Is it real?
Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Feb 1980.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File
Where the money goes
85 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.
Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.
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Who runs it and what they're paid
24 people listed on the 990; $1.6M paid to officers and key staff.
Matt Schlapp’s $630K as Chairman is at the 85th percentile of top reported officer pay among 232 $10–100M public & societal benefit nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.
Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 8 named individuals · Part VII
| Name | FY2025 | FY2024 | FY2023 | FY2022 | FY2021 | FY2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Schlapp | $629,804 | $837,444 | $350,000 | — | — | — |
| Daniel Schneider | — | — | $266,260 | $362,507 | $346,973 | $307,475 |
| David Safavian | $249,904 | $216,948 | $181,583 | $180,527 | $171,875 | $147,648 |
| Patrick Nolan | $73,467 | $113,817 | $117,150 | $128,268 | $192,994 | $219,000 |
| Mercedes Schlapp | $192,125 | $178,605 | $178,267 | $175,500 | — | — |
| Ryan McGowan | — | — | — | $188,131 | $164,958 | $153,000 |
| Ryan McGovan | — | — | $187,226 | — | — | — |
| Ian Walters | — | — | — | — | $182,188 | $166,063 |
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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Questions the 990 asks
The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.
- Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
- Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes
Programs and updates
Mobilizes and unites conservatives nationwide through events, training, and policy forums to promote traditional values, liberty, and personal responsibility.
Questions for American Conservative Union
Your first name shows with your question. American Conservative Union answers here, for everyone.
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During fy 2023, the acu organized and conducted meetings and conferences around the nation. The acu strives to enhance the awareness of americans concerned with liberty, personal responsibility, traditional values, and a strong national defense, while also educating state executives and legislative bodies of the need to address the…
Funders
Who pays for it.
From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.
Grants
By the numbers
The FY2024 990, line by line.
Download 990
| Line | Start FY24 | End FY24 |
|---|---|---|
| Cash and savingsLn 1–2 | $912K | $3.2M |
| Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c | $17K | $0 |
| Total assetsLn 16 | $4.9M | $7.0M |
| LiabilitiesLn 26 | $484K | $1.7M |
| Net assetsLn 32 | $4.5M | $5.3M |
| Line | Total | Programs | Management | Fundraising |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5 | $328K | $305K | $23K | $0 |
| Other salaries and wagesLn 7 | $1.3M | $1.3M | $4K | $0 |
| Pension plan contributionsLn 8 | $16K | $14K | $1K | $0 |
| Other employee benefitsLn 9 | $287K | $54K | $233K | $0 |
| Payroll taxesLn 10 | $193K | $193K | $0 | $0 |
| Legal feesLn 11b | $348K | $171K | $173K | $4K |
| Accounting feesLn 11c | $67K | $0 | $67K | $0 |
| Professional fundraising feesLn 11e | $306K | $306K | ||
| Other fees for servicesLn 11g | $1.3M | $987K | $85K | $244K |
| Advertising and promotionLn 12 | $265K | $256K | $8K | $468 |
| Office expensesLn 13 | $103K | $69K | $24K | $10K |
| Information technologyLn 14 | $79K | $43K | $26K | $10K |
| OccupancyLn 16 | $188K | $179K | $5K | $4K |
| TravelLn 17 | $1.5M | $1.5M | $104 | $21K |
| Conferences, conventions and meetingsLn 19 | $880K | $859K | $7K | $13K |
| InsuranceLn 23 | $197K | $0 | $197K | $0 |
| Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24 | $2.8M | $2.7M | $69K | $1K |
| All other expensesLn 24e | $34K | $22K | $10K | $1K |
| Total functional expensesLn 25 | $10.1M | $8.6M | $933K | $614K |
Filing history
| Year | Money in | Money out | In minus out | Net assets | Download |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 Latest | $21.2M | $11.1M | $10.0M | $15.5M | 990 PDF |
| FY2024 Viewing | $12.4M | $10.1M | $2.3M | $5.3M | 990 PDF |
| FY2023 | $10.9M | $11.0M | −$54K | $3.8M | 990 PDF |
| FY2022 | $15.4M | $14.3M | $1.1M | $3.9M | 990 PDF |
| FY2021 | $8.1M | $8.5M | −$385K | $2.7M | 990 PDF |
| FY2020 | $19.9M | $18.6M | $1.2M | $3.1M | 990 PDF |
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Schedules filed Part IV
See the full FY2024 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $12,391,797 revenue, 12 lines filed
Part VI · Governance 25 of 25 board members independent, no flags
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $12,391,797 across 5 lines filed
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $10,105,796 across 18 lines filed
Part X · Balance sheet $6,970,462 assets, 12 lines filed
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $5,301,733 net assets at year end
Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2024 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File
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