philanthropy.org | 990 Resource | FAQ Verify yourself
Sign in

ACLU California Action

Not tax-deductible

Sacramento, CA501(c)(4)Civil Rights & Advocacy EIN 85-1471040Revenue $3.4M in FY2025

On file with the IRSaclucalaction.org980 9th St Ste 260, 95814-2722 · Sacramento, CATax-exempt since Apr 2022

Claim this org

(tell your story, add context, and more)

What claiming does How does your 990 look to donors? Take the 10-Question Audit

Created through the collaboration of the ACLU affiliates in California, ACLU Cal Action uses rigorous policy analysis, advocacy, and strategic communications to achieve policy change on a statewide level. We advance this work through coordination with organizations that have members directly impacted by policy decisions in Sacramento. Beyond legislation, ACLU California Action aims to build enhanced political power and influence for the ACLU and our collective movements statewide.

501(c)(4) social-welfare organization; gifts are not tax-deductible as charitable contributions.
80¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$1.0M paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2025 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(4)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
No
Donations are not tax-deductible
Worth a look: the IRS does not list gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
4 of 5
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $273K a year · 8% of revenue · last 5 filings
Fine: a surplus in 4 of the last 5 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 5 filings
Spent on programs
80%
of spending
Looks good: 80% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$1.0M
to officers and key staff · 25% of spending
Top officer’s pay higher than 81% of similar orgs
Worth a look: pay to officers and key staff is 25% of spending; over 20%.
Pt VII · Sec A
Cash reserves
4 mo
of spending, in cash
Looks good: 4.5 months of spending in cash; 3 or more.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
1
named funder · $2.3M
Fine: 1 funder names it on their filings; under 3.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$676K
32% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 32% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
8
of 8 voting members
Looks good: 8 of 8 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$3.4M
-11% vs prior year
Spent
$4.2M
To programs
80%
Net assets
$1.4M
By yearFY2021–FY2025
Revenue
$3.4M
FY2025▼ -11%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2021$773K
FY2022$4.1M
FY2023$4.2M
FY2024$3.8M
FY2025$3.4M
Expenses
$4.2M
FY2025▲ +23%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2021$179K
FY2022$3.0M
FY2023$4.1M
FY2024$3.4M
FY2025$4.2M
Net assets
$1.4M
FY2025▼ -36%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2021$594K
FY2022$1.7M
FY2023$1.8M
FY2024$2.2M
FY2025$1.4M

From the FY2025 Form 990 (year ending March 2025) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

Give Claim

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Apr 2022.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

80 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 80% · $3.3M Management & general 20% · $849K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

Something off? Claim to add context

Who runs it and what they're paid

15 people listed on the 990; $1.0M paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2024); the FY2025 filing did not itemize Part VII
Carmen-Nicole Cox
Director of Government Aff
$207,068Pt VII · Sec A
Jack Zwald
Director of Finance and Administration
$192,885Pt VII · Sec A
Anita Narayana
Director of Strategic Communications
$168,770Pt VII · Sec A
David Trujillo
Executive Director
$167,832Pt VII · Sec A
Rachel Bhagwat
Legislative Advocate
$153,888Pt VII · Sec A
Ruth Dawson
Legislative Attorney
$148,138Pt VII · Sec A
Victor Leung
Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Neal Ortiguerra
Chair and Board Member
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Carmen-Nicole Cox’s $207K as Director of Government Aff is at the 81st percentile of top reported officer pay among 797 $1–10M civil rights & advocacy 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

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022
Kevin Baker——$307,403$159,415
Carmen-Nicole Cox$207,068$151,257——
Carlos Marquez—$140,267$204,033$56,207
Elizabeth Garcia Bynum—$202,579$149,360$137,453
Jack Zwald$192,885———
Anita Narayana$168,770———
David Trujillo$167,832———
Rachel Bhagwat$153,888———

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.

See ACLU California Action executive salaries →

On this list? Claim this org

Something off? Claim to add context

Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2Yes
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Advocates for statewide policy change through analysis, communication, and collaboration.

Questions for ACLU California Action

Tap to ask. ACLU California Action sees how many people are interested.

Your first name shows with your question. ACLU California Action answers here, for everyone.

Provided by the organization

Know this org? Add your story

1 program · $3.3M · in their own filed words · FY2024
01

All 2,776 pieces of legislation introduced in the California State Legislature were reviewed; 659 of those bills were actively monitored due to their potential to impact civil liberties and civil rights. We advocated our support for 120 bills; sponsoring 16 pieces legislation, nine of which were signed into law.

$3.3Mprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
American Civil Liberties UnionFY2024$2.3M
Total grants receivedfrom 1 funder$2.3M
Grants paid · 1 grant · $5K · 2022–2022
Tides AdvocacyCA · FY2022$5,000

By the numbers

The FY2025 990, line by line.

