ACLU Foundation

What ACLU Foundation does

The American Civil Liberties Union, founded in 1920, works through the courts, legislatures, and public communications on constitutional and civil liberties issues, including free speech, privacy, voting rights, criminal justice, LGBT equality, and abortion access. It has staffed affiliate offices in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Washington, D.C., and reports more than 4 million members, activists, and supporters.

The ACLU is actually two national organizations. The ACLU itself is a 501(c)(4) that can lobby lawmakers, and gifts to it are not tax-deductible. The ACLU Foundation is a separate 501(c)(3) (EIN 13-6213516) whose gifts are tax-deductible and pay for the ACLU's litigation, communications, and public education, but not lobbying. This page covers the Foundation. The ACLU says it has appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court more often than any organization other than the Department of Justice.

Charity Navigator gives the ACLU Foundation a Four-Star rating. For its fiscal year ending March 2025, the Foundation reported about $306.8 million in revenue and $245.5 million in expenses (ProPublica).

Key facts

• The ACLU reports more than 4 million members, activists, and supporters (ACLU)
• Staffed affiliate offices in all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. (ACLU)
• ACLU founded in 1920; the ACLU Foundation's 501(c)(3) IRS ruling dates to 1967 (ProPublica)
• ACLU Foundation reported about $306.8M revenue and $245.5M expenses for the fiscal year ending March 2025 (ProPublica)

Before you give

• Two entities, two tax treatments: the American Civil Liberties Union, Inc. (EIN 13-3871360) is a 501(c)(4). Gifts to it are not tax-deductible, can fund lobbying, and make you a card-carrying ACLU member. The American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, Inc. (EIN 13-6213516) is a 501(c)(3). Gifts to it are tax-deductible and support litigation, communications, and public education.
• The ACLU runs separate donation forms for each entity. If you want a tax deduction, confirm the form names the ACLU Foundation. The link on this page is the Foundation's form.
• The ACLU notes donors can give to both entities to support all of its work, including lobbying, while deducting the Foundation portion.
• State ACLU affiliates have their own separate foundations and EINs (for example, ACLU Foundation of Texas). A gift to the national ACLU Foundation is not a gift to a state affiliate.