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American Legislative Exchange Council

Arlington, VA · EIN 52-0140979 · 501(c)(3) · Publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(A)(vi))
Latest filing: Form 990 for calendar year 2024 (tax year 2024) · View the filing · Correct or respond

American Legislative Exchange Council reported $10.9 million in revenue and $10.6 million in expenses for calendar year 2024. Of every $100 it spent, $77.42 went to program services, $15.62 to management and general costs and $6.96 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 87.1% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $527,789 (CEO). 10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 37% between 2020 and 2024. Source: Form 990, 2024.

Where $100 of spending went

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $11M

For context, the median across 185 covered public & societal benefit charities: $88.81 programs, $11.18 management, $0.01 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).

Where $100 of revenue came from

Calendar year 2024 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $11M

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

2024 filing. Median across 185 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure2024Median
Program services
Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)
77.4%84.9%
Management & general
Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)
15.6%10.7%
Fundraising
Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)
7.0%0.0%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions
Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h
$0.08$0.01
Contributions & grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1h ÷ 12
87.1%83.8%
Government grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1e ÷ 12
0.0%0.0%
Program service revenue share
Part VIII 2g ÷ 12
12.5%3.2%
Highest reported compensation
Part VII-A, columns D–F
$527,789$357,133
Highest compensation as share of expenses
Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)
4.96%1.52%
People paid over $100,000
Part VII, line 2
1012
Net assets, in months of expenses
Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses
8.310.5
Independent voting board members
Part VI 1a–1b
24 of 24100.0%

A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.

What the money paid for, in its own words

2024 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense
$3.4M expenses · 40.9% of program spending

Task forces - alec's policy task forces provide a forum for legislators and the private sector to discuss issues, develop policies, and draft model policy which serves as a public resource. The task forces include the following: american city Council Exchange; civil justice; commerce, insurance and economic development; communications and technology; criminal justice; education and workforce development; energy, environment and agriculture; health and human services; federalism and international relations; tax and fiscal policy; and homeland security. Each tax force is co-chaired by a public…

$2.3M expenses · 28.1% of program spending · revenue $1.3M

Conferences - alec holds national conferences, providing workshops on current issues with leading experts, public figures and elected officials. The two national conferences held in 2024 and 2023 were the annual meeting and states and national policy summit meeting

$1.2M expenses · 14.6% of program spending

State outreach - alec's state outreach program provides reimbursement for qualifying costs, principally travel and lodging, of state legislators to attend various conferences and meetings of alec. Through this program, alec also works to promote the development of legislative membership and participation in alec. This program also encompasses alec's state equity alliance work which includes voter education initiatives

$1.3M all other programs (line 4d)

Highest reported compensation

2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here
RoleFrom this orgFrom related orgsOtherTotal
CEO
Officer, 39.00 hrs/week
$507,409$0$20,380$527,789
CFO
Officer, 39.00 hrs/week
$241,218$0$37,030$278,248
CHIEF ECONOMIST, EVP-POLICY
Key employee, 39.00 hrs/week
$235,218$0$36,990$272,208
VP-PARTNERSHIPS & ENGAGEMENT
Highest compensated employee, 39.00 hrs/week
$205,288$0$35,870$241,158
VP - POLICY
Highest compensated employee, 39.00 hrs/week
$168,953$0$34,310$203,263
VP - EVENTS
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$153,445$0$38,155$191,600
CORPORATE AND NON-PROFIT PARTNERSHIPS
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$124,500$0$1,905$126,405
DATABASE ADMINISTRATOR
Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week
$114,764$0$5,855$120,619

10 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from American Legislative Exchange Council (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $1.1M (Part IX, line 5).

5 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked
RevenueExpenses
$0$5.0M$10M$15M$20M20202021202220232024$11M$11M
FilingRevenueExpensesProgramsNet assetsTop pay
2024 ⓘ$11M$11M77.4%$7.4M$527,789
2023 ⓘ$11M$11M82.1%$7.1M$442,852
2022 ⓘ$10M$9.5M76.2%$7.0M$480,142
2021 ⓘ$9.8M$8.6M80.8%$6.4M$425,182
2020 ⓘ$8.0M$7.2M76.9%$5.2M$431,934

Governance answers, as filed

2024 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means
  • Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b24 · 24 independent
  • Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
  • Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
  • Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
  • Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
  • Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aNo
  • Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
  • Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
  • Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
  • Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
  • Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
  • Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
  • Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
  • Employees Part I, line 543
  • Volunteers Part I, line 651

Largest outside contractors

2024 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only
ONSERVICES LLC
Audio visual
$182,532
AMERICAN PHILANTHROPIC
Consulting / fundraising
$126,000

Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.

Private foundation grants it received

22 private foundations reported grants to American Legislative Exchange Council totaling $1.5M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.

Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.

Correct a figure or respond

Every number above is copied from American Legislative Exchange Council's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for American Legislative Exchange Council, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Similar-sized charities in this cause

All public & societal benefit charities · Largest charities in Virginia

Questions people ask

How much of American Legislative Exchange Council's spending goes to programs?

In calendar year 2024, American Legislative Exchange Council reported that 77.4% of its $10.6 million in expenses went to program services, 15.6% to management and general and 7.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does American Legislative Exchange Council pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation American Legislative Exchange Council reported for one person in calendar year 2024 was $527,789, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does American Legislative Exchange Council get its money?

Of $10.9 million in revenue in calendar year 2024, 87.1% came from contributions and grants and 12.5% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is American Legislative Exchange Council a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 52-0140979 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.

Sources

  • 2024: Form 990 for calendar year 2024, object 202533029349302218 · read the filing · XML
  • 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202423169349301217 · read the filing
  • 2022: Form 990 for calendar year 2022, object 202303129349303600 · read the filing
  • 2021: Form 990 for calendar year 2021, object 202213159349302316 · read the filing
  • 2020: Form 990 for calendar year 2020, object 202133129349304413 · read the filing

All filings for EIN 52-0140979: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.