- The ACLU is a non-pro t and nonpartisan organisation who receive no funding from the

government and therefore rely solely on member contributions and grants from private
foundations.

- Their most notable contributors are David Gelbaum, a well-known philanthropist who was
revealed as the largest anonymous donor back in 2009, and Peter B. Lewis, chairman of The
Progressive Corporation, who was revealed as the individual who set the record with a $7
million largest-ever endowment gift.
- Alongside these individual donations, the ACLU also receive donations from large
corporations such as: the Ford Foundation, who have given them more than $14 million and
the Open Society Institute.
- With these funds, the ACLU are able to advance their extensive litigation, communications
and public education programs. Alongside this, also enabling them to advocate and lobby in
legislatures at the federal and local level to advance civil liberties. In 2016, the ACLU spent just
under $1million on lobbying.

- In 2014, the ACLU and the ACLU Foundation had a combined income from support and
revenue of $100.4 million, originating from grants, membership donations, donated legal
services, bequests, and revenue. In 2020, the ACLU contributed a massive $428million in
donations to both political parties. $463 million of donations were to Democratic candidates,
committees, and PACs; and $19 million to Republicans. As ACLU contributions represent
between 20 and 30 percent of all Democratic fundraising, they become a key backbone of
political engagement.
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