Who funds ACLU?
197 private foundations reported grants to ACLU in New York, New York totaling $7.7 million across 197 grants in tax years 2023 to 2025. The largest funder was Dunaway Foundation, with $5.0 million.
From the funders' IRS Form 990-PF filings.
- Foundation funders197
- Grants reported197
- Total received$7.7 million
- Funders taking applications14
Foundations that fund ACLU
| Foundation | Purpose given | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dunaway Foundation | General purpose | 1 | $5.0 million |
| The 2A Foundation Inc | General fund | 1 | $500,000 |
| The Meyer Foundation | Charitable | 1 | $450,000 |
| Pettit Foundation | Support. | 1 | $275,000 |
| Richard Allan Barry Family Charitable Foundation | support | 1 | $100,000 |
| Sinegal Family Foundation | Program support | 1 | $100,000 |
| Connie Frank Foundation | General | 1 | $85,942 |
| The A Woodner Fund Inc | Promotes and defends civil liberties and constitutional rights through legal action, advocacy, and public education. | 1 | $50,000 |
| Sheldon L and Pearl R Leibowitz- Lew Leibowitz Legacy Foundation | Unrestricted for general use of charity. | 1 | $50,000 |
| The Little One Foundation | Operational | 1 | $50,000 |
| The Spray Foundation Inc | Provide clinical scholarships to patients who would otherwise not have access to | 1 | $50,000 |
| Gwydion Fund for Wild Nature | General | 1 | $50,000 |
| Arnold and Anita Rosenstein Family Foundation | Program support | 1 | $50,000 |
| The M & T Fantastic Family Foundation | Cash donation | 1 | $45,000 |
| The Brightwater Fund | General Use | 1 | $40,000 |
| The Stare Fund | General Purpose | 1 | $35,047 |
| Twig Foundation | General | 1 | $35,000 |
| Maurice & Carol Feinberg Family Foundation | Pending final distribution of assets - to be dist on or before 10/31/25 | 1 | $33,225 |
| Timothy and Deborah Moore Family | General purpose | 1 | $30,000 |
| Panoram Foundation Inc | Daring to create a more perfect unio | 1 | $26,500 |
| Levine Family Foundation Inc | Civil liberties | 1 | $25,000 |
| Philanthropiece Foundation | Program specific | 1 | $25,000 |
| Foundation M | General Purpose | 1 | $20,000 |
| Mark & Anla Cheng Kingdon Foundation | General | 1 | $16,666 |
| The William and Mildred Kaplan Foundation Inc | Foundation donation | 1 | $15,000 |
| Key Foundation | Unrestricted | 1 | $15,000 |
| The Dickey Fund | Civil liberties/education | 1 | $15,000 |
| SC Benjamin Foundation | General operating support | 1 | $14,000 |
| The Isidore Stern Foundation | The ACLU was founded to ensure the promise of the Bill of Rights and to expand its reach to people historically denied its protections. In our first year, we fought the harassment and deportation of immigrants whose activism put them at odds with the authorities. | 1 | $10,664 |
| William H Anderson Foundation Inc | Civil Rights | 1 | $10,000 |
| The Stiver Foundation | Charity assistance | 1 | $10,000 |
| Alice Shaver Foundation | Charitable | 1 | $10,000 |
| The Al-Khalidi Foundation | General support | 1 | $10,000 |
| Martha Lovenheim Siegel Charitable Trust | To defend and preserve individual rights and liberties guaranteed by the constitution | 1 | $10,000 |
| Lindemann Abend Foundation | General & unrestricted | 1 | $10,000 |
| Saltsgiver Family Foundation | Public charity | 1 | $10,000 |
| The Stephen & Carole Schwartz Foundation Inc | An unrestricted grant to further the donee's exempt purpose | 1 | $10,000 |
| The Charles L and Joan M Hirsch Family Foundation | Support | 1 | $10,000 |
| Parks & Paula Sheller Adams Family Foundation Inc | Operations | 1 | $10,000 |
| Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation | Unrestricted | 1 | $10,000 |
| Marg & Jack Tarver Fdn Irrv Tr | General operating | 1 | $10,000 |
| William and Maria Iberti Charitable Foundation | Mission to combat discrimination in us | 1 | $10,000 |
| Marion Kane Family Foundation Inc | Civil liberties | 1 | $10,000 |
| The Okavango Private Foundation | General | 1 | $10,000 |
| Michael E McGoldrick Charitable Foundation | General fund for peace and justice | 1 | $10,000 |
| Bley Stein Foundation | Donation | 1 | $10,000 |
| The Fruehauf Foundation | Human services operating support | 1 | $9,000 |
| North Pond Foundation | General | 1 | $9,000 |
| Petchers Foundation Inc | Unrestricted | 1 | $8,000 |
| Alexander Charitable Foundationinc | Same | 1 | $8,000 |
| Brillo-Sonnino Family Foundation | Civil Rights | 1 | $7,500 |
| Caplan Family Foundation | To further the exempt purpose of the organization. | 1 | $7,500 |
| The Gardner Family Foundation Inc | Unrestricted grant for the organization's exempt purpose. | 1 | $7,000 |
