AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INC Charity Report

Public IRS 990 nonprofit record

AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION OF NORTHERN CALIFORNIA INC

EIN 94-0279770 · Civil Liberties (R60)

What they do

THE AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION FOUNDATION of NORTHERN CALIFORNIA (ACLU NC FOUNDATION) DEFENDS and ADVANCES THE PRINCIPLES of FREEDOM, EQUALITY and JUSTICE CONTAINED IN THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION. ACLU NC FOUNDATION, A CALIFORNIA NONPROFIT PUBLIC BENEFIT CORPORATION DESCRIBED IN SECTION 501(C)(3), CONDUCTSLITIGATION, POLICY RESEARCH and ADVOCACY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, and COMMUNITY ORGANIZINGIN ORDER to PROTECT and DEFEND CIVIL LIBERTIES and CIVIL RIGHTS.

Before you give

Should I give to this charity?

Easy charity check

Look at where the money went

Of every $100 spent, about $78.00 was reported for mission work. Use the spending picture below and ask what results that work produced.

Plain answer: A tax form cannot prove that a charity is doing good. It can show how the charity says it spent its money—and point out questions you should ask.

Basic facts we verified

IRS warning checkNo IRS revocation warning appears in this data.

Money report from 2024The charity has a recent tax report to read.

They explain their jobThe charity tells us what it is trying to do.

They name their leaders27 people are listed in the latest report.

You can reach themThey list contact information, so you can ask questions.

Money made simple

70.74%of revenue went to mission work78.0% of expenses · Program services

9.25%of revenue went to fundraising10.2% of expenses

$90.73spent for every $100 of revenueRevenue covered expenses this year.

10.75%of revenue went to management and office costs11.8% of expenses

$2.49in assets for every $1 spent this yearSome assets cannot be spent right away.

92.6%of its money came from giftsOther money may come from services or investments.

Ask these three easy questions

Who did you help? Ask for a recent story or report that shows real results.
What will my money do? Ask exactly what your gift will pay for.
Is this really the charity? Give only through its official website or confirmed phone number.

Pay context: The highest compensation shown in this filing is $375,618 for PHYLLIDA BURLINGAME (LEGAL-POLICY DIR.). Compare pay with organizations of similar size and complexity.

Bottom line: Do not decide from a name, mission statement, or tax status alone. Look at where the money went, then ask what changed, who was helped, and what your gift will do. YouCanGiveBack does not endorse or grade organizations.

Money

Financial picture

Tax year 2024

A plain-language look at the latest Form 990 figures available. These numbers help you ask better questions; they do not, by themselves, rate whether a charity is good or bad.

$100revenue

How each $100 of revenue was used

The large number compares each expense with revenue. The smaller number shows its share of total expenses.

Total reported revenue$21,840,462

Mission workProgram services$15,449,66770.74% of revenue78.0% of expenses

ManagementOffice and general costs$2,347,53410.75% of revenue11.8% of expenses

FundraisingAsking for donations$2,019,2509.25% of revenue10.2% of expenses

Revenue left after expensesReported annual surplus$2,024,0119.27% of revenueShown in gray on the chart

Total expenses$19,816,45190.73% of revenue

Gray means reported revenue left after expenses for this filing year. It does not necessarily mean cash sitting in a bank account.

Has the pattern changed?

Colored bars = expense mix: how each year’s expenses were divided. Total expenses vs. revenue shows whether the charity spent less or more than it received. The current filing is first.

YearExpense mixDetails

2024CurrentExpense mix: 78.0% mission · 11.8% management · 10.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 90.73% of revenue

2023Expense mix: 77.1% mission · 12.1% management · 10.8% fundraisingTotal expenses: 157.13% of revenue

2022Expense mix: 76.9% mission · 14.1% management · 9.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.60% of revenue

2021Expense mix: 73.1% mission · 16.6% management · 10.2% fundraisingTotal expenses: 75.40% of revenue

2020Expense mix: 76.9% mission · 13.7% management · 9.4% fundraisingTotal expenses: 116.11% of revenue

2019Expense mix: 74.7% mission · 12.3% management · 13.0% fundraisingTotal expenses: 101.25% of revenue

2018Expense mix: 70.1% mission · 15.8% management · 14.1% fundraisingTotal expenses: 92.13% of revenue

2017Expense mix: 72.8% mission · 14.9% management · 12.3% fundraisingTotal expenses: 76.19% of revenue

Money in and money out

Revenue$21,840,462

Expenses$19,816,451

Annual surplus $2,024,011 Revenue was higher than expenses for this filing year.

