The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is a nationwide organization that defends and preserves individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution and laws through litigation, legislative advocacy, public education, and organizing. It focuses on protecting free speech, due process, equal protection, privacy, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ equality, immigrant rights, voting rights, and criminal justice reform.
Civil liberties and constitutional rights, First Amendment and free speech, criminal justice reform and policing, voting rights and election law, privacy and government surveillance, immigrant and refugee rights, reproductive freedom, LGBTQ equality, racial justice, and civil rights enforcement.
Primarily individual donations and membership dues, philanthropic foundation grants, bequests, and fundraising events; additional revenue from legal fees and restricted grants for specific programs.
ACLU Foundation, ACLU Political Action Fund (PAC), state and local ACLU affiliates such as ACLU of California and ACLU of New York, and program-specific units including the Women’s Rights Project and Immigrants’ Rights Project.
Non-profit civil liberties organization (national nonprofit) with affiliated 501(c)(3) ACLU Foundation, a 501(c)(4) advocacy arm, and an associated political action committee.
