The foundation prioritizes defending civil liberties through a mix of statewide political advocacy and institutional capacity-building. Its largest awards fund reproductive rights ballot campaigns and allied PACs, while numerous grants support ACLU state affiliates and voter-protection/redistricting organizations — indicating a strategy that pairs electoral/ballot fighting with legal and advocacy infrastructure. Grants frequently target battleground states and hot‑button policy fights (abortion access, voting access, anti‑gerrymandering, and marijuana policy).
American Civil Liberties Union Inc. uses large, state-level grants to back ballot campaigns and legal infrastructure around civil liberties. Its biggest recent awards went to abortion-rights coalitions in Ohio and Michigan, alongside major funding for redistricting and voting-rights efforts such as Citizens Not Politicians and One Person One Vote. The pattern points to a funder that combines election-cycle pressure with longer-running affiliate support. The foundation also gives substantial operating and program support to ACLU state affiliates, including Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Texas, Virginia, Delaware, and Oregon. Those grants sit alongside political education and campaign support for marijuana-policy and constitutional-freedom measures in several states, showing a focus on state campaigns where civil liberties questions are decided through ballots, litigation, and organizing. Recent grants cluster around reproductive rights, voting access, anti-gerrymandering, and criminal-justice or drug-policy reform. With annual grants of $20,013,081 and typical awards in the mid-five- to low-six-figure range, the foundation’s giving is substantial enough to sustain both statewide campaigns and affiliate capacity. The mix of PACs, coalitions, and ACLU affiliates suggests a networked strategy rather than single-issue project grants.
Reproductive rights is a central theme. In 2024, American Civil Liberties Union Inc. gave $2,120,000 to Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights in Columbus, and in 2023 it gave $2,000,000 to Reproductive Freedom for All Committee in Detroit. It also backed Arizona for Abortion Access with $500,000 in 2024 and Protect KentuckyAccess with $500,000 in 2023. Voting rights and redistricting are another clear area. The foundation awarded $1,000,000 to Citizens Not Politicians in Columbus in 2024 and $600,000 to One Person One Vote in Columbus the same year. Earlier, it supported Promote the Vote 2022 with $500,000 in Lansing. Affiliate and capacity support also runs through the grant list. The ACLU of Arkansas received $700,000 in 2023 for Affiliate Program support, while the ACLU of Arizona received $450,000 in 2024 for the same purpose. These grants sit alongside support for marijuana-policy ballot work, including $575,000 to Yes on 820 - Ok'ns for Sensible Marijuana in Oklahoma City.
$9.2M
$177.3M
$142.7M
$143.6M
Most grants fall between $50K and $200K, with a median of $95K.
25th Percentile
$50K
Median
$95K
75th Percentile
$200K
About 3% of grants go to recipients in NH.
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated, programmatic grantmaking combining several large multi‑hundred‑thousand to multi‑million grants for specific ballot/PAC efforts with repeated, smaller recurring grants to ACLU state affiliates — indicating a strategy of funding both short‑term electoral campaigns and sustained organizational capacity.
Notable grantees: Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, Reproductive Freedom for All Committee, Citizens Not Politicians, ACLU state affiliates (e.g., ACLU of Texas, ACLU of Ohio), One Person One Vote / Promote the Vote 2022
Typical grant size sits at $50,000 at the 25th percentile, $95,140 at the median, and $200,000 at the 75th percentile. That spread shows a program with frequent mid-sized awards and a smaller number of very large campaign grants. The grant list includes repeated support for several recipients across years, including ACLU affiliates and state ballot efforts, which points to ongoing relationships rather than isolated one-off gifts. American Civil Liberties Union Inc. is a public charity, and its giving is not framed as program-related investing. The available data also show a national footprint rather than a single-state focus.
The foundation gives nationally, with every listed recipient in the United States. Ohio appears frequently in the recent grants list, especially Columbus and Cleveland, and Michigan shows up through Detroit and Lansing. Other repeated recipient cities include Phoenix, Houston, Richmond, and Milwaukee. The top state by grant count is New Hampshire, while only 3% of grants go to recipients in New York, the headquarters state. That split suggests a grantmaking pattern that is geographically targeted to state-level campaigns rather than centered on the foundation’s own location.
The grants center on reproductive rights, voting rights, anti-gerrymandering efforts, affiliate capacity, and ballot campaigns tied to criminal-justice or marijuana-policy reform. Recent examples include Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights, Citizens Not Politicians, and ACLU state affiliates in multiple states.
The 25th percentile grant size is $50,000, the median is $95,140, and the 75th percentile is $200,000. The recent list also includes several six- and seven-figure awards for statewide ballot and affiliate work.
Yes. Recent grants include $700,000 to ACLU of Arkansas, $450,000 to ACLU of Arizona, $431,200 to ACLU of Florida, $291,000 to ACLU of Ohio, and $280,000 to ACLU of Pennsylvania, all marked for affiliate program support.
The top state by grant count is New Hampshire. The grant list also shows heavy activity in Ohio, Michigan, Arizona, and several other states, while only 3% of grants go to recipients in New York, the headquarters state.
