American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California reported $21.8 million in revenue and $19.8 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $77.96 went to program services, $11.85 to management and general costs and $10.19 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 92.6% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $413,453 (LEGAL-POLICY DIR.). 34 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 52% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $20MFor context, the median across 2,433 covered unclassified charities: $88.27 programs, $11.68 management, $0.05 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $22MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 78.0% | 86.7% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 11.8% | 11.5% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.2% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.10 | $0.01 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 92.6% | 29.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 3.8% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 4.6% | 58.9% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $413,453 | $301,601 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.09% | 1.38% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 34 | 6 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 27.7 | 6.8 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 20 of 20 | 100.0% |
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
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseDEDICATED LEGAL & POLICY PROGRAMS-THE ACLU NC FOUNDATION MAINTAINS SIX DEDICATED LEGAL AND POLICY PROGRAMS THAT CONDUCT LITIGATION, RESEARCH, POLICY ANALYSIS, PUBLIC EDUCATION, COALITION-BUILDING, AND POLICY ADVOCACY TO ADVANCE POSITIVE CHANGE ON KEY ISSUES. THE SIX PROGRAMS INCLUDE: 1) CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM, INCLUDING POLICING, 2) DEMOCRACY AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT, INCLUDING VOTING RIGHTS, 3) GENDER, SEXUALITY AND REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE, 4) IMMIGRANTS RIGHTS, 5) RACIAL AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE, INCLUDING HOUSING, EDUCATION EQUITY AND INDIGENOUS JUSTICE, AND 6) TECHNOLOGY AND CIVIL LIBERTIES.ACLU NC…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LEGAL-POLICY DIR. Listed in Part VII, 36.00 hrs/week | $339,477 | $37,835 | $36,141 | $413,453 |
| Executive Dir. Officer, 32.00 hrs/week | $263,960 | $67,370 | $38,154 | $369,484 |
| LEGAL-POLICY DIR. Listed in Part VII, 36.00 hrs/week | $246,389 | $28,757 | $66,094 | $341,240 |
| GENERAL COUNSEL Listed in Part VII, 32.00 hrs/week | $222,841 | $57,090 | $53,469 | $333,400 |
| SENIOR STAFF ATTNY Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $234,393 | $0 | $54,796 | $289,189 |
| SENIOR STAFF ATTNY Listed in Part VII, 40.00 hrs/week | $226,745 | $0 | $34,638 | $261,383 |
| COO Officer, 32.00 hrs/week | $121,635 | $30,927 | $24,826 | $177,388 |
34 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $263K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · 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–1b20 · 20 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 11aYes
- 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 18No
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 5117
- Volunteers Part I, line 611
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| PAMELA GAY QUANRUD Consulting | $100,183 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 1 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
4 private foundations reported grants to American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California totaling $69,500 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 Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California'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 Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
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Of every $100 American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California spent in FY2025, $77.96 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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All unclassified charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California reported that 78.0% of its $19.8 million in expenses went to program services, 11.8% to management and general and 10.2% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California reported for one person in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 was $413,453, for the role of LEGAL-POLICY DIR. (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California get its money?
Of $21.8 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, 92.6% came from contributions and grants and 4.6% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is American Civil Liberties Union Foundation of Northern California a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 94-0279770 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (509(a)(2))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, object 202620339349300347 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, object 202500369349301225 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, object 202420329349300647 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, object 202320379349300937 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, object 202230319349301623 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020, object 202120299349300632 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 94-0279770: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.