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Nonprofiteer
← AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION

Form 990 for tax year 2023

Filed by AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION.

Totals

Total revenue
$2,229,365
Total expenses
$2,209,068
Contributions and grants received
$1,923,091
Grants paid
$100,000
Program service revenue
$0
Investment income
$306,274
Other revenue
$0
Total assets, end of year
$10,885,866
Total liabilities, end of year
$421,730
Net assets or fund balances, end of year
$10,464,136
Program services expenses (Part IX)
$1,721,488
Management and general expenses
$415,588
Fundraising expenses
$71,992
Program service expenses (Part III)
$1,721,488

Program services were 77.9% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

Line items

Every line the filer filed in Parts VIII, IX and X, as filed and in filed order. Blank columns are left out, and the lines are not forced to add up to the totals above.

Revenue

Part VIII, the statement of revenue.

  • 1b · Membership dues

    $1,747,680

  • 1f · All other contributions, gifts and grants

    $175,411

  • 3 · Investment income

    total $306,036 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $306,036

  • 7a · Gross sales of assets other than inventory

    securities $21,713

  • 7b · Less cost or other basis and sales expenses

    securities $21,475

  • 7c · Gain or loss

    securities $238

  • 7d · Net gain or loss

    total $238 · related or exempt $238 · unrelated business $0 · excluded $0

Functional expenses

Part IX, the statement of functional expenses.

  • 1 · Grants to domestic organizations and governments

    total $100,000 · program services $100,000

  • 5 · Compensation of officers, directors and key employees

    total $1,014,586 · program services $819,169 · management and general $156,410 · fundraising $39,007

  • 7 · Other salaries and wages

    total $486,117 · program services $392,633 · management and general $74,787 · fundraising $18,697

  • 8 · Pension plan contributions

    total $52,592 · program services $41,385 · management and general $8,965 · fundraising $2,242

  • 9 · Other employee benefits

    total $57,970 · program services $46,643 · management and general $9,106 · fundraising $2,221

  • 10 · Payroll taxes

    total $99,303 · program services $79,314 · management and general $16,212 · fundraising $3,777

  • 11b · Fees: legal

    total $42,155 · program services $0 · management and general $42,155 · fundraising $0

  • 11c · Fees: accounting

    total $34,298 · program services $0 · management and general $34,298 · fundraising $0

  • 13 · Office expenses

    total $10,124 · program services $9,063 · management and general $928 · fundraising $133

  • 14 · Information technology

    total $30,821 · program services $26,349 · management and general $3,578 · fundraising $894

  • 16 · Occupancy

    total $118,341 · program services $95,585 · management and general $18,203 · fundraising $4,553

  • 17 · Travel

    total $49,948 · program services $47,791 · management and general $2,157 · fundraising $0

  • 19 · Conferences, conventions and meetings

    total $11,494 · program services $7,051 · management and general $4,443 · fundraising $0

  • 22 · Depreciation, depletion and amortization

    total $11,706 · program services $9,365 · management and general $1,873 · fundraising $468

  • 23 · Insurance

    total $2,275 · program services $0 · management and general $2,275 · fundraising $0

  • 24a · Other expenses: EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

    total $82,871 · program services $43,580 · management and general $39,291 · fundraising $0

  • 24b · Other expenses: MISCELLANEOUS

    total $907 · program services $0 · management and general $907 · fundraising $0

  • 24c · Other expenses: PUBLICATIONS

    total $3,560 · program services $3,560 · management and general $0 · fundraising $0

Balance sheet

Part X, book values.

  • 1 · Cash, non-interest-bearing

    beginning of year $1,179,769 · end of year $2,003,847

  • 2 · Savings and temporary cash investments

    beginning of year $1,066,229 · end of year $1,203,785

  • 4 · Accounts receivable

    beginning of year $570,415

  • 9 · Prepaid expenses and deferred charges

    beginning of year $599 · end of year $18,748

  • 10a · Land, buildings and equipment: cost or other basis

    $184,313

  • 10b · Land, buildings and equipment: accumulated depreciation

    $92,881

  • 10c · Land, buildings and equipment, net

    beginning of year $103,139 · end of year $91,432

  • 11 · Investments: publicly traded securities

    beginning of year $6,576,255 · end of year $7,420,143

  • 15 · Other assets

    beginning of year $766,718 · end of year $147,911

  • 17 · Accounts payable and accrued expenses

    beginning of year $46,065 · end of year $221,586

  • 25 · Other liabilities

    beginning of year $153,662 · end of year $200,144

  • 27 · Net assets without donor restrictions

    beginning of year $9,866,132 · end of year $10,251,239

  • 28 · Net assets with donor restrictions

    beginning of year $197,265 · end of year $212,897

Mission and programs · 2023

Mission

DEFEND FREEDOM OF SPEECH, PRESS ASSEMBLY, AND OTHER RIGHTS GUARANTEED BY THE US CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