The list shows repeated support for some recipients and campaign families across multiple years, such as ACLU affiliates and abortion-rights or voting-rights coalitions. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships alongside one-off campaign awards.
2024
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2024.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights | Columbus, OH | $2,120,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| Citizens Not Politicians | Columbus, OH | $1,000,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| One Person One Vote | Columbus, OH | $600,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom PAC | Columbus, OH | $500,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| Arizona for Abortion Access | Phoenix, AZ | $500,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| ACLU of Arizona | Phoenix, AZ | $450,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Pennsylvania | Philadelphia, PA | $280,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $275,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Texas | Houston, TX | $275,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| Missourians for Constitutional Freedom | St Louis, MO | $250,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| ACLU of Virginia | Richmond, VA | $240,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| Floridians Protecting Freedom Inc | Miami, FL | $200,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| ACLU of Michigan | Detroit, MI | $175,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Oregon | Portland, OR | $175,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Ohio | Cleveland, OH | $167,500 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| FWDus Inc | Washington, DC | $140,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| ACLU of Maryland | Baltimore, MD | $133,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Missouri | St Louis, MO | $110,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of the District of Columbia | Washington, DC | $100,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Connecticut Rise PAC | Hartford, CT | $100,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of South Carolina | Charleston, NC | $100,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of West Virginia | Charleston, WV | $98,500 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of New Hampshire | Concord, NH | $95,140 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Delaware | Wilmington, DE | $85,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| New York Civil Liberties Union | New York, NY | $75,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| Human Rights Campaign Foundation | Washington, DC | $71,400 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| ACLU Foundation of Alabama | Montgomery, AL | $55,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Alabama | Montgomery, AL | $54,175 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| Protect Majority Rule | St Louis, MO | $50,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| ACLU of Indiana | Indianapolis, IN | $50,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU Foundation of New Jersey | Newark, NJ | $50,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU Foundation of Arkansas | Little Rock, AR | $50,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Hawaii | Honolulu, HI | $50,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Alaska | Anchorage, AK | $50,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Washington | Seattle, WA | $50,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Maine | Portland, ME | $45,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Massachusetts | Boston, MA | $44,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| NARAL Pro-Choice America | Washington, DC | $40,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| ACLU of New Mexico | Albuquerque, NM | $40,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Oklahoma | Oklahoma City, OK | $40,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU Foundation of New Hampshire | Concord, NH | $40,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of New Jersey | Newark, NJ | $25,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Illinois | Chicago, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Kansas | Overland Park, KS | $25,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU Foundation of Georgia | Atlanta, GA | $25,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| National Popular Vote | Los Altos Hills, CA | $24,000 | 2024 | SEE PART IV |
| ACLU of Nebraska | Lincoln, NE | $20,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Tennessee | Nashville, TN | $20,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU Foundation of Ohio | Cleveland, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
| ACLU of Nevada | Las Vegas, NV | $7,500 | 2024 | Affiliate Program |
Ohioans United for Reproductive Rights
$2,120,000SEE PART IV
Citizens Not Politicians
$1,000,000SEE PART IV
One Person One Vote
$600,000SEE PART IV
Ohioans for Reproductive Freedom PAC
$500,000SEE PART IV
Arizona for Abortion Access
$500,000SEE PART IV
ACLU of Arizona
$450,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Pennsylvania
Affiliate Program
ACLU of Wisconsin
$275,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Texas
$275,000Affiliate Program
Missourians for Constitutional Freedom
$250,000SEE PART IV
ACLU of Virginia
$240,000Affiliate Program
Floridians Protecting Freedom Inc
$200,000SEE PART IV
ACLU of Michigan
$175,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Oregon
$175,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Ohio
$167,500Affiliate Program
FWDus Inc
$140,000SEE PART IV
ACLU of Maryland
$133,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Missouri
$110,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of the District of Columbia
$100,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Connecticut Rise PAC
$100,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of South Carolina
$100,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of West Virginia
$98,500Affiliate Program
ACLU of New Hampshire
$95,140Affiliate Program
ACLU of Delaware
$85,000Affiliate Program
New York Civil Liberties Union
$75,000Affiliate Program
Human Rights Campaign Foundation
$71,400SEE PART IV
ACLU Foundation of Alabama
$55,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Alabama
$54,175Affiliate Program
Protect Majority Rule
$50,000SEE PART IV
ACLU of Indiana
$50,000Affiliate Program
ACLU Foundation of New Jersey
$50,000Affiliate Program
ACLU Foundation of Arkansas
$50,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Hawaii
$50,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Alaska
$50,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Washington
$50,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Maine
$45,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Massachusetts
$44,000Affiliate Program
NARAL Pro-Choice America
$40,000SEE PART IV
ACLU of New Mexico
$40,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Oklahoma
$40,000Affiliate Program
ACLU Foundation of New Hampshire
$40,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of New Jersey
$25,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Illinois
$25,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Kansas
$25,000Affiliate Program
ACLU Foundation of Georgia
$25,000Affiliate Program
National Popular Vote
$24,000SEE PART IV
ACLU of Nebraska
$20,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Tennessee
$20,000Affiliate Program
ACLU Foundation of Ohio
$10,000Affiliate Program
ACLU of Nevada
$7,500Affiliate Program