| FORM 990, PART III, LINE 1 |
THE WAR ON DRUGS IS AMONG THE MOST DISASTROUS POLICIES IN THE UNITED STATES. IT IS A MAJOR DRIVER OF CRIMINALIZATION AND OVER-POLICING, WITH A PARTICULARLY DEVASTATING IMPACT ON GENERATIONS OF BLACK, LATINX, AND OTHER PEOPLE OF COLOR. IT IS THE BASIS FOR DEPRIVING HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF AMERICANS OF THE RIGHT TO VOTE. IT IS THE CAUSE FOR DEPORTATION OF TENS OF THOUSANDS OF IMMIGRANTS EACH YEAR. IT IS THE EXCUSE FOR POURING BILLIONS OF DOLLARS INTO BRUTAL MILITARY AND POLICE FORCES IN COUNTRIES FROM MEXICO TO AFGHANISTAN TO THE PHILIPPINES. IT DOES NOTHING TO PREVENT DRUG OVERDOSE DEATHS OR OTHER NEGATIVE CONSEQUENCES OF DRUG MISUSE BUT INSTEAD EXACERBATES THESE VERY REAL PROBLEMS. AND IT FUELS PREJUDICE AGAINST PEOPLE WHO USE DRUGS, ENABLING AND ENCOURAGING THEIR DEHUMANIZATION. DPA ENVISIONS A JUST SOCIETY IN WHICH THE USE AND REGULATION OF DRUGS ARE GROUNDED IN SCIENCE, COMPASSION, HEALTH, AND HUMAN RIGHTS; IN WHICH PEOPLE ARE NO LONGER PUNISHED FOR WHAT THEY PUT INTO THEIR OWN BODIES; AND IN WHICH THE FEARS, PREJUDICES, AND PUNITIVE PROHIBITIONS OF TODAY ARE NO MORE. OUR MISSION IS TO ADVANCE THOSE POLICIES AND ATTITUDES THAT BEST REDUCE THE HARMS OF BOTH DRUG USE AND DRUG PROHIBITION, AND TO PROMOTE THE SOVEREIGNTY OF INDIVIDUALS OVER THEIR MINDS AND BODIES. FOUNDED IN 2000, TODAY WE HAVE FIVE OFFICES, 50 STAFF, 15,000 MEMBERS, 250,000 SUBSCRIBERS TO OUR ONLINE COMMUNICATIONS, AND A GROWING TRACK RECORD OF SUCCESS AT THE MUNICIPAL, STATE, AND FEDERAL LEVELS. WHILE OUR WORK ADDRESSES THE WIDE RANGE OF SOCIAL, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC ISSUES TOUCHED BY THE WAR ON DRUGS, NEARLY ALL OUR EFFORTS FALL UNDER THREE SUBSTANTIVE ISSUE AREAS: 1) REFORMING THE CRIMINAL LEGAL SYSTEM. THE WAR ON DRUGS IS A MAJOR FACTOR DRIVING MASS CRIMINALIZATION AND THE UNPRECEDENTED RATE OF INCARCERATION IN THE U.S. SIMPLE DRUG POSSESSION IS BY FAR THE MOST ARRESTED OFFENSE IN THE COUNTRY, WITH 1.42 MILLION ARRESTS IN 2018 ALONE. DPA SUPPORTS DECRIMINALIZING DRUG USE AND POSSESSION, STOPPING OVER-POLICING, AND ROLLING BACK EXCESSIVE PUNISHMENTS. AT THE SAME TIME, WE SEEK TO BROADEN THE CONVERSATION AROUND THE DRUG WAR TO PUT A SPOTLIGHT ON THE FULL ARRAY OF HARMS IT CAUSES IN THE REALMS OF IMMIGRATION, HOUSING, CHILD WELFARE, AND MORE. 2) PROMOTING HEALTH-CENTERED RESPONSES TO DRUG USE. THE WAR ON DRUGS TREATS DRUG USE PRIMARILY AS A CRIMINAL PROBLEM RATHER THAN A HEALTH ISSUE, CAUSING NEEDLESS DEATH, DISEASE, AND SUFFERING. MORE THAN 67,000 PEOPLE DIED OF AN OVERDOSE IN 2018 MAKING IT THE LEADING CAUSE OF ACCIDENTAL DEATH IN THE COUNTRY. DPA PROVIDES ALTERNATIVE MODELS TO CRIMINALIZATION AND ADVOCATES HARM REDUCTION POLICIES, SYRINGE ACCESS, EFFECTIVE DRUG TREATMENT, AND OTHER EVIDENCE-BASED INTERVENTIONS TO MINIMIZE THE NEGATIVE HEALTH CONSEQUENCES OF DRUG MISUSE. WE ALSO OFFER A SCIENCE-BASED CURRICULUM FOR YOUTH DRUG EDUCATION, SAFETY FIRST. 3) ENDING CANNABIS PROHIBITION AND REPAIRING HARMS. CANNABIS PROHIBITION DIRECTLY HARMS MORE PEOPLE THAN ANY OTHER SINGLE DRUG POLICY. EVEN AS MORE STATES CREATE LEGAL MARIJUANA MARKETS, MORE THAN 600,000 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED FOR POSSESSION IN 2018. THE CONSEQUENCES CAN BE SEVERE, INCLUDING JOB LOSS, INELIGIBILITY FOR PUBLIC HOUSING AND OTHER SOCIAL SERVICES, DENIAL OF STUDENT AID, SEPARATION OF FAMILIES, AND DEPORTATION. DPA ADVOCATES FOR A SENSIBLE APPROACH TO LEGALIZATION THAT ADVANCES SOCIAL JUSTICE AND RACIAL EQUITY. IN PLACES WHERE LEGALIZATION IS NOT YET POLITICALLY FEASIBLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE HIT HARD BY PROHIBITION SUCH AS THE SOUTH AND MIDWEST, WE SUPPORT CAMPAIGNS TO ESTABLISH MEDICAL ACCESS. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 11B |
