American Civil Liberties Union

Legal name: American Civil Liberties Union Inc

Overview

Mission

The ACLU’s mission is to realize the promise of the United States Constitution for all and expand the reach of its guarantees. Why We Use Your Information.** ACLU uses your personal information to further our mission. To better illustrate why we collect this information, we have listed specific processing purposes for which ACLU uses your information, categorized by the thematic activities of advocacy and organizing; fundraising; legal services; outreach and research; merchandise; services security, optimization, and improvement; and when required by law, to prevent fraud and protect our or others’ rights. Learn more. With Whom and How We Share Your Information.** ACLU shares your personal information with our Affiliates, service providers who help us carry out business activities, business partners, and other third.

What it reported doing in 2024

Affiliate support - the aclu has an affiliate or chapter in every state and in the district of columbia and puerto rico. Affiliates handle requests for legal assistance, lobby state legislatures and host educational forums throughout the year. The national aclu coordinates fundraising efforts with its affiliates and shares the proceeds of fundraising efforts with affiliates in accordance with a detailed policy. Through its affiliate support and nationwide initiatives (asni) department, the national aclu provides grants and support to affiliates on specific initiatives and projects that have been identified as involving matters of both local/regional and national significance. Asni provides ongoing training and technical assistance to affiliates on a variety of topics of relevance. The $88,289,780 of expenses includes grants to affiliates, beyond the $8,546,612 grant, to support legislative initiatives. Asni provides ongoing training and technical assistance to affiliates on a variety of topics of relevance. The $88,289,780 of expenses includes grants to affiliates, beyond the $8,546,612 grant, to support legislative initiatives.

Operating model

Revenue model
Membership-supported. 61% of the money available for current operations came from membership dues.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 93% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.
  • Includes noncash contributions: Reported contributions include donated property or goods.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
133871360
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Official website data refreshed
Sep 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Headquarters
New York, NY, USA
Phone
(888) 567-ACLU
Rating
85
Verdict
STRONG
Rating confidence
Standard

Official website

The verdict

STRONG - The filed numbers largely add up and a large share of available resources goes toward mission work. Fundraising costs are high for each dollar raised and total assets are small relative to annual expenses; liquid coverage is unknown.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 69
  • Transparency & Controls: 96
  • Accountability: 100
  • Sustainability: 66
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 67.6%; rating input score 68
  • Program expense ratio: 80.6%; rating input score 81
  • Fundraising efficiency: $9.39 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 40; 40th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 5 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 83
    • Compensation committee: Pass
    • Independent consultant: Pass
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Pass
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: 100%; rating input score 100; 47th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Yes; rating input score 100

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 76th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: Pass
    • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 16.4%; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 1.31; rating input score 48; 48th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.2; rating input score 68; 68th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 3.3%; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 11.8% per year; rating input score 100; 80th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 12% per year; rating input score 100; 83rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 12.3% per year; rating input score 100; 79th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • What they do: Mission, programs, and operating context captured from the official website.
  • Where the money goes: 67.6% of revenue deployed · 80.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 69 of 69 board members independent · 9 of 9 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 4 filed program accomplishments · $149.5M in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $1.1M · 102 people listed · 5 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Highest-paid contractors: 5 contractors listed · $31.6M reported
  • Consistency: 41 of 41 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 9 filed schedules · includes major donors, grants, executive pay, and related organizations
  • Filing history: 14 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 72 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: 60 filed related-organization links
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Leadership & pay

102 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • ANTHONY D ROMERO (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO): $1,128,202 total reported compensation
  • TERENCE R DOUGHERTY (DEP. EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/GENERAL COUNSEL): $659,249 total reported compensation
  • KARY MOSS (NATIONAL DIRECTOR OF AFFILIATES SUPPORT & NATIONWIDE INITIATIVES): $646,994 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: FY2024.