECTOR3
ANNIE B WILLIAMSDIRECTOR3
ASHLEY HEILPRINDIRECTOR3
BEN MATTHEWSDIRECTOR3
CAROL WINDRUMDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
CAROLYN LOVEDIRECTOR (THRU 06/07/2024)3
CAROLYN MANNISDIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
CHARLENE LUIDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
CHELSIE ACOSTADIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
CHERIE DAWSON EDWARDSDIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
CLAUDIA GORDONDIRECTOR3
COLEMAN BAZELONDIRECTOR3
DANIELLE ZIFFDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
DARLENE ENGLISHDIRECTOR3
DARON SMITHDIRECTOR3
DERRELL SLAUGHTERDIRECTOR3
DONITA JUDGEDIRECTOR3
ERIC SCHNEIDERDIRECTOR3
ERIC SMAWDIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
ERIN KENNEDY STARTZMANDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
EVE WACHTELLDIRECTOR3
FRANCES DICKMANDIRECTOR (AS OF 06/01/2024)3
GABRIELLE UBALLEZDIRECTOR3
GAIL PODOLSKYDIRECTOR3
GAVIN GRIMMDIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
GREG HASTYDIRECTOR3
GUADALUPE MARROQUINDIRECTOR3
IRENE TRESSERDIRECTOR3
IVAN SEGURADIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
JACOB RAIFORDDIRECTOR (THRU 06/07/2024)3
JAY BARTHDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
JESSE WINGDIRECTOR3
JIM METZGERDIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
JOAN HSIAODIRECTOR3
JOY SPRINGFIELDDIRECTOR3
JULIE MORALESDIRECTOR3
JULIE REISKINDIRECTOR (AS OF 06/01/2024)3
KARA SIMARDDIRECTOR (THRU 06/07/2024)3
KATE CORRIVEAUDIRECTOR (AS OF 06/01/2024)3
KATE JERMANDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
KATHERINE ITACYDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
KATHRYN JAKABCINDIRECTOR3
KIM FERGUSONDIRECTOR3
KIM JORDANDIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
LAURA KOFOIDDIRECTOR3
LI YUN ALVARADODIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
LIA EPPERSONDIRECTOR3
LISA RASMUSSENDIRECTOR (THRU 02/01/2025)3
LORELLA PRAELIDIRECTOR3
LOUIS THOMASDIRECTOR (THRU 06/07/2024)3
MARILYN LANTZDIRECTOR3
MARINA HSIEHDIRECTOR3
MARK CHAETDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
MELANIE DEASDIRECTOR3
MICHELLE ESPINODIRECTOR3
NADIA HUSSAINDIRECTOR3
RACHEL LOPEZDIRECTOR (AS OF 06/01/2024)3
RAMZI KASSEMDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
ROBERT KELLEYDIRECTOR (AS OF 10/01/2024)3
ROYCE BROOKSDIRECTOR3
RUT MARTINEZ-ALICEADIRECTOR3
RUTH COLKERDIRECTOR3
RUTH MARY HALLDIRECTOR3
SANDY VOPALKADIRECTOR3
TIM FOXDIRECTOR3
WILLIAM ACEVESDIRECTOR (AS OF 01/01/2025)3
YOMI YOUNGDIRECTOR3
AJ HIKESDEP. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF STRATEGY & CULTURE26$569,934
ANTHONY D ROMEROEXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO25$759,792
CHARIZMA T WILLIAMSCOO25$492,394
TERENCE R DOUGHERTYDEP. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/GENERAL COUNSEL25$569,229
CECILLIA WANGNATIONAL LEGAL DIRECTOR (AS OF 10/16/2024)6
DAVID D COLENATIONAL LEGAL DIRECTOR (THRU 10/15/2024)6
DEIRDRE SCHIFELINGCHIEF POLITICAL & ADVOCACY OFFICER25$466,658
KARY MOSSNATIONAL DIRECTOR OF AFFILIATES SUPPORT & NATIONWIDE INITIATIVES6
KRISTON MCINTOSHCHIEF COMMUNICATIONS & MARKETING OFFICER14
LARISA MUELLERCFO26$361,434
MARK V WIERCHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER6
ALETHEIA HENRYCHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER40$322,240
AMARDEEP SINGHCHIEF INFORMATION OFFICER (THRU 11/30/2024)26$431,847
IJEOMA G MBAMALUCHIEF TECH & ANALYTICS OFFICER40$289,858
ISHUGHUN ORKARCHIEF EQUITY & INCLUSION OFFICER40$290,905
STEPHANIE WECHTDEPUTY CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER40$294,183

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The ACLU Foundation received a $400,000 grant from the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine. The ACLU of Louisiana's Justice Lab secured $500,000 in awards for victims of racist policing. The ACLU of Northern California announced grants to UC Berkeley student groups. The organization continues to address civil liberties issues including democracy and civic engagement, voting rights, criminal justice reform, and reproductive rights.

ACLU Foundation receives $400K grant from Community Foundation of Greater

Related Funders

Similar funders by location and focus area

Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.

What could you do with American Civil Liberties Union Inc on Grantable?

  • Assess strategic fit with your organization
  • Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
  • Find open RFPs from this funder
  • Monitor for new funding opportunities