DPA ENGAGED AN OUTSIDE ACCOUNTING FIRM TO PREPARE OUR FORM 990. ONCE THE FORM IS PREPARED, IT IS FORWARDED TO MANAGEMENT FOR THEIR INITIAL REVIEW FOR COMPLIANCE WITH THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HIS REVIEW. ONCE ANY QUESTIONS OR CONCERNS ARE ADDRESSED, MANAGEMENT THEN FORWARDS THE RETURN TO THE FULL BOARD BY EMAIL OR PAPER COPY FOR THEIR REVIEW. ANY QUESTIONS FROM BOARD MEMBERS ARE DIRECTED BY THE BOARD PRESIDENT TO STAFF OR TO THE ACCOUNTING FIRM, AS APPROPRIATE. ONCE ALL QUESTIONS FROM THE BOARD ARE SATISFACTORILY RESOLVED, THE FINANCE STAFF THEN CARRIES OUT A FINAL REVIEW, PAGE BY PAGE, TO VERIFY ALL CHANGES HAVE BEEN INCORPORATED. THE FINISHED FORM 990 IS THEN SUBMITTED BY MANAGEMENT TO THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR FOR HIS APPROVAL, AND THE FINALIZED FORM 990 IS THEN FILED WITH THE IRS. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 12C |
DPA REQUIRES EACH BOARD MEMBER, OFFICER, AND KEY EMPLOYEE ANNUALLY (1) TO REVIEW THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY; (2) TO DISCLOSE ANY POSSIBLE PERSONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST. THE CONFLICT OF INTEREST DOCUMENT IS FORWARDED TO THE BOARD MEMBER, OFFICER, AND KEY EMPLOYEE FOR THEIR REVIEW AND SIGNATURE. IF IT IS ESTABLISHED THAT AN ACTUAL CONFLICT EXISTS, THE INDIVIDUAL WILL BE NOTIFIED IMMEDIATELY AND WILL NOT BE ALLOWED TO VOTE OR BE A PART OF ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT ANY SUCH TRANSACTIONS THAT HAVE TO DO WITH THE CONFLICT UNTIL THE CONFLICT IS RESOLVED. THE BOARD MEMBER WILL HAVE TO EXCUSE HIMSELF FROM THE MEETING AND ALLOW THE OTHER BOARD MEMBERS TO VOTE ON THE ISSUE. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION B, LINE 15A |
THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE (DPA) DETERMINE ANNUALLY THE COMPENSATION OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR. THE DPA COMMITTEE UTILIZE SURVEYS OF SIMILAR ORGANIZATIONS, COMPENSATION EXPERTS AND /OR ANY OTHER INPUT THE COMMITTEE DEEMS APPROPRIATE. THE COMPENSATION DECISION IS THEN E-MAILED TO HR FOR PAYROLL UPDATES AND RECORD KEEPING. THE ADOPTED COMPENSATION POLICY SHALL BE REVIEWED AND APPROVED BY THE BOARD, OR AT ITS DISCRETION BY AN APPROPRIATE COMMITTEE, NO LESS THAN ONCE EVERY THREE YEARS. THIS PROCESS WAS LAST COMPLETED FISCAL YEAR 2019. |
| FORM 990, PART VI, SECTION C, LINE 19 |
DRUG POLICY ALLIANCE MAKES ITS FORM 990 AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AS REQUIRED UNDER SECTION 6104 OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE CODE BY POSTING IT ON THEIR WEBSITE AS WELL AS GUIDESTAR.ORG AND OTHER SIMILAR WEBSITES. THE 990 IS ALSO MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST BY WRITING OR CALLING THE ORGANIZATION DIRECTLY. THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS ARE MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC UPON REQUEST BY WRITING OR CALLING THE ORGANIZATION DIRECTLY. HOWEVER, THE GOVERNING DOCUMENTS AND CONFLICT OF INTEREST POLICY ARE NOT MADE AVAILABLE TO THE PUBLIC. |
| FORM 990, PART XI, LINE 9: |
RESCINDED GRANTS -68,403. |
| FORM 990, PART XII, LINE 2C: |
THE ORGANIZATION DOES HAVE A COMMITTEE THAT ASSUMES RESPONSIBILITY FOR OVERSIGHT OF THE AUDIT AND SELECTION OF AN INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANT. THE ORGANIZATIONS OVERSIGHT PROCESS HAS NOT CHANGED DURING THE TAX YEAR. |
Attach to Form 990 or 990-EZ.