American Civil Liberties Union INC EIN 13-3871360

American Civil Liberties Union INC

EIN  13-3871360 Membership association New York, NY Founded 1920
Form 990 (PDF) Compare with another nonprofit →
Verified accurate 7/4/26 · see original filing: IRS
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Size
$100M+
What they do
Defends and promotes civil rights and liberties through legislative advocacy, policy research, and coalition building at both federal and state levels.
Leadership
Anthony D Romero · Executive Director/CEO · $760K
Money in and out
$222.1M revenue, $185.6M expenses
Bottom line
+16% operating surplus

Defends and promotes civil rights and liberties through legislative advocacy, policy research, and coalition building at both federal and state levels. For fiscal year 2025 it reported $222.1M in revenue, $185.6M in expenses, and $194.5M in net assets.Pt I

Membership & operating revenue · FY2025
Total revenue
$222.1M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$185.6M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$194.5M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expenses (Pt I · Ln 19): $36.5M
Where spending went · Part IX cols B–D
Program services $0.81 Management & general $0.07 Fundraising $0.13
Operating surplus
+16%
revenue over expenses▲ ×28 vs prior filing year
Earned revenue
0%
of revenue from program services & dues
Payroll share
22%
of spending is salaries & benefits▼ -5% vs prior filing year

Summary of the Filing

Part I · fiscal year 2025 · Form 990
Revenue
$222.1M
FY2025▲ +56%
Expenses
$185.6M
FY2025▲ +29%
Total assets
$242.8M
FY2025▲ +37%
Total liabilities
$48.3M
FY2025▲ +84%
Total revenue
$222.1M
Pt VIII · Ln 12
Total expenses
$185.6M
Pt IX · Ln 25
Net assets
$194.5M
Pt X · Ln 32
Revenue less expensesPt I · Ln 19$36.5M
Total assetsPt X · Ln 16$242.8M
Program-expense ratioPt IX · col B81%
Voting members of governing bodyPt I · Ln 369
Independent voting membersPt I · Ln 469
Mission & Programs · Part III

Where the work happens

3 program services account for $142.0M of program spending, described in the organization's own filed words · FY2024.
01

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.

$88.3Mprogram expense
02

Education

Through newsletters, its comprehensive website, advertisements, op-ed articles, media interviews, publications, social media, and numerous meetings and workshops conducted in collaboration with its affiliates throughout the us, the aclu provides ongoing education to its approximately 1,400,000 supporters and to the public at large…

$32.1Mprogram expense
03

Legislative Advocacy

The aclu's legislative advocates are a constant presence on capitol hill and in state legislatures, where they work to address civil liberties issues. Based primarily in the aclu's washington, DC office, the organization's legislative policy team works to ensure that proposed legislation moves towards, rather than away, from the civil…

$21.5Mprogram expense

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Identity & Classification

Form 990 Header · IRS Business Master File
Legal nameHdr · item CAmerican Civil Liberties Union INC
EINHdr · item D13-3871360
Principal addressHdr · item CNew York, NY
WebsiteHdr · item Jwww.aclu.org
Year of formationHdr · item L1920
State of legal domicileHdr · item MNY
Exempt statusHdr · item I501(c)(4) · active
NTEE classificationIRS BMFNonprofit
Ruling yearIRS BMFDec 1970

Governance & Policies

Part VI
Voting members of the governing bodyPt VI · Ln 1a69
Independent voting membersPt VI · Ln 1b69
Conflict-of-interest policyPt VI · Ln 12aYes
Whistleblower policyPt VI · Ln 13Yes
Document retention policyPt VI · Ln 14Yes
CEO/top-official compensation independently reviewedPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Family or business relationships among officers/directorsPt VI · Ln 2No

Officers, Directors & Key Employees

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Executive Director/CEO
$759,792Pt VII · Sec A
Dep. Executive Director of Strategy & Culture
$569,934Pt VII · Sec A
Dep. Executive Director/General Counsel
$569,229Pt VII · Sec A
$492,394Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Political & Advocacy Officer
$466,658Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Information Officer (thru 11/30/2024)
$431,847Pt VII · Sec A
$361,434Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Strategy Officer
$322,240Pt VII · Sec A

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021
Anthony D Romero$1,320,302$695,560
Anthony D Romero$759,792$646,153$959,191
Aj Hikes$569,934
Terence R Dougherty$569,229$472,282$432,522
Terence R Dougherty$553,182$514,989
Aj Hikes$543,532
Dorothy M Ehrlich$535,950
Ronald Newman$518,774

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

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Statement of Revenue

Part VIII
Contributions & grants$220.0M · 99%
Investment income$1.8M · 1%
Contributions & grants99%$220.0M
Investment income1%$1.8M
Other revenue$236K
Total revenueLn 12$222.1M

Statement of Functional Expenses

Part IX · allocated across program, management, and fundraising
Allocation · columns B–D
Program services $0.81 Management & general $0.07 Fundraising $0.13
Program services81%$149.5M
Management & general7%$12.6M
Fundraising13%$23.4M
Total functional expensesLn 25$185.6M