Activities or mission (Part I)

DEFEND FREEDOM OF SPEECH, PRESS, ASSEMBLY, AND OTHER RIGHTS GUARANTEED BY THE US CONSTITUTION AND THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

  • LEGISLATIVE: LEGISLATIVE INITIATIVES FOR THIS YEAR INCLUDED AN EFFORT TO PROTECT HEALTH DATA PRIVACY FOR INDIVIDUALS IN ILLINOIS. WE ARE ADVOCATING FOR LEGISLATION THAT ASSURES THAT HEALTH DATA GATHERED BY PERSONAL DEVICES (THAT COLLECT HEART RATE, BLOOD PRESSURE AND OTHER CRITICAL PERSONAL INFORMATION) AND OTHER MEANS IS NOT COLLECTED AND SHARED WITH OTHERS WITHOUT NOTICE TO AND CONSENT FROM THE USER. THE ACLU ALSO ADVOCATED FOR A MEASURE THAT WOULD ALLOW RELATIVES OF CHILDREN UNDER THE CARE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILY SERVICES TO TAKE THOSE CHILDREN INTO THEIR HOMES AND BE COMPENSATED AT THE SAME RATE AS A STRANGER FOSTER FAMILY. DATA SHOWS THAT CHILDREN PLACED WITH THEIR RELATIVES HAVE BETTER OUTCOMES IN THE CHILD WELFARE SYSTEM THE ACLU OF ILLINOIS ALSO WORKED WITH INTERESTED PARTIES AND LEGISLATORS ON MEASURES TOUCHING ON CRITICAL FIRST AMENDMENT ISSUES, INCLUDING LAWS THAT ATTEMPT TO ADDRESS CONCERNS ABOUT THE USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE TO CREATE POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENTS THAT USE THE VOICE OR IMAGE OF A POLITICAL CANDIDATE, AND ABOUT THE USE OF AI TO MIMIC THE SINGING VOICE OF AN ARTIST. THESE ARE JUST A FEW OF THE MORE THAN 660 LEGISLATIVE PROPOSALS THAT THE ACLU OF ILLINOIS TRACKED THORUGHOUT THE LEGISLATIVE SESSION; WE TESTIFIED, OR DIRECTLY WORKED ON NEARLY 90 OF THOSE BILLS, INCLUDING MANY THAT IMPLICATED ISSUES RELATED TO PERSONAL FREEDOM, ABORTION RIGHTS, LGTBQ+ RIGHTS, TECHNOLOGY AND PRIVACY, ISSUES IN THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM AND OTHER MATTERS.

    Expenses $1,351,315 · Grants $100,000

  • COMMUNICATIONS: THE COMMUNICATIONS ACTIVITIES OF THE ACLU OF ILLINOIS ARE DESIGNED TO: KEEP OUR MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS UPDATED ON THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION; BROADLY INFORM AND ADVANCE THE PUBLIC ABOUT IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS IN OUR WORK AND ISSUES OF CONCERN (CONSTITUTIONAL ISSUES) IN THE GENERAL PUBLIC; AND TARGET MESSAGES THAT MAY MOVE OPINION LEADERS IN SUPPORT OF OUR WORK. WE UTILIZE AN ARRAY OF COMMUNICATIONS TOOLS IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THESE GOALS, FROM PUBLIC SPEAKING TO SOCIAL MEDIA, EMAIL COMMUNICATION WITH MEMBERS AND SUPPORTERS, OTHER WRITTEN MESSAGES, AND A PODCAST. THE DEPARTMENT IS RESPONSIBLE FOR MESSAGES THAT REACH THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE ACROSS THE STATE OF ILLINOIS DURING THE YEAR REGARDING THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION.

