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.
$10.4M
$242.8M
$222.1M
$185.6M
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 OH.
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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.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| KANSANS UNITED FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $650,000 | 2025 | VOTER EDUCATION |
| ACLU OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $468,862 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| NEW YORK CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION | NEW YORK, NY | $446,266 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF MICHIGAN | DETROIT, MI | $430,811 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF MASSACHUSSETTS | BOSTON, MA | $427,175 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF NEW JERSEY | NEWARK, NJ | $402,444 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF NORTH CAROLINA | RALEIGH, NC | $384,694 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF TEXAS | HOUSTON, TX | $347,042 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF WASHINGTON | SEATTLE, WA | $298,838 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA | LOS ANGELES, CA | $283,694 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF ILLINOIS | CHICAGO, IL | $279,649 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF DELAWARE | WILMINGTON, DE | $271,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF OREGON | PORTLAND, OR | $268,495 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF PENNSLYVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $249,827 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF MARYLAND | BALTIMORE, MD | $243,539 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF ALABAMA | MONTGOMERY, AL | $236,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF KENTUCKY | LOUISVILLE, KY | $217,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF NEBRASKA | LINCOLN, NE | $211,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF OHIO | CLEVELAND, OH | $182,417 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF FLORIDA | MIAMI, FL | $177,940 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF VIRGINIA | RICHMOND, VA | $174,649 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF KANSAS | OVERLAND PARK, KS | $170,495 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF COLORADO | DENVER, CO | $157,983 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF HAWAII | HONOLULU, HI | $156,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF NEW HAMPSHIRE | CONCORD, NH | $156,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $156,179 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM FOR ALL | WASHINGTON, DC | $155,000 | 2025 | REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM |
| ACLU OF LOUISIANA | NEW ORLEANS, LA | $146,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF TENNESSEE | NASHVILLE, TN | $141,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF ALASKA | ANCHORAGE, AK | $141,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF OKLAHOMA | OKLAHOMA CITY, OK | $136,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF RHODE ISLAND | PROVIDENCE, RI | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF MISSISSIPPI | JACKSON, MS | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF IDAHO | BOISE, ID | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF WEST VIRGINIA | CHARLESTON, WV | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF VERMONT | MONTPELIER, VT | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF MONTANA | MISSOULA, MT | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF NEVADA | LAS VEGAS, NV | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF IOWA | DES MOINES, IA | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF SOUTH CAROLINA | CHARLESTON, SC | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF MAINE | PORTLAND, ME | $116,228 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF ARIZONA | PHOENIX, AZ | $111,118 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA | WASHINGTON, DC | $107,610 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF MISSOURI | ST LOUIS, MO | $101,403 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF CONNECTICUT | HARTFORD, CT | $99,247 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF MINNESOTA | ST PAUL, MN | $97,935 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF GEORGIA | ATLANTA, GA | $88,268 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF NEW MEXICO | ALBUQUERQUE, NM | $85,124 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
| ACLU OF INDIANA | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $77,069 | 2025 | AFFILIATE PROGRAM |
KANSANS UNITED FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES
$650,000VOTER EDUCATION
ACLU OF MASSACHUSSETTS
$427,175AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF NEW JERSEY
AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF NORTH CAROLINA
$384,694AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF TEXAS
$347,042AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF WASHINGTON
$298,838AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
$283,694AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF ILLINOIS
$279,649AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF DELAWARE
$271,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF KENTUCKY
$217,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF NEBRASKA
$211,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF FLORIDA
$177,940AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF VIRGINIA
$174,649AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF KANSAS
$170,495AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF COLORADO
$157,983AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF HAWAII
$156,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF NEW HAMPSHIRE
$156,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF LOUISIANA
$146,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF TENNESSEE
$141,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF ALASKA
$141,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF OKLAHOMA
$136,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF RHODE ISLAND
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF MISSISSIPPI
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF IDAHO
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF WEST VIRGINIA
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF VERMONT
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF MONTANA
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF UTAH
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF NEVADA
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF IOWA
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF SOUTH CAROLINA
$116,228AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF ARIZONA
$111,118AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF MISSOURI
$101,403AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF CONNECTICUT
$99,247AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF MINNESOTA
$97,935AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF GEORGIA
$88,268AFFILIATE PROGRAM
ACLU OF INDIANA
$77,069AFFILIATE PROGRAM