AS NOTED IN ITS ARTICLES OF INCORPORATION, THE MISSION OF THE ACLU FOUNDATION IS "TO ENCOURAGE, SPONSOR, AND FACILITATE THE CULTIVATION AND DIFFUSION OF KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING OF THE VARIOUS CIVIL LIBERTIES AND CIVIL RIGHTS WHICH ARE PROTECTED BY THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OR OF THE VARIOUS STATES TO PERSONS INVOLVED IN ACTIVITIES WHEREIN THEIR CIVIL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES ARE THREATENED OR INFRINGED." THE ACLU FOUNDATION TODAY REMAINS FOCUSED ON THE OVERARCHING GOALS SET BY ITS FOUNDERS, SERVING AS THE NATION'S GUARDIAN OF LIBERTY, WORKING DAILY IN COURTS, LEGISLATURES AND COMMUNITIES TO DEFEND AND PRESERVE THE INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS AND LIBERTIES THAT THE CONSTITUTION AND LAWS OF THE US GUARANTEE. THE ACLU ALSO WORKS TO EXTEND RIGHTS TO SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION THAT HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN DENIED THEIR RIGHTS, INCLUDING PEOPLE OF COLOR; WOMEN; LESBIANS, GAY MEN, BISEXUALS AND TRANSGENDER AND GENDER NONBINARY PEOPLE; PRISONERS; AND PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES.
Executive compensation, broken down
Form 990 · Part VII & Schedule J · 16 reported individuals · Filing year 2024
Percentile bands compare each position's total pay with the same role at Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy organizations nationwide.
- Base
- $489k
- Bonus
- $500
- Other
- $9k
- Benefits
- $35k
- Base
- $516k
- Bonus
- $500
- Other
- $3k
- Benefits
- $35k
- Base
- $395k
- Bonus
- $2k
- Other
- $98k
- Benefits
- $3k
- Base
- $382k
- Bonus
- $16k
- Other
- $958
- Benefits
- $17k
- Base
- $434k
- Bonus
- $500
- Other
- $630
- Benefits
- $3k
- Base
- $360k
- Bonus
- $1k
- Other
- $3k
- Benefits
- $17k
- Base
- $352k
- Bonus
- $1k
- Other
- $962
- Benefits
- $55k
- Base
- $327k
- Bonus
- —
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $55k
- Base
- $283k
- Bonus
- $1k
- Other
- $2k
- Benefits
- $49k
| Position | Base | Bonus | Other | Benefits | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
National Director of Affiliates Support & Nationwide Initiatives Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $489k | $500 | $9k | $35k | $647k $700k |
Chief Development Officer Above 90th percentile | $516k | $500 | $3k | $35k | $589k $637k |
National Legal Director (thru 10/15/2024) Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $395k | $2k | $98k | $3k | $531k $574k |
National Legal Director (as of 10/16/2024) Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $382k | $16k | $958 | $17k | $461k $498k |
Chief Communications & Marketing Officer Key Employee Above 90th percentile | $434k | $500 | $630 | $3k | $459k $497k |
Deputy Legal Director, Center for Liberty Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentilevs Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy peers in New York | $360k | $1k | $3k | $17k | $455k $492k |
Director of Development Above 90th percentile | $352k | $1k | $962 | $55k | $453k $490k |
Deputy Legal Director Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentilevs Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy peers in New York | $327k | — | $2k | $55k | $402k $434k |
Senior Director of Nationwide Leadership and Planned Gifts Highest Compensated Employee Above 90th percentilevs Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy peers in New York | $283k | $1k | $2k | $49k | $374k $405k |
Executive Director/ceo Director (Operational) Above 90th percentile | — | — | — | — | $368k $398k |
Dep. Executive Director/general Counsel Director (Operational) 25th percentile to median | — | — | — | — | $90k $97k |
Chief Information Officer (thru 11/30/2024) Chief Information Officer 10th to 25th percentilevs all sectors nationwide | — | — | — | — | $72k $78k |
Dep. Executive Director of Strategy & Culture 10th to 25th percentilevs Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy peers in New York | — | — | — | — | $49k $53k |
COO 10th to 25th percentile | — | — | — | — | $47k $50k |
Chief Political & Advocacy Officer Key Employee 10th to 25th percentile | — | — | — | — | $32k $35k |
CFO 10th to 25th percentile | — | — | — | — | $21k $23k |
Teal figures restate each filed amount in 2026 dollars.
Estimated with New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Plus 16 unpaid individuals.
Browse compensation in Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy →
Top pay as a share of expenses
In 2024, the highest total compensation at AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC equaled 0.3% of the organization's total expenses. The median for civil rights, social action & advocacy organizations is 12%.
Based on 2,364 civil rights, social action & advocacy organizations, each measured at its most recent filing year with reported expenses and compensation.
Funded by
Private foundations whose Form 990-PF Part XV grants matched this organization.
Up 5%
from 2023
From $615k in 2023 to $647k in 2024.
Estimated with New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA metro-area CPI-U, restating filed pay into May 2026 dollars. A restatement of past pay, not current or projected pay.
Key Employee pay rose 5% from 2023 to 2024, while revenue rose 66%.
- Chief Development Officer pay rose 6% from 2023 to 2024.
- Highest Compensated Employee pay rose 5% from 2023 to 2024.
Pay for the position itself, not any one person. The officeholder may have changed between 2023 and 2024.
Among peers
Revenue and top compensation, plotted against similar organizations. This organization is highlighted in cyan.
Common questions about AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC
What does the Key Employee of AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC earn?
In 2024, the Key Employee of AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC received $646,994 in total compensation. This pay is in the top 10% for Key Employee roles among Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy organizations nationwide: at least 9 in 10 comparable filings report less. Based on IRS Form 990 data.
How does Key Employee pay at AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC compare with similar nonprofits?
Compared with the same role at Civil Rights, Social Action & Advocacy organizations nationwide, the 2024 pay of the Key Employee at AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC falls in the top 10%. In 2024, the highest total compensation at AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC equaled 0.3% of the organization's total expenses. The median for civil rights, social action & advocacy organizations is 12%.
What are AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC's revenue and expenses?
In 2024, AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION INC reported $306.8M in total revenue and $245.5M in total expenses on its IRS Form 990.
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