    Expenses $328,052

  • CHAPTERS: IN FOUR DISCREET GEOGRAPHIC AREAS ACROSS THE STATE - URBANA-CHAMPAIGN, BLOOMINGTON-NORMAL, SPRINGFIELD, AND PEORIA - ACLU MEMBERS VOLUNTARILY GATHER TOGETHER TO FORM LOCAL CHAPTERS TO ADVANCE THE WORK OF THE ORGANIZATION IN THESE AREAS. THESE CHAPTERS SERVE AS A CRITICAL EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR CIVIL LIBERTIES VIOLATIONS/CONCERNS IN THESE AREAS AND OFTEN PRODUCE IMPORTANT PUBLIC PROGRAMS THAT ADDRESS CONCERNS THAT MIGHT BE FEDERAL, STATEWIDE, OR LOCAL. FINALLY, THE CHAPTERS SERVE AS REPRESENTATIVES FOR THE ACLU IN THESE COMMUNITIES, RAISING OUR PROFILE BY PARTICIPATING IN LOCAL ACTIVITIES, FROM MARCHES AND PARADES TO DEMONSTRATIONS AND FARMERS MARKETS. THE CHAPTERS ALSO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE AS CONDUITS TO LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, INCLUDING MAYORS, POLICE LEADERS, AND OTHERS. DURING THIS YEAR, EACH OF THE CHAPTERS ADDRESSED LOCAL PROPOSALS TO ADOPT AND IMPLEMENT AUTOMATIC LICENSE PLATE READER SYSTEMS IN THEIR COMMUNITY; CHAPTER MEMBERS REACHED OUT TO PUBLIC OFFICIALS TO SHARE ACLU CONCERNS ABOUT PRIVACY RAISED BY THE SYSTEMS. IN ADDITION, CHAPTER MEMBERS FOCUSED ON WAYS TO ENSURE THE SMOOTH IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PRETRIAL FAIRNESS ACT, ENDING THE USE OF MONEY BOND IN ILLINOIS.

    Expenses $42,121

As filed on the 2023 return.

Listed in Part VII

  • Jill M Metz

    PRESIDENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Robert Sash

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Amrith Kaur Aakre

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Bernadette Chopra

    VP AT LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Ruth Krugly

    VP AT LARGE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kerry A Miller

    GENERAL COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Laura Kofoid

    NATIONAL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Shyni R Varghese

    VP, DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Scott Lassar

    VP, POLICY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Richard J O'Brien

    GENERAL COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Sufyan Sohel

    AFFILIATE EQUITY OFFICER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Diane Klotnia

    AT-LARGE MEMBERS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • James Holzhauer

    AT-LARGE MEMBERS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Marc Beem

    AT-LARGE MEMBERS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mort Rosen

    AT-LARGE MEMBERS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Simon E Weffer

    AT-LARGE MEMBERS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mario F Garcia

    AT-LARGE MEMBERS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Cindy Wilson

    AT-LARGE MEMBERS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Grace Chan McKibben

    AT-LARGE MEMBERS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    2

  • Ada Lopez

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Luis Gutierrez

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Aziz Huq

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Noel Elfant

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Colby Kingsbury

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Darren Hunter

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Rev Susan Frances

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Everett Cygal

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Genita C Robinson

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Howard Suskin

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Leah Bruno

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Mary Stowell

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Peter H Hanna

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Robert Murphymd

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Roxana Espoz

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Stelios Valavanis

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Wendy Walker Williams

    VP, DEVELOPMENT

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Louis A Klapp

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Darlene Oliver Hightower

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Akif Rahman

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Nida Shakir Ghaffar

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Kathleen Gillespie

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Daryl Woods

    BOARD OF DIRECTORS

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Colleen Connell

    EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $369,621
    From this org
    $131,823
    From related orgs
    $197,734
    Other
    $40,064
    Hours/week
    24

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $118,516 + $177,774 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $13,307 + $19,960 related
    Deferred
    $0 + $1,500 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $15,426 + $23,139 related
    Filer's total
    $147,249 + $222,373 related

  • Khadine Bennett

    DIRECTOR OF ADVOCACY AND INTERGOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS

    Total calculated
    $271,742
    From this org
    $164,250
    From related orgs
    $41,063
    Other
    $66,429
    Hours/week
    48

