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Drug Policy Alliance
Drug Policy Alliance reported $12.0 million in revenue and $12.0 million in expenses for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025. Of every $100 it spent, $82.55 went to program services, $4.46 to management and general costs and $12.99 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 97.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $323,198 (EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR). 24 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Revenue fell 23% between FY2020 and FY2025. Source: Form 990, FY2025.
Where $100 of spending went
The fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $12MFor context, the median across 864 covered mental health & crisis intervention charities: $86.13 programs, $13.87 management, $0.00 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).
Where $100 of revenue came from
The fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $12MThe 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades
| Measure | FY2025 | Median |
|---|---|---|
| Program services Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A) | 82.5% | 85.2% |
| Management & general Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A) | 4.5% | 13.7% |
| Fundraising Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A) | 13.0% | 0.0% |
| Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h | $0.13 | $0.00 |
| Contributions & grants share of revenue Part VIII 1h ÷ 12 | 97.9% | 26.4% |
| Government grants share of revenue Part VIII 1e ÷ 12 | 0.0% | 14.5% |
| Program service revenue share Part VIII 2g ÷ 12 | 1.1% | 69.3% |
| Highest reported compensation Part VII-A, columns D–F | $323,198 | $324,111 |
| Highest compensation as share of expenses Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A) | 2.69% | 1.28% |
| People paid over $100,000 Part VII, line 2 | 24 | 8 |
| Net assets, in months of expenses Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses | 16.0 | 6.2 |
| Independent voting board members Part VI 1a–1b | 13 of 13 | 100.0% |
A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.
What the money paid for, in its own words
FY2025 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expenseTreating drug use as a health issuecriminalization is the foundation of the drug war, with vast investments in punishment and scant support for services. As a result, drug possession is one of the most arrested offenses in the united states while overdose is the leading cause of accidental death. Dpa seeks to expand access to health and harm reduction services, and to reduce criminal penalties for drugs. Recent accomplishments include: - securing the launch or expansion of lifesaving harm reduction programs, including fentanyl detecting tools and sterile syringe services- supporting state and…
Advancing justice through cannabis regulation the movement for cannabis legalization has grown exponentially, but the communities that have suffered the most under decades of prohibition are not benefiting from the legal industry at the scale needed to repair the harm. Dpa supports an approach to legalization that centers community reinvestment and reduces the negative impacts of the commercial market. Recent accomplishments include: - influencing the debate on descheduling cannabis on the federal list of controlled substances and ending prohibition more broadly- defending justice provisions…
Promoting family safety and economic security the drug war impacts many aspects of our lives beyond the criminal legal system. Surveillance, nonconsensual drug testing, mandatory reporting, and zero tolerance separates families, makes people homeless, and fuels intergenerational poverty. Dpa seeks to eliminate these civil punishments that cause so much harm and have no grounding in evidence. Recent accomplishments include:- promoting reforms to ensure people with certain drug convictions can access nutrition benefits and protections under the fair housing act- educating the field and the…
Highest reported compensation
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here| Role | From this org | From related orgs | Other | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $278,754 | $0 | $44,444 | $323,198 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR, DEV. & POL. STRATEGY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $227,996 | $0 | $57,788 | $285,784 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR, POLICY Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $193,310 | $0 | $68,470 | $261,780 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR, COMMS & MARKETING Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $195,760 | $0 | $44,364 | $240,124 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR, ORG & STRATEGIC Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $198,123 | $0 | $36,262 | $234,385 |
| MANAGING DIRECTOR, DRAE Highest compensated employee, 40.00 hrs/week | $189,836 | $0 | $35,423 | $225,259 |
| CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Officer, 40.00 hrs/week | $98,408 | $0 | $23,715 | $122,123 |
24 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Drug Policy Alliance (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $606K (Part IX, line 5).
6 years of filings
Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linkedGovernance answers, as filed
FY2025 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means- Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b13 · 13 independent
- Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
- Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
- Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
- Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
- Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
- Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
- Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
- Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
- Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
- Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
- Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4Yes
- Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18Yes
- Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
- Employees Part I, line 553
- Volunteers Part I, line 613
Largest outside contractors
FY2025 · Form 990, Part VII, Section B · businesses only| THE AVALON CONSULTING GROUP INC Fundraising | $389,820 |
| THE PRODUCTION MANAGEMENT GROUP LTD Direct mail | $307,681 |
| BLUE COAST STRATEGIES Lobbying services | $115,000 |
| ENACT CONSULTING LLC Advocacy services | $110,625 |
Individuals listed as contractors are left out. 5 contractors were paid more than $100,000 in all.
Private foundation grants it received
32 private foundations reported grants to Drug Policy Alliance totaling $2.4M on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.
Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.
Correct a figure or respond
Every number above is copied from Drug Policy Alliance's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Drug Policy Alliance, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.
Share or embed this breakdown
Of every $100 Drug Policy Alliance spent in FY2025, $82.55 went to programs. The full breakdown, from its IRS Form 990:
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Similar-sized charities in this cause
- Valley Residential ServicesWalla Walla, WA · revenue $12M · programs 94.0% · 2024
- The Montrose CenterHouston, TX · revenue $12M · programs 81.7% · FY2025
- Community Guidance CenterIndiana, PA · revenue $12M · programs 60.2% · FY2025
- Fall River Deaconess HomeFall River, MA · revenue $12M · programs 92.3% · FY2025
- B&D Integrated Health ServicesDurham, NC · revenue $12M · programs 74.5% · 2024
All mental health & crisis intervention charities · Largest charities in New York
Questions people ask
How much of Drug Policy Alliance's spending goes to programs?
In the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025, Drug Policy Alliance reported that 82.5% of its $12.0 million in expenses went to program services, 4.5% to management and general and 13.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).
How much does Drug Policy Alliance pay its top executive?
The largest total compensation Drug Policy Alliance reported for one person in the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025 was $323,198, for the role of EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).
Where does Drug Policy Alliance get its money?
Of $12.0 million in revenue in the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025, 97.9% came from contributions and grants and 1.1% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).
Is Drug Policy Alliance a registered charity?
The IRS lists EIN 52-1516692 as a 501(c)(3) organization (publicly supported organization (170(b)(1)(a)(vi))), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.
Sources
- FY2025: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2025, object 202620709349300847 · read the filing · XML
- FY2024: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2024, object 202510709349300221 · read the filing
- FY2023: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2023, object 202440969349301339 · read the filing
- FY2022: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2022, object 202310959349301221 · read the filing
- FY2021: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2021, object 202210759349300916 · read the filing
- FY2020: Form 990 for the fiscal year ending May 31, 2020, object 202111059349301581 · read the filing
All filings for EIN 52-1516692: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.