Download 990
from philanthropy.org
1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$3.4M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.3M
Investment incomeLn 3$33K
Fees for servicesLn 2g$21K
Money outPt IX
$4.2M
Ln 25
Programscol B$3.3M
Managementcol C$849K
Owns and owesPt X
$1.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.6M
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$676K
PeoplePt VI, VII
15
listed · VII A
PaidVII A6
Voting boardVI 1a8
IndependentVI 1b8
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$3.3M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$21K
Investment incomeLn 3$33K
Total revenueLn 12$3.4M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$542K
SavingsLn 2$1.0M
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$1.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$48K
Other assetsLn 15$436K
Total assetsLn 16$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$676K
Net assetsLn 32$1.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 50
VolunteersI 60
Fiscal year endsHeaderMarch
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY25End FY25
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.0M$1.6M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$7K$48K
Total assetsLn 16$2.7M$2.1M
LiabilitiesLn 26$495K$676K
Net assetsLn 32$2.2M$1.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic organizationsLn 1$7K$7K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$2.2M$1.9M$283K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$95K$83K$13K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$288K$250K$38K
Payroll taxesLn 10$171K$148K$22K
Other fees for servicesLn 11g$747K$353K$394K
Office expensesLn 13$54K$46K$7K
OccupancyLn 16$128K$111K$17K
TravelLn 17$151K$138K$13K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$15K$2K$12K
InsuranceLn 23$77K$67K$11K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$268K$237K$31K
All other expensesLn 24e$30K$21K$8K
Total functional expensesLn 25$4.2M$3.3M$849K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest Viewing $3.4M$4.2M−$792K$1.4M 990 PDF
FY2024 $3.8M$3.4M$411K$2.2M 990 PDF
FY2023 $4.2M$4.1M$58K$1.8M 990 PDF
FY2022 $4.1M$3.0M$1.1M$1.7M 990 PDF
FY2021 $773K$179K$594K$594K 990 PDF

More to add? Claim this org

Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support J · Pay O · Explanations
See the full FY2025 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $3,392,527 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $3,799,285$3,338,609
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $0$20,677
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $25,674$33,241
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $3,824,959$3,392,527
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $2,500$7,471
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $2,213,700$2,706,861
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $1,197,330$1,469,847
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $3,413,530$4,184,179
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $411,429−$791,652
Part VI · Governance 8 of 8 board members independent, 1 to look at
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body8
VI-1b Independent voting members8
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsYes
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $3,392,527 across 5 lines filed
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$3,338,609
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$3,338,609
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $20,677$20,677
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $33,241$33,241
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $53,918 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$3,392,527
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $4,184,179 across 13 lines filed
IX-1 Grants to domestic organizationsPrograms $7,471$7,471
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $1,869,978 · Management $282,594$2,152,572
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $82,817 · Management $12,515$95,332
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $250,488 · Management $37,854$288,342
IX-10 Payroll taxesPrograms $148,216 · Management $22,399$170,615
IX-11g Other fees for servicesPrograms $352,943 · Management $394,480$747,423
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $46,066 · Management $7,486$53,552
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $110,876 · Management $16,756$127,632
IX-17 TravelPrograms $138,131 · Management $13,167$151,298
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $2,500 · Management $12,242$14,742
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $66,575 · Management $10,834$77,409
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $237,336 · Management $30,668$268,004
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $21,495 · Management $8,292$29,787
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $3,334,892 · Management $849,287 · Fundraising $0$4,184,179
Part X · Balance sheet $2,083,179 assets, 15 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,058,540$542,206
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $966,016$1,029,257
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $445,000$0
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $56,015$558
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $145,225$28,011
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $7,188$47,568
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $15,242$435,579
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $2,693,226$2,083,179
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $494,894$238,956
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $0$437,543
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $494,894$676,499
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $763,451$416,799
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,434,881$989,881
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $2,198,332$1,406,680
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $2,693,226$2,083,179
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $1,406,680 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$3,392,527
XI-2 Total expenses$4,184,179
XI-3 Revenue less expenses−$791,652
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$2,198,332
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$1,406,680

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2025 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

Similar organizations you could support · Compare with another nonprofit

Names, privacy, and removal requests More

The names, titles, and compensation shown on this page are reproduced from IRS Form 990 filings, which are public records.

Philanthropy.org does not alter the content of those filings. All information appears exactly as reported by the filing organization for the tax year shown.

We publish only information contained in the public IRS filing — and less than the filing contains. Our profile pages do not display street addresses, telephone numbers, personal email addresses, or other personal contact information, even where the filing includes them.

Many people share the same name. A name shown on this page reflects only what one organization reported in one IRS filing for one tax year. It should not be interpreted as identifying any other individual with the same or a similar name.

If you are no longer affiliated with the organization, your name will generally stop appearing in future IRS filings once the organization no longer reports you. Pages for tax years in which you were reported remain published because those filings remain part of the public record.

Philanthropy.org does not alter or remove IRS filing records. Removing a page from this website would not remove the underlying IRS filing, which remains publicly available from the IRS and other publishers of the same information.

If you believe the IRS filing itself is inaccurate, corrections must be made by the filing organization or the IRS directly.

Your org? Add context

Made it to the end? Claim this org

All figures are derived from public IRS Form 990 filings and are presented without evaluation of any organization. philanthropy.org does not rate, score, or rank organizations, including the pay comparisons above.