Balance Sheet

Part X · end of year
CashLn 1$71.5M
Total assetsLn 16$242.8M
Total liabilitiesLn 26$48.3M
Total net assetsLn 32$194.5M
Months of cash on handcomputed4.6

Financial Metrics

Form 990 · FY2025 · each ratio shown with the dollars behind it
Liquidity & Payout
Operating runway
Highly liquid reserves $179.1M · Operating expenses (Pt IX) $185.6M · Less non-cash grants $2.8M · Cash operating expenses/yr $182.8M
11.8 months
Where the money goes
Program services
Program services $149.5M · Total expenses $185.6M
81%
Management & General
Management & general $12.6M · Total expenses $185.6M
7%
Fundraising
Fundraising $23.4M · Total expenses $185.6M
13%
Cost to raise $1
Fundraising expense (3-yr avg) $17.8M · Solicited contributions (3-yr avg) $168.9M
$0.11 to raise $1 (3-yr avg)
Where the money comes from
Contribution dependence
Contributions & grants $220.0M · Total revenue $222.1M
99%
Government reliance
Government grants — · Total revenue $222.1M
Earned-income share
Program service revenue $0 · Total revenue $222.1M
0%
Investment reliance
Investment income $1.8M · Total revenue $222.1M
+1%
Program self-sufficiency
Program service revenue $0 · Total expenses $185.6M
0%
Growth & trend
Revenue growth (YoY)
This year $222.1M · Prior year $142.7M
+56%
Revenue CAGR
FY2020 $171.0M · FY2024 $222.1M
+7%
Net-asset trend (YoY)
End of year $194.5M · Beginning of year —
Beginning net assets not meaningfully positive — showing dollar change
Balance sheet
Surplus Margin
Revenue $222.1M · Expenses $185.6M
+16%
Liabilities-to-Assets
Total liabilities — · Total assets $242.8M
Net-asset ratio
Net assets $194.5M · Total assets $242.8M
80%
Marketable Investment Share
Publicly traded securities (Pt X, ln 11) $37.9M · Other securities (Pt X, ln 12) $69.7M · Total assets (Pt X, ln 16) $242.8M
44%
People & payroll
Highest Reported Total Compensation
Individual Anthony D Romero · Reported title EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR/CEO · Highest reported compensation $760K · Total expenses $185.6M
0%
Personnel share
Salaries, benefits & payroll (Pt IX 5-10) $40.0M · Total expenses $185.6M
22%
Fundraising vendors
Fundraiser cost ratio
Paid to fundraisers $18.3M · Gross raised $106.0M
17%
Peer comparison

Same NTEE category, revenue band, and state where available. Descriptive — not a grade.

MetricThis orgPeer medianPercentile
Program ratio 81%
Overhead ratio 7%
Fundraising cost ratio 11%
Revenue growth 56%
Investment management fee ratio 0%
Legal fee ratio 1%
Accounting fee ratio 0%
Fundraising fee ratio 10%

Straight from the Form 990 — descriptive, not an evaluation. A ratio is hidden when its base is zero or too small to be meaningful; the dollars are always shown.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
Sjs Partners INCFY2024$1.0M
Tides AdvocacyFY2024$100K
Vera Action INCFY2024$33K
Total grants receivedfrom 11 funders$11.9M
See all 11 funders →
Grants paid · 244 grants · $58.2M · 2020–2024
Kansans United for Civil LibertiesFY2024$650,000
ACLU of Northern CaliforniaCA · FY2024$468,862
American Civil Liberties UnionNY · FY2024$446,266
ACLU of MichiganMI · FY2024$430,811
ACLU of MassachussettsMA · FY2024$427,175
ACLU of New JerseyNJ · FY2024$402,444
ACLU of North CarolinaNC · FY2024$384,694
ACLU of TexasTX · FY2024$347,042
ACLU of WashingtonWA · FY2024$298,838
ACLU of Southern CaliforniaCA · FY2024$283,694
ACLU of IllinoisIL · FY2024$279,649
ACLU of DelawareDE · FY2024$271,228
ACLU of OregonOR · FY2024$268,495
ACLU of PennslyvaniaPA · FY2024$249,827
ACLU of MarylandMD · FY2024$243,539
ACLU of AlabamaAL · FY2024$236,228
ACLU of KentuckyKY · FY2024$217,228
ACLU NebraskaNE · FY2024$211,228
See all 244 grants →

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Filings & Schedule Manifest

Part IV
III · Programs I · Grants R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons A · Public support F · Foreign M · Noncash
FY2025 (Latest)$222.1M revenue · viewing · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2024$142.7M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2023$146.7M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2022$162.2M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF
FY2021$171.0M revenue · ⤓ 990 PDF

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Sources

Every figure above is drawn from these filings
Form 990 e-file (XML) · FY2025IRS
Classification, formation year, addressIRS Business Master File
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