American Conservative Union (CPAC): mission, leadership and finances
The American Conservative Union, founded in 1964, which organizes the Conservative Political Action Conference, or CPAC.
Also known as ACU, CPAC, American Conservative Union
Organization
| Founded | 1964 |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | American Conservative Union, Alexandria, Virginia |
| EIN | 52-0810813 |
| Tax status | 501(c)(4) |
| Website | conservative.org |
Finances (IRS Form 990)
| Total revenue | $10.9 million |
|---|---|
| Total expenses | $11.0 million |
| Total assets | $4.3 million |
| Tax year | 2023 |
What it does
The American Conservative Union is a conservative lobbying organization and the organizer of CPAC, the annual conference where conservative leaders speak. It also publishes congressional ratings.
American Conservative Union (CPAC) is listed here in the category "Grassroots and campaigns". A listing on 4conservative.com describes an organization; it is not an endorsement of it or of its positions.
History
It was founded in 1964 by William F. Buckley Jr. and others, after the Goldwater campaign. CPAC began in 1974.
American Conservative Union (CPAC) is a grassroots and campaign organization. It is headquartered in American Conservative Union, Alexandria, Virginia. Its IRS tax status is 501(c)(4). Like other organizations in this collection, it is described here from its own published material and from public records, and the facts on this page are limited to what those sources state.
Leadership and funding
The figures here are for the American Conservative Union; the American Conservative Union Foundation files separately.
The IRS figures on this page come from the latest Form 990 filing that ProPublica's Nonprofit Explorer lists for the organization, for tax year 2023: total revenue of $10.9 million, total expenses of $11.0 million and total assets of $4.3 million at year end. ProPublica lists the filer as American Conservative Union. The figures describe a single tax year and can differ sharply from year to year; check the filing itself and the organization's own site for the current picture.
Where it stands
It supports limited government, free markets and traditional values.
These summaries reflect the organization's own stated mission and publicly known activities as of the date below; they are neutral descriptions, not evaluations. Related organizations on this site include The Heritage Foundation, Club for Growth, FreedomWorks.
Sources
Profile last reviewed November 8, 2026