Is it better to donate to ACLU or ACLU Foundation?
Asked by: Nelson Hodkiewicz MD | Last update: May 4, 2026Score: 4.2/5 (12 votes)
Donating to the ACLU Foundation (501(c)(3)) offers tax-deductible gifts, funding core litigation, education, and research, while donating to the ACLU (501(c)(4)) supports legislative advocacy and lobbying, though contributions aren't tax-deductible but give you membership; choose the Foundation for tax benefits or the ACLU for direct political advocacy, as both support the overall mission, with the Foundation handling most court cases and the Union handling lobbying.
What is the difference between the ACLU and the ACLU foundation?
The ACLU Foundation is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit corporation. Foundation gifts fund our litigation and public education efforts. Gifts to the ACLU Foundation are fully tax-deductible to the donor. The ACLU is a 501(c) (4) nonprofit corporation, but gifts to it are not tax-deductible.
Which ACLU to donate to?
If you prefer to make a tax deductible gift, we encourage you to support the 501(c)(3) ACLU Foundation. Gifts to the Foundation support our litigation, communications, and public education efforts. With a gift of $1,000, you join the ACLU Impact Society, a group of supporters leading the fight for equality and freedom.
What percent of ACLU donations go to charity?
Around 80-87% of ACLU donations directly fund programs like litigation, public education, and advocacy, with the remainder covering fundraising (around 12%) and administration (around 8%), according to their own figures and charity watchdog sites like CharityWatch and MoneyMinder. This efficiency consistently earns them high ratings from organizations like CharityWatch and Charity Navigator, placing them among well-run charities.
Is the ACLU a good place to donate?
Charity Navigator: The ACLU boasts a four-out-of-four-star Charity Navigator rating, outperforming most non-profits and exceeding industry standards.
How Can I Donate To The ACLU? - Law School Prep Hub
What charity gives the highest percentage of donations to the cause?
Best Charities to Donate To With a High Percentage Going to the Cause
- Direct Relief. ...
- Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) ...
- GiveDirectly. ...
- Fistula Foundation. ...
- Village Enterprise.
What is the charity rating for the ACLU Foundation?
This charity's score is 100%, earning it a Four-Star rating.
What is the salary of the CEO of ACLU?
The salary for the ACLU's Executive Director and CEO, Anthony D. Romero, varies slightly by reporting year but has been around $900,000 to over $1.1 million, with one source showing $1,141,385 and another $940,312, reflecting compensation for the national organization's top leader as reported in nonprofit filings, while other senior staff salaries are lower but still substantial, reflecting management of a large organization.
Which charity gives 100% donation?
"100% donation charities" typically means organizations that pledge to give your entire donation to the cause, like Good 360, Direct Relief, and Muslim Global Relief, though many charities use funds for operations; look for high-rated ones on sites like Charity Navigator or Charity Watch, and consider ones with strong performance like Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) or those offering transparency like GiveDirectly, as truly 100% charity models can be rare and vary by program.
What is the 50 30 20 rule for charities?
The 50/30/20 rule is a budget guideline: 50% of your after-tax income for Needs (housing, groceries, insurance), 30% for Wants (dining out, entertainment, hobbies), and 20% for Savings & Debt repayment (emergency fund, retirement, extra debt payments). While it doesn't directly mention charity, you can incorporate charitable giving into this framework by allocating donations from your "Wants" (discretionary spending) or by reducing "Wants" to free up more for savings and goals, including charitable giving, making it a personalized financial tool.
What is the conservative alternative to the ACLU?
A conservative counterpart to the ACLU often cited is the American Center for Law & Justice (ACLJ), a Christian-based advocacy group, while newer organizations like America First Legal (AFL), founded by Stephen Miller, aim to counter liberal legal efforts by challenging policies from the Biden administration and others, focusing on issues like immigration and cultural battles, with groups like the Institute for Justice (IJ) also promoting limited government principles.
What are the best charities to leave in Will?
The best charities to leave in a will are those aligned with your passion, offering high impact and transparency, with top-rated options often focusing on Direct Relief, Feeding America, St. Jude's, Shriners Hospitals, and causes like veterans support, animal welfare, or cancer research, but always check ratings from sites like CharityWatch and Consumer Reports for financial efficiency and program effectiveness before deciding.
Does the ACLU support LGBTQ?
