ABOUT THE ACLU

The American Civil Liberties Union was founded in 1920 to preserve the fundamental liberties guaranteed in the Constitution and Bill of Rights. The ACLU is a non-profit, non-partisan organization devoted to the defense and promotion of rights guaranteed to every person in this country by the Constitution and laws of the United States.

The ACLU has grown from a roomful of civil liberties activists at its founding in 1920 to an organization of more than 500,000 members and supporters. As the largest public interest law firm in the world, we handle nearly 6,000 court cases annually from our offices in almost every state.

The Structure of the ACLU

The ACLU is composed of two separately incorporated nonprofit organizations: The ACLU and the ACLU Foundation.

The ACLU Foundation conducts litigation and public education programs in support of civil liberties. The Foundation is a 501(c)3 tax-deductible charitable organization, and contributions to it are deductible to the extent allowed by law.

The ACLU conducts membership outreach and organizing, legislative advocacy and lobbying. It is supported primarily by membership dues. It is a 501(c)4 organization, which is tax-exempt, but donations to it are not tax-deductible.

The majority of support for the ACLU and ACLU Foundation comes from individuals who believe in the guarantees of freedom, justice, equality, and fair treatment under the law. The ACLU and its affiliates receive no government funding and do not charge clients for legal representation.