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Non-profit

Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)

Website:

www.cpac.org%20
Location:

New York, NY
Tax ID:

27-2402908
Tax-Exempt Status:

501(c)(3)

Budget (2023):

Revenue: $3,674,570
Expenses: $3,441,405
Assets: $5,051,462
Type:

Nonprofit
Chair:

Matt Schlapp

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The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is an annual political conference hosted by the American Conservative Union (ACU), which also uses the CPAC acronym for itself. 1 Matt Schlapp, a former official in the George W. Bush administration, is the chair of both CPAC and the ACU. 2

Background

The first CPAC was held in 1974 to rebuild and refocus the conservative movement after the division created from the Watergate scandal, the forced resignation of Vice President Spiro Agnew, and the uncertainty of the 1974 congressional elections. Organized by the American Conservative Union (ACU) and Young Americans for Freedom, CPAC 1974 featured then-Governor Ronald Reagan (R-CA) as a speaker. Other speakers included prominent figures in the developing conservative movement, including Paul Weyrich, co-founder of the Heritage Foundation; Richard Viguerie, former executive secretary of Young Americans for Freedom; and Morton Blackwell, founder and president of the Leadership Institute. 3

Activities

The Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) is an annual political conference that claims to be the “most influential gathering of conservatives in the world.” Organized and hosted by the American Conservative Union (ACU), CPAC is attended by conservative activists and officials and features prominent conservative speakers from the U.S. and abroad.  1 Notable speakers at CPAC 2025 included President Donald Trump, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), U.K. Reform Party Leader Nigel Farage, and Vice President J.D. Vance. 4

CPAC conducts a straw poll at its annual meeting to gauge the feelings of the conservative movement. Among questions on a variety of issues, the poll solicits opinion on who the next conservative candidate for president should be. 5

Funding

CPAC is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses to its parent organization, the American Conservative Union (ACU), also referred to as the CPAC Foundation. 6

Tickets to CPAC USA 2026 ranged from $47 for an individual general ticket to $1,500 for a VIP+ ticket, with less expensive options for youth and more expensive tickets that included the Ronald Reagan Dinner and the Women’s Breakfast. A Platinum Plus Ticket to CPAC 2026 is listed at $30,000. 7

The CPAC Action PAC, formerly called the American Conservative Union (ACU) PAC, is a hybrid PAC that was registered with the Federal Election Commission (FEC) in 1980. In the two-year period 2023 to 2024, the PAC received over $3.9 million in contributions from individual donors. From those contributions, CPAC Action PAC contributed $84,500 to candidates running for U.S. Senate and House seats and spent over $3.5 million on operating expenses. 8

Leadership

As of 2025, Matt Schlapp was serving as the chair of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and the American Conservative Union (ACU). Schlapp is a Republican political consultant and strategist and the principal of Cove Strategies. Shlapp formerly worked as deputy political director to former President George W. Bush and as vice president of federal affairs at Koch Industries. 2

References

  1. “About.” CPAC. Accessed September 23, 2025. https://www.cpac.org/us/about.
  2. “Matthew Schlapp.” Ballotpedia. Accessed September 24, 2025. https://ballotpedia.org/Matthew_Schlapp.
  3. “CPAC Over 30 Years: Conservatives Have Come a Long Way.” Human Events, February 3, 2003. Archived from the original March 18, 2022. Accessed September 29, 2025. https://web.archive.org/web/20220318010219/https://archive.humanevents.com/2003/02/03/cpac-over-30-yearsbrconservatives-have-come-a-long-way/.
  4. “Speakers.” CPAC. Accessed September 29, 2025. https://www.cpac.org/speakers-dc2025.
  5. Manchester, Julia. “Vance is overwhelming favorite to be Trump’s successor in CPAC straw poll.” The Hill, February 22, 2025. Accessed September 29, 2025. https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/5159257-trump-successor-vance-maga-poll/.
  6. “Donate.” CPAC. Accessed September 23, 2025. https://secure.conservative.org/invest?utm_source=main&utm_medium=web&utm_campaign=header-btn.
  7. “CPAC USA 2026.” CPAC. Accessed September 23, 2025. https://secure.cpac.org/w/event/67b946b1992b0c6bf3352dbb/?tt=all2026&usa26source=main&page_id=67b946b2d779b9543e99462e.
  8. “CPAC Action PAC: Financial Summary.” Federal Election Commission. Accessed September 23, 2025. https://www.fec.gov/data/committee/C00130658/?cycle=2024.
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Nonprofit Information

  • Accounting Period: December - November
  • Tax Exemption Received: April 1, 2011

    • 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
    2023 Dec Form 990 $3,674,570 $3,441,405 $5,051,462 $235,624 N $3,474,081 $41,200 $159,289 $315,000
    2022 Dec Form 990 $3,662,189 $2,542,443 $4,688,225 $105,552 N $3,088,282 $525,000 $0 $300,000 PDF
    2021 Dec Form 990 $4,040,547 $2,157,394 $3,540,306 $77,379 N $4,035,210 $4,091 $0 $220,000
    2020 Dec Form 990 $2,043,562 $1,719,589 $1,695,826 $116,052 N $2,032,359 $7,986 $0 $210,000
    2019 Dec Form 990 $2,022,560 $1,876,170 $1,424,475 $168,674 N $1,997,660 $13,600 $0 $0 PDF
    2018 Dec Form 990 $1,678,510 $1,359,880 $1,384,434 $275,023 N $1,671,173 $5,987 $0 $200,000 PDF
    2017 Dec Form 990 $1,392,062 $1,137,963 $1,082,069 $291,289 N $1,379,212 $12,099 $254 $200,000 PDF
    2016 Dec Form 990 $1,032,741 $700,703 $792,477 $255,796 N $1,027,751 $4,660 $0 $326,875 PDF
    2015 Dec Form 990 $370,095 $409,605 $430,648 $226,005 N $345,868 $24,227 $0 $140,000 PDF
    2014 Dec Form 990 $693,471 $291,904 $527,969 $283,816 N $666,013 $27,374 $84 $0 PDF
    2013 Dec Form 990 $289,603 $255,801 $128,981 $286,395 N $273,684 $5,887 $0 $38,462 PDF
    2012 Dec Form 990 $358,939 $406,215 $162,903 $354,119 N $335,128 $23,811 $0 $118,270 PDF
    2011 Dec Form 990EZ $118,120 $358,513 $42,569 $253,329 $0 $0 $0 $0 PDF
    2010 Dec Form 990 $224,355 $194,722 $38,809 $9,176 N $72,350 $152,005 $0 $83,333 PDF

    Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC)

    633 3RD AVE FL 21
    New York, NY 10017-8157