Home › Civil rights, social action & advocacy
ACLU Foundation of Southern California
ACLU Foundation of Southern California reported $15.3 million in revenue and $13.9 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $66.32 went to program services, $23.65 to management and general costs and $10.03 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 90.0% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $427,758 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (THRU 12/24)). 24 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue rose 15% 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 $14MFor context, the median across 132 covered civil rights, social action & advocacy charities: $84.11 programs, $11.40 management, $4.49 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 $15M- Contributions & grants (non-government)$87.45 $14M
- Program service revenue$5.05 $798K
- Investment income$7.50 $1.2M
Other revenue was negative: −$455K. The bar shows the positive sources only.
The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 66.3% | 82.1% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 23.6% | 11.1% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 10.0% | 4.4% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.10 | $0.05 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 90.0% | 94.9% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 5.2% | 0.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $427,758 | $321,771 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 3.07% | 1.81% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 24 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 35.6 | 10.5 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 21 of 21 | 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 expenseOn behalf of people impacted by civil liberties and civil rights issues, the Aclu Foundation of Southern California provided legal services and support on dozens of matters, on issues including unlawful immigration enforcement, arrest, and detention practices; LGBTQ and gender discrimination in the workplace, healthcare, public accommodations, schools, and prisons; harmful and discriminatory practices in the family regulation system, restrictions of first amendment rights and access to government meetings, education equity; unlawful and discrimniatory practices in the criminal legal system…
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (THRU 12/24) Officer, 36.00 hrs/week | $190,461 | $126,974 | $110,323 | $427,758 |
| CHIEF COUNSEL/DIRECTOR OF FIRST AMENDMENT AND DEMO Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $192,138 | $21,349 | $95,249 | $308,736 |
| CHIEF DEVELOPMENT OFFICER Officer, 54.00 hrs/week | $212,922 | $23,658 | $40,794 | $277,374 |
| CHIEF HR OFFICER (THRU 02/25) Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $178,223 | $59,408 | $13,736 | $251,367 |
| CHIEF LEGAL & ADVOCACY OFFICER Officer, 39.00 hrs/week | $140,054 | $75,414 | $26,783 | $242,251 |
| CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Officer, 45.00 hrs/week | $156,065 | $52,022 | $33,003 | $241,090 |
| CHIEF COMMUNICATIONS AND MARKETING OFFICER Officer, 33.00 hrs/week | $117,184 | $97,833 | $19,580 | $234,597 |
| SENIOR STAFF ATTORNEY Highest compensated employee, 45.00 hrs/week | $166,234 | $18,470 | $10,498 | $195,202 |
24 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from ACLU Foundation of Southern California (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $956K (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–1b21 · 21 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 596
- Volunteers Part I, line 669
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| GUIDEPOST SOLUTIONS LLC Investigation services | $275,445 |
| EVERGREEN SERVICES TOPCO LLC It services | $202,763 |
| SIDLEY AUSTIN LLP Legal services | $109,983 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 3 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
17 private foundations reported grants to ACLU Foundation of Southern California totaling $673K 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 ACLU Foundation of Southern 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 ACLU Foundation of Southern California, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 ACLU Foundation of Southern California spent in FY2025, $66.32 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
Embed on your site
Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Heartland Alliance InternationalChicago, IL · revenue $15M · programs 80.9% · FY2025
- Alliance for Youth OrganizingWashington, DC · revenue $15M · programs 91.3% · 2024
- Color of Changeorg Education FundNew York, NY · revenue $15M · programs 75.8% · FY2025
- Public Rights ProjectOakland, CA · revenue $15M · programs 70.8% · 2025
- Economic Security ProjectNew York, NY · revenue $15M · programs 80.5% · 2024
All civil rights, social action & advocacy charities · Largest charities in California
Questions people ask
How much of ACLU Foundation of Southern California's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, ACLU Foundation of Southern California reported that 66.3% of its $13.9 million in expenses went to program services, 23.6% to management and general and 10.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does ACLU Foundation of Southern California pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation ACLU Foundation of Southern California reported for one person in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025 was $427,758, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (THRU 12/24) (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does ACLU Foundation of Southern California get its money?
Of $15.3 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2025, 90.0% came from contributions and grants and 5.2% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is ACLU Foundation of Southern California a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 95-2673361 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 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 202600449349302280 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, object 202530499349301658 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2023, object 202410449349301996 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022, object 202330199349301508 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2021, object 202210459349302141 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending March 31, 2020, object 202120479349301402 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 95-2673361: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.