| The Dr H Harvey Koenig Foundation Inc | Charitable | 1 | $6,064 |
| Deo Foundation | Operating Funds | 1 | $6,000 |
| Flanagan Family Foundation | To support efforts in defending the rights of all people nationwide. | 1 | $5,500 |
| Marie Briehl Private Foundation | General | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Statue Foundation Inc | For operations | 1 | $5,000 |
| Dr Joy to the World Inc | Charitable gift | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Bel-Eve Family Fund | Gen. Charitable | 1 | $5,000 |
| Hilltop Foundation | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Hemphill Family Foundation | To further charitable activities | 1 | $5,000 |
| Todd W Hoffman Foundation Inc | General purpose | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Sidewater Family Foundation Inc | Operations | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Ms Grumbacher Foundation | Support of the nonprofit mission | 1 | $5,000 |
| Alfred Lee and Peter Mayer Foundation | Civil rights | 1 | $5,000 |
| Harvey and Leslie Wagner Foundation | General budget | 1 | $5,000 |
| Shirley M Buttrick Family Foundation Inc | Operating needs | 1 | $5,000 |
| Skyemar Foundation | Charitable - no restictions | 1 | $5,000 |
| Eileen & Fred Schoellkopf Family Foundation | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Matthew Marks Charitable Trust | General charitable purpose | 1 | $5,000 |
| Chris & Irene Seth Family Foundation | Litigation, communication, education | 1 | $5,000 |
| Edelson Foundation Inc | Exempt function | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Sachs Family Foundation | General operating support | 1 | $5,000 |
| David & Elizabeth Rome Family Foundation | Legal Rights | 1 | $5,000 |
| Thornton Jordan Family Foundation Inc | Unrestricted contribution | 1 | $5,000 |
| Charna & Alan Larkin Philanthropic Fund Inc | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Max and Madaline Broude Charitable | General purpose | 1 | $5,000 |
| The Aksel Nielsen Foundation | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Mintz Family Foundation Inc the | General/charitable | 1 | $5,000 |
| Waters Edge Foundation Inc | General support | 1 | $5,000 |
| Jensen Rasmussen Foundation | Support fund raising activities | 1 | $4,000 |
| Hall Family Foundation IRRV TR | General Purpose | 1 | $3,535 |
| Theobald Foundation | Operational | 1 | $3,500 |
| John and Sally Levy Family Foundation | General funding for the charitable organization | 1 | $3,500 |
| McDougal Foundation | Safeguarding & extending human rights & freedom | 1 | $3,100 |
| Carita Foundation-Ima | General operating | 1 | $3,000 |
| Munsell Family Foundation | For charitable purposes | 1 | $3,000 |
| Jerry J Wilson Memorial Foundation Inc | health/education/religious | 1 | $3,000 |
| The Fonda Family Foundation Inc | Further organization's exempt purpose | 1 | $3,000 |
| Mestal Foundation | General | 1 | $3,000 |
| Robert and Susan Rosenbaum Foundation | General | 1 | $3,000 |
| The Mark and Anna Weinstein Family Foundation | Aclu mission remains realizing the promise of the bill of rights for all and expanding the reach of its guarantees. | 1 | $3,000 |
| Ann S and Albert L Maltz Foundation | General operating support | 1 | $2,500 |
| Helenka and Guido Pantaleoni Foundation | None | 1 | $2,500 |
| The Wardell Family Foundation Inc | General support | 1 | $2,500 |
| The McGeehin Foundation Inc | 501c3 contribution | 1 | $2,500 |
| The Good Works Foundation | Donation | 1 | $2,500 |
| Michael Dunitz Crisis Foundation | General purpose contribution | 1 | $2,000 |
| Richard and Ann du Moulin Foundation | General fund | 1 | $2,000 |
Using this list
A foundation that already gives to ACLU gives in its field and region, so the list doubles as a prospect list for similar organizations in New York. Open a foundation to see its application rules, typical grant and every other grant it paid.
Questions people ask
Who funds ACLU?
Dunaway Foundation, The 2A Foundation Inc, The Meyer Foundation, Pettit Foundation and Richard Allan Barry Family Charitable Foundation, and 192 more, according to their IRS Form 990-PF filings.
How much does ACLU get from foundations?
$7.7 million in 197 reported grants from 197 private foundations in tax years 2023 to 2025. Government grants and gifts from individuals are not included.
Which of these funders accept applications?
William H Anderson Foundation Inc, The Stiver Foundation, Armin and Esther Hirsch Foundation, The Fruehauf Foundation and Petchers Foundation Inc say in their filings that they accept applications.