ACLU Foundation
New York, NY · EIN 136213516 · FY2024 is the latest filing on record · pre-cached
The ACLU Foundation's spending on its people is a sign of strength, not a red flag.
The ACLU Foundation ended its latest fiscal year with a -9% operating margin, marking one consecutive year of deficit. However, its average operating margin over 13 years is a healthy 11%. The organization maintains a strong operating reserve, capable of covering 40.5 months of expenses.
Myth
A high percentage of spending on staff means a charity is inefficient and wastes donor money.
Reality
The ACLU Foundation spends 37% of its budget on compensation, which is in the 87th percentile compared to its peers. This suggests a significant investment in its human capital, crucial for an organization focused on advocacy and legal work, rather than a sign of waste.
Myth
Charities should always run surpluses and never spend more than they bring in.
Reality
While the ACLU Foundation had a -9% operating margin in its latest year, it has an average operating margin of 11% over 13 years. This indicates a long-term financial stability despite occasional deficits, which can be strategic for mission advancement.
Worth watching
- • The ACLU Foundation experienced a -9% operating margin in its latest fiscal year, indicating it spent more than it earned.
- • The organization's operating reserve months have decreased by 5.3 months since its earliest year on record.
Multi-year trend
Operating reserve months
Net assets ÷ monthly expenses — how long the org could run on savings alone.
Operating margin
(Revenue − expenses) ÷ revenue, per fiscal year.
How it compares to peers
Percentile rank among 70 Public, Societal Benefit organizations. Higher is framed as better on every bar here — including reserves and staff investment, which conventional overhead-ratio scoring would penalize.
Dashed line = peer median (50th percentile)
Ask about ACLU Foundation
Answers are grounded only in this org's filed financial data above -- it won't guess at their programs, leadership, or anything not shown on this page.
Source: latest Form 990 PDF via ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.