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Non-profit

ACLU Foundation of Maryland

Website:

www.aclu-md.org/
Location:

Baltimore, MD
Tax ID:

23-7209538
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2020):

Revenue: $7,758,403
Expenses: $3,711,896
Assets: $7,565,564
Formation:

1972
Executive Director:

Dana Vickers Shelley

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ACLU Foundation of Maryland is the Maryland state-level branch of the American Civil Liberties Union Foundation, the charitable arm of the ACLU. ACLU Foundation of Maryland is funded in part by larger grantmaking entities including Open Society Foundations. 1 The majority of the group’s work is made up of legislative advocacy on left-leaning issues, especially concerning racial issues. 2

Advocacy

ACLU Foundation of Maryland lists seven advocacy issues on its website: Legal Justice System, Free Speech, Education, Housing Segregation and Economic Mobility, Civil Rights, Voting Rights and Elections, and Open Government. 3

The group’s “Who We Are” page within its website highlights its devotion to race-based advocacy. It reads in part, “many of the institutions within which the ACLU of Maryland operates, including the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government, were founded upon and are sustained by white supremacy.” The page goes on to highlight the group’s mission to advocate for programs and legislation that favor racial minorities. 4

ACLU Maryland was involved in a 2021 effort by numerous left-of-center groups including the Baltimore County NAACP to redraw state congressional district lines. The groups issued a joint-press release arguing to the State Redistricting Committee that it should redraw lines to create two additional districts with a majority-Black and other minority populations. 5

In 2023, the Harry and Jeannette Weinberg Foundation pulled funding from CASA in Action, an illegal immigration advocacy nonprofit, after the group participated in anti-Israel protests calling for the “elimination of the state of Israel.” 6 ACLU Foundation of Maryland expressed support for Casa de Maryland in a statement reading in part, “Publicly threatening to defund an organization because of its political position is exactly the kind of viewpoint discrimination that the Constitution forbids, and among the most dangerous kind of wrongdoing by public officials because it fundamentally threatens democratic institutions, and chills not only the direct target, but anyone else thinking about also speaking out.” 7 ACLU Foundation of Maryland signed an open letter expressing support for CASA de Maryland alongside 55 other left-of-center and liberal organizations including 350.org, Peace Action, Progressive Maryland, and the Democratic Socialists of America. 8

Partner Organizations

ACLU Foundation of Maryland lists 16 national partner charities that cover an array of different advocacy causes. Among these groups are large left-of-center and liberal advocacy groups such as the NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, People for the American Way, and the American Bar Association. 9

The group also lists 18 smaller partner entities that advocate for Maryland state-specific issues or are state-level arms of greater coalitions including CASA of Maryland, a left-of-center illegal immigration advocacy organization; the League of Women Voters, a left-of-center 501(c)(4) that has been widely criticized for pushing left-leaning policies; and Common Cause of Maryland, the Maryland state-level branch of Common Cause, a group that opposes Republican political candidates. 10

People

Dana Vickers Shelley is the executive director of ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Shelley was the highest compensated employee of the group in 2023, and was paid $215,481 per the group’s Form 990 returns. 11 Prior to her work with the ACLU, Shelley ran a public relations firm with left-of-center clients including the NAACP, the MacArthur Foundation, and the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). 12 She has also held positions as a political advisor at the SPLC, the Democratic National Committee, and in the Clinton administration. 13

Shelley authored a blog post in 2022 titled, “White Supremacy is the Foul Soup we all Swim in – and we’re Done Treading Water. 14 Shelley wrote in the article that the Maryland State Legislature does not give enough of a platform to the ACLU for its race-driven policy reform efforts. Former Judicial Proceedings Committee chair of the Maryland state Senate, Robert A. Zirkin (D-Baltimore County), said in an interview that Shelley’s discourse in the blog post was “a stain on political discourse. It was a group I was proud to get endorsed by back in the day because it meant I cared about the law. That is no longer their reputation in politics.” 15

Deborah Jeon is the legal director for ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Jeon was the second highest compensated employee of the group, and was paid $187,800 in 2023. 16 Jeon is a graduate of Yale Law School, and is focused on litigation of civil rights cases based on race and income. She authored an anti-police opinion piece in 2022 titled “Running From the Police is not a Crime.” The article claims that “it is a fact that fear of police and efforts to avoid encounters are not only justified, but often the most rational decision.” 17

Corey Stottlemyer is the chairman of the board of directors for the group. Stottlemyer ran for state Senator of Maryland in 2014 as a Republican, but lost to then-incumbent Democrat Ronald Young. He has since made sizeable donations to the political campaigns of Democratic candidates including former U.S. Rep. Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA) and Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT), and has made 34 donations since 2018 through ActBlue, a fundraising platform that services left-of-center nonprofits. 18

Financials

ACLU Foundation of Maryland receives significant funding from left-of-center grantmaking foundations. The group received $1,188,000 in grants since 2016 from the Open Society Foundations and $235,000 between 2020 and 2022 from the Annie E. Casey foundation, one of the largest left-of-center charities in Maryland. 19 20

The group reported total contributions of $1,529,989 and net assets of $2,300,195 in 2023. 21

