Legal - the aclu foundation's litigation program is the cornerstone of its civil liberties program. The aclu today is the nation's preeminent civil liberties organization, with a staff of attorneys in the national office working in collaboration with attorneys at affiliate offices nationwide to address cases involving a wide range of civil liberties issues. The aclu appears before the U.S. Supreme court more than any other legal services organization or governmental agency except the U.S. Department of justice.
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc: CEO salary, finances and where donations go
“Preservation and promotion of civil rights and civil liberties.”
Data only Figures straight from the filing, screened by our rules. Not yet reviewed in depth by a CPA.
Methodology by Amir Arani, CPA, CA · Updated
- Top pay
- $760K Anthony D Romero, 0.3% of spending
- Revenue
- $306.8M 93.9% from donations and grants
- Spent
- $245.5M 83.5% on programs, as reported
- Net assets
- $779.7M end of FY ending Mar 2025
- Savings
- 38.1 months of spending, net assets ÷ spending
- People
- 464 employees, 13 volunteers
No red flags in its latest filing.
We screen every filing against twelve rules. A flag is a prompt for a closer look, not a finding of wrongdoing.
No reported asset diversions, no insider transactions, no fundraisers keeping most of the money, and the governance policies we check for are in place.
Of each dollar it spent, 83.5¢ went to programs, as reported.
For each dollar donated, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation spent 7¢ on fundraising.
Fundraising ÷ $287.9M contributions · Form 990 Parts VIII, IXWhat it told the IRS it spent on.
The charity's own description of its largest programs, with what each cost.
Education - through newsletters, its 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 foundation provides ongoing education to the aclu's approximately 1,400,000 supporters nationwide and to the public at large with respect to a wide range of civil liberties issues and concerns. A core component of the organization's educational campaigns is the emphasis on key rights, including first amendment rights to free speech, association and assembly; the…
Other program services: legislative advocacy - the aclu seeks to impact civil liberties through work on legislation at the federal and state level, as appropriate. The organization's legislative advocates are a constant presence on federal and state civil liberties legislative issues. Updates on key legislative issues impacting civil liberties are included in mail, email, and other communications to aclu members nationwide, as well as in public education campaigns. In addition, the aclu develops policy relating to positions on civil liberties issues. Expenses $9,381,047. Including grants of…
Net assets: $248.6M to $779.7M in 11 years.
Net assets at each fiscal year end, 2014 to 2025.
The 8 highest-paid people.
Reportable pay in FY ending Mar 2025, from the charity and related organizations.
| Contractor | Service | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Production Solutions Inc | Printing & publishing | $1,556,352 |
| Msp Communications | Printing & production | $737,073 |
| New York Interior Concepts Inc | Renovation & repairs | $677,686 |
| Mosaic Strategies Group | Consulting | $523,622 |
| Fenton Communications Inc | Communication services | $442,021 |
The questions people ask about the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation.
Short, sourced answers. Each one stands on its own.
How much does the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation CEO make?
Anthony D Romero, Executive Director/CEO, received $759,792 in reportable compensation in FY ending Mar 2025, 0.3% of American Civil Liberties Union Foundation's $245.5M in spending.
Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part VIIWhat percentage of American Civil Liberties Union Foundation donations go to programs?
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation reported 83.5% of FY ending Mar 2025 spending as programs, 8.5% as fundraising and 8% as management.
Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part IXHow much money does American Civil Liberties Union Foundation have?
Net assets were $779.7M at the end of FY ending Mar 2025, about 38.1 months of spending.
Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025), Part XDoes American Civil Liberties Union Foundation have any red flags in its filing?
Its latest Form 990 triggered none of our twelve screening rules, which cover reported asset diversions, insider transactions, fundraiser costs, governance policies and spending patterns.
Form 990 (FY ending Mar 2025)Every number, traced.
- American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Form 990, FY ending Mar 2025 (IRS e-file)
- American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Form 990 history (ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer)
Amir Arani, “American Civil Liberties Union Foundation: CEO salary, finances and where your dollar goes,” Charity Math, updated 2026-11-07. https://charitymath.com/charities/american-civil-liberties-union-foundation/