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $164,250 + $41,063 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $44,922 + $12,731 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $7,021 + $1,755 related
    Filer's total
    $216,193 + $55,549 related

  • Emmalee Scott

    DIRECTOR OF PHILANTHROPY AND ENGAGEMENT

    Total calculated
    $228,424
    From this org
    $72,766
    From related orgs
    $109,149
    Other
    $46,509
    Hours/week
    24

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $72,766 + $109,149 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $14,353 + $23,029 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $3,651 + $5,476 related
    Filer's total
    $90,770 + $137,654 related

  • Ed Yohnka

    DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS AND PUBLIC POLICY

    Total calculated
    $294,440
    From this org
    $70,768
    From related orgs
    $106,151
    Other
    $117,521
    Hours/week
    24

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $70,768 + $106,151 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $35,291 + $54,437 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $11,117 + $16,676 related
    Filer's total
    $117,176 + $177,264 related

  • Kt Sullivan

    ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $303,010
    From this org
    $53,826
    From related orgs
    $125,593
    Other
    $123,591
    Hours/week
    18

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $53,826 + $125,593 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $27,215 + $65,002 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,412 + $21,962 related
    Filer's total
    $90,453 + $212,557 related

  • Althea Walton

    DIRECTOR OF FINANCE

    Total calculated
    $209,817
    From this org
    $53,552
    From related orgs
    $124,955
    Other
    $31,310
    Hours/week
    18

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $53,552 + $124,955 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0 + $1,438 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $8,962 + $20,911 related
    Filer's total
    $62,514 + $147,304 related

  • Benjamin Ruddell

    DIRECTOR OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE POLICY

    Total calculated
    $157,312
    From this org
    $69,493
    From related orgs
    $46,329
    Other
    $41,490
    Hours/week
    36

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $69,493 + $46,329 related
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $17,910 + $13,440 related
    Nontaxable benefits
    $6,084 + $4,056 related
    Filer's total
    $93,487 + $63,825 related

  • Nora Collins-Mandeville

    DIRECTOR OF SYSTEMS REFORM POLICY

    Total calculated
    $129,561
    From this org
    $67,405
    From related orgs
    $44,937
    Other
    $17,219
    Hours/week
    36

  • Meaghan McElroy

    SENIOR PROGRAM DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $125,104
    From this org
    $69,409
    From related orgs
    $46,273
    Other
    $9,422
    Hours/week
    36

  • Gabriel Pachter

    SENIOR DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC INITIATIVES AND TEAM OPERATIONS

    Total calculated
    $127,483
    From this org
    $11,416
    From related orgs
    $102,750
    Other
    $13,317
    Hours/week
    6

  • Elizabeth Roberson-Young

    SENIOR SUPERVISING POLICY COUNSEL

    Total calculated
    $114,715
    From this org
    $61,881
    From related orgs
    $41,254
    Other
    $11,580
    Hours/week
    36

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us.

Schedule J

Answered yes

  • 3 · Approval by the board or compensation committee

Answered no

  • 4a · Severance or change-of-control payment
  • 4b · Supplemental nonqualified retirement plan
  • 4c · Equity-based compensation arrangement
  • 5a · Pay contingent on this organization's revenues
  • 5b · Pay contingent on a related organization's revenues
  • 6a · Pay contingent on this organization's net earnings
  • 6b · Pay contingent on a related organization's net earnings
  • 7 · Other non-fixed payments
  • 8 · Paid under the initial-contract exception

The filer's explanations (Part III)

Pt I Line 3
TOTAL COMPENSATION IS SET BY RELATED ORGANIZATION AND GENERALLY REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE BUDGET, AUDIT AND INVESTMENT COMMITTEE. A SHARE IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO THE REPORTING ORGANIZATION BASED ON ESTIMATE OF TIME SPENT. THE RELATED ORGANIZATION UTILIZES COST OF LIVING, TENURE AND DUTIES TO SET SALARIES.

Part I's answers as filed. A line not listed was left unanswered; on lines 1a and 3 that means the box was not checked.

Grants on this return

Related organizations on this return

Schedule R Part II: tax-exempt organizations related to the filer by control. It does not record shared board members or money.

Provenance

Return type
form_990
Tax year
2023
Filed
27 March 2024
IRS schema version
2023v6.0
Source object
202540369349301109

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