References

  1. Open Societies Foundation Grants Database: ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?filter_keyword=american%20civil%20liberties%20union%20foundation%20of%20maryland%2C%20inc&page=2
  2. Who We Are: ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Accessed May 18, 2024.
  3. Issues, ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.aclu-md.org/en/issues
  4. “Who we are.” ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.aclu-md.org/en/about/who-we-are
  5. “BALTIMORE COUNTY NAACP, ACLU OF MARYLAND VOICE CONCERNS ABOUT UNLAWFUL VOTE DILUTION IN PROPOSED COUNTY COUNCIL REDISTRICTING” Press Release, ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.aclu-md.org/en/press-releases/baltimore-county-naacp-aclu-maryland-voice-concerns-about-unlawful-vote-dilution
  6. “Foundation Letter to Casa De Maryland.” The Harry and Jeanette Weinberg foundation. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://hjweinbergfoundation.org/news/foundation-letter-to-casa-de-maryland/
  7. “Foundation Pulls CASA Funding as Lawmakers seek formal apology.” Maryland Matters. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/11/16/foundation-pulls-casa-funding-as-lawmakers-seek-formal-apology/
  8. I Stand With CASA: ACLU Statement in Support of CASA. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://portside.org/2023-11-18/i-stand-casa
  9. National Partners: ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.aclu-md.org/en/news/partner-organizations
  10. Local Partners: ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.aclu-md.org/en/news/partner-organizations
  11. 2023 IRS Form 990 Return: Part VII, Section A: Compensation of Officers.
  12. Biographies: Dana Vickers Shelley. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.aclu-md.org/en/biographies/dana-vickers-shelley
  13. LinkedIn Profile: Dana Vickers Shelley. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.linkedin.com/in/danavshelley/details/experience/
  14. “White Supremacy is the Foul Soup we all Swim in – and we’re Done Treading Water.” Dana Vickers Shelley. ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Accessed May 18, 2024.  https://www.aclu-md.org/en/news/white-supremacy-foul-soup-we-all-swim-and-were-done-treading-water
  15. Rift Deepens Between Sen. Smith and the ACLU. Maryland Matters. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/03/24/rift-deepens-between-sen-smith-and-the-aclu/
  16.  2023 IRS Form 990 Return: Part VII, Section A: Compensation of Officers.
  17.  “Opinion: Running from the Police is not a Crime.” Deborah Jeon. Maryland Matters. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.marylandmatters.org/2022/12/14/opinion-running-from-the-police-is-not-a-crime/
  18. FEC Individual Contributions Database: Corey Stottlemyer. Accessed May 6, 2024. https://www.fec.gov/data/receipts/individual-contributions/?contributor_name=corey%20stottlemyer
  19. Open Societies Foundation Grants Database: ACLU Foundation of Maryland. Accessed May 8, 2024. https://www.opensocietyfoundations.org/grants/past?filter_keyword=american%20civil%20liberties%20union%20foundation%20of%20maryland%2C%20inc&page=2
  20. IRS Form 990, 2020-2022: Annie E Casey Foundation. Part 3 Section 3, Grants Paid.
  21. 2023 IRS Form 990 Return: Part I, Summary.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: March - February
  • Tax Exemption Received: January 1, 1972

    • Available Filings

    Period Form Type Total revenue Total functional expenses Total assets (EOY) Total liabilities (EOY) Unrelated business income? Total contributions Program service revenue Investment income Comp. of current officers, directors, etc. Form 990
    2020 Mar Form 990 $7,758,403 $3,711,896 $7,565,564 $347,586 N $7,478,454 $258,759 $21,190 $468,530 PDF
    2019 Mar Form 990 $2,892,981 $3,024,033 $3,651,420 $528,325 N $2,729,235 $128,716 $35,030 $629,255 PDF
    2018 Mar Form 990 $2,225,973 $2,583,339 $3,539,866 $321,611 N $1,993,637 $196,345 $35,991 $550,815 PDF
    2017 Mar Form 990 $1,983,862 $2,359,536 $3,879,287 $409,593 N $1,858,940 $80,001 $44,921 $461,369
    2016 Mar Form 990 $2,234,823 $2,448,657 $4,077,652 $401,909 N $1,656,351 $520,478 $57,994 $495,283
    2015 Mar Form 990 $4,170,840 $2,485,648 $4,691,059 $488,342 N $1,938,867 $2,187,110 $44,863 $482,225 PDF
    2014 Mar Form 990 $2,369,418 $2,443,799 $2,845,031 $402,270 N $1,740,181 $605,127 $24,085 $226,764 PDF
    2013 Mar Form 990 $2,316,698 $2,024,673 $2,714,302 $278,581 N $1,570,464 $719,034 $27,199 $211,366 PDF
    2012 Mar Form 990 $1,504,966 $1,826,821 $2,400,476 $314,763 N $1,437,055 $37,209 $29,945 $207,565 PDF
    2011 Mar Form 990 $1,939,245 $1,648,173 $2,650,744 $268,836 N $1,066,703 $841,782 $33,615 $90,358 PDF

    Additional Filings (PDFs)

    ACLU Foundation of Maryland


    Baltimore, MD