Yes, the ACLU (American Civil Liberties Union) strongly supports LGBTQ+ rights, working to end discrimination and ensure equal treatment, autonomy, and freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals through legal action, advocacy, and public education on issues like marriage equality, workplace protections, and combating anti-LGBTQ+ legislation.
Where do ACLU donations go?
Gifts made to the ACLU directly fund crucial litigation, communications and public education initiatives. You can directly contribute to the fight to defend our rights through membership, donations or the ACLU Foundation's tax-deductible initiatives.
Which donations are fully tax-deductible?
What are acceptable tax-deductible donations?
- Churches, mosques, synagogues, temples, and other religious organizations.
- Charity groups.
- 501(c)(3) organizations.
- Nonprofit schools.
- Nonprofit hospitals.
- Volunteer fire departments.
- Veterans' and certain cultural groups.
- Public parks and recreation facilities.
What percentage of donations actually go to St. Jude's?
For St. Jude, roughly 82 cents of every dollar donated goes toward research and patient care, with the remaining funds covering administrative and fundraising costs, though recent reports suggest a smaller portion of total contributions (around half) directly reaches the hospital, with significant amounts used for fundraising and building reserves. St. Jude emphasizes that families never receive a bill, relying heavily on donations for its free treatment model, which differs from most hospitals that get more from insurance, and they report high program expense ratios on charity sites like Charity Navigator.
What is the most trustworthy charity in the world?
There's no single "most trusted" charity, as trust varies by cause and evaluation, but top-rated organizations consistently praised for transparency, impact, and efficiency include Feeding America, Direct Relief, UNICEF USA, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, and groups like Doctors Without Borders (MSF), Oxfam, and World Vision for global humanitarian aid, often appearing on lists by Forbes, Charity Navigator, and GiveWell. Trustworthiness is measured by charity evaluators like Charity Navigator or GiveWell, focusing on how much money goes directly to programs versus admin/fundraising.
What is the 33% rule for nonprofits?
The "33 rule" for nonprofits refers to the IRS Public Support Test, requiring most 501(c)(3) public charities to show they receive at least one-third (33 1/3%) of their support from the general public (donors giving less than 2% of total support), government, or other public charities over a rolling five-year period to maintain their public charity status and avoid reclassification as a private foundation. This test ensures a broad public base, not just reliance on a few large donors, and is crucial for compliance, reported annually on IRS Form 990 Schedule A.
Is donating to ACLU good?
ACLU: Gifts to the ACLU allow us the greatest flexibility in our work. While not tax deductible, these donations advance our extensive litigation, communications and public education programs. These gifts also enable us to advocate and lobby in legislatures at the federal and local level to advance civil liberties.
What charities pay their CEOs the most?
The highest-paid charity CEOs often lead large non-profit health systems or foundations, with recent reports highlighting figures in the millions; Dr. Selwyn Vickers (Memorial Sloan Kettering) and Robert Stone (City of Hope) earning over $4.6 million in 2023, and Nancy Brown (American Heart Association) receiving nearly $4.4 million in 2024, though some lists also point to higher figures for healthcare CEOs like Rod Hochman and Gregory Adams from large health plans in 2022, with some earning over $11 million.
Who is the CEO that pays everyone $70k?
The CEO known for paying employees $70k is Dan Price, former CEO of Gravity Payments, who famously cut his own $1.1 million salary in 2015 to establish a $70,000 minimum wage for his staff, a move that significantly boosted revenue, retention, and employee well-being, though he later resigned amid legal issues.
Is the ACLU foundation the same as the ACLU?
Although both the American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU Foundation are part of the same overall organization, it is necessary that the ACLU have two separate organizations in order for the ACLU to do a broad range of work in protecting civil liberties.
How much does the CEO of the Salvation Army receive?
As of Jan 11, 2026, the average annual pay for a Salvation Army Ceo in California is $81,070 a year. Just in case you need a simple salary calculator, that works out to be approximately $38.98 an hour. This is the equivalent of $1,559/week or $6,755/month.
Which charities donate 100%?
"100% donation charities" typically means organizations that pledge to give your entire donation to the cause, like Good 360, Direct Relief, and Muslim Global Relief, though many charities use funds for operations; look for high-rated ones on sites like Charity Navigator or Charity Watch, and consider ones with strong performance like Against Malaria Foundation (AMF) or those offering transparency like GiveDirectly, as truly 100% charity models can be rare and vary by program.