Reported spending amounts

Mission work means the Form 990 category called program services. These are reported accounting categories—not an independent measurement of results.

Mission work (program services)$15,449,667 · 78.0% of expenses

Management and office costs$2,347,534 · 11.8% of expenses

Fundraising$2,019,250 · 10.2% of expenses

See all reported dollar amounts

Revenue$21,840,462

Expenses$19,816,451

Assets$49,296,244

Income$21,840,760

Contributions$20,222,316

Mission work (program services)$15,449,667

Fundraising$2,019,250

Grants given$14,867,798

Average grant$148,678

Management and general$2,347,534

Executive compensation (total)$1,296,016

Stocks and bonds$17,940,789

People

Leadership and board

Tax year 2024

Names, titles, time, and compensation below are reported by the organization on its Form 990.

People reported as paid

Person and titleCompensation

PHYLLIDA BURLINGAMELEGAL-POLICY DIR. · 36 hrs/week $375,618Base $339,477 · Other $36,141

SHILPI AGARWALLEGAL-POLICY DIR. · 36 hrs/week $312,483Base $246,389 · Other $66,094

ABDI SOLTANIEXECUTIVE DIR. · 32 hrs/week $302,114Base $263,960 · Other $38,154

JACOB SNOWSENIOR STAFF ATTNY · 40 hrs/week $289,189Base $234,393 · Other $54,796

ELISE TRAYNUMGENERAL COUNSEL · 32 hrs/week $276,310Base $222,841 · Other $53,469

ELIZABETH GILLSENIOR STAFF ATTNY · 40 hrs/week $261,383Base $226,745 · Other $34,638

DUC LECOO · 32 hrs/week $146,461Base $121,635 · Other $24,826

Compensation alone does not tell whether pay is reasonable. Consider the charity’s size, work, location, and results.

See everyone listed on the board or leadership roster (27)

PHYLLIDA BURLINGAMELEGAL-POLICY DIR.

SHILPI AGARWALLEGAL-POLICY DIR.

ABDI SOLTANIEXECUTIVE DIR.

JACOB SNOWSENIOR STAFF ATTNY

ELISE TRAYNUMGENERAL COUNSEL

ELIZABETH GILLSENIOR STAFF ATTNY

DUC LECOO

GRAHAM DRAKECEPAC CHAIR

ZAINAB RAMAHIAFFIL OFFICER

VERONICA DIAZDIRECTOR

ROBERT WHITEDIRECTOR

NANCY STUARTVICE CHAIR

MEG DURBINDIRECTOR

MARINA HSIEHNATL DELEGATE

KATELYNN BISHOPDIRECTOR

KASSON STONEDIRECTOR

JIM LAWRENCEDIRECTOR

JALLE DAFADIRECTOR

DANIEL GALINDOAUDIT CHAIR

CHRISTOPHER ARGYOSDIRECTOR

BEVERLY TUCKERPERSONNEL CHAIR

BETSY BUCHALTER ADLERDIRECTOR

BETH VON EMSTERDEV CHAIR

ANTHONY WANTREAS/F&I CHAIR

ALLEN ASCHGOV CHAIR

AJAY KRISHNANLEGAL CHAIR

ADAM BAILEYCHAIR

About this charity

Recognized since: January 1962
Location: 39 DRUMM ST, SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94111-4805
County: City and County of San Francisco
In care of: ABDI SOLTANI
Primary officer: ABDI SOLTANI, Executive Dir.

How to reach them

WebsiteVisit the charity’s website Emailpress@aclunc.org Phone(415) 621-2493

Filing and classification

Latest tax year: 2024
Tax period began: April 1, 2024
Return type: 990
Tax preparer: LEAF & COLE LLP
NTEE classification: Civil Liberties (R60)
IRS tax category: Civil Liberties
Grant-giving organization: Yes