Council for Drug Free Youth
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
MOTIVATE, EDUCATE, AND COLLABORATE TO PROMOTE HEALTHY DRUG FREE LIFESTYLES AMONG YOUTH IN MID-MISSOURI.
- Income
- $333,036
- Spending
- $344,658
- Spent on programs
- 65%
- Reserves
- 4.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 51%
- Employees
- 2
- Highest pay
- $54,654, executive dir.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 78 out of 100.
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 4.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 2% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 3% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 5% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1565% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 60 out of 100.
Independent board
25 of 259 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
0 of 15Reports no written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
0 of 5Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
0 of 5Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (16)
- $199,849 spent. GENERAL PROGRAM IS THE PLANNING, COORDINATION, SUPPORT, AND EVALUATION WORK THAT IS REQUIRED FOR THE SUCCESS OF ALL OF THE PROGRAMS, INCLUDING RESEARCH AND TRAINING REGARDING NEW AND MODIFIED PROGRAMS.
- $6,500 spent. TEAM CHALLENGE IS A ONE DAY FACILITATED PROGRAM FOR 8TH GRADE STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM, ESTABLISHED IN 1998, NETWORKS WITH THE MISSOURI NATIONAL GUARD TO FOCUS ON TEAM BUILDING. SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: EDUCATION ON METH, ALCOHOL, AND MARIJUANA, THE IMPORTANCE OF TEAM BUILDING, DECISION MAKING, INFORMATION REGARDING THE NATIONAL GUARD, LEARNING TO WORK TOGETHER TO ACCOMPLISH GOALS AND OBJECTIVES.
- $4,500 spent. BASELINE IS A PROGRAM THAT IS FACILITATED OVER 3 DAYS FOR 9TH GRADE STUDENTS. THE PROGRAM, ESTABLISHED IN 1989, WAS DEVELOPED BY THE KAUFMANN FOUNDATION TO FOCUS ON ALCOHOL ABUSE AND PREVENTION EDUCATION. THE PROGRAM EMPHASIZES INFORMATION CONCERNING THE CONSEQUENCES OF ACTIONS, PERCEPTIONS VS REALITY OF DRUG USE, PRIORITIES IN LIFE, BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION AND THE IMPORTANCE OF ADHERING TO PERSONAL ATTITUDES AND VALUES DESPITE THE TENDENCIES OF THE CROWD.
- $3,500 spent. SAFETY KIDS CONSISTS OF A PEER TO PEER PERFORMANCE GROUP THAT OFFERS 5TH GRADE PERFORMERS AN OPPORTUNITY TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP AND INFORMATION REGARDING THE CONSEQUENCES OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL TO CHILDREN IN GRADES K-5. THE PROGRAM HELPS INCREASE YOUTH COMMITMENT TO LIVE DRUG FREE. THIS PROGRAM ALSO HEIGHTENS COMMUNITY AWARENESS OF PREVENTION EDUCATION AND THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY CDFY. THIS IS THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE CDFY PROGRAM AS MOST PEOPLE HAVE HEARD OF THE SAFETY KIDS.
- $3,000 spent. SHOW ME PLAYERS IS A PEER TO PEER PROGRAM,WHICH EMPOWERS 7TH GRADE STUDENT LEADERS AS THEY PRESENT TO AREA 4TH AND 5TH GRADE STUDENTS REGARDING THE CHALLENGES OF MIDDLE SCHOOL ALONG WITH THE IMPORTANCE OF STAYING AWAY FROM ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, AND OTHER DRUGS. THE PROGRAM IS INTERACTIVE AND ALSO EMPHASIZES ANTI-BULLYING. THIS PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE LEADERSHIP SKILLS AND CHARACTER TO THE 7TH GRADE STUDENTS AS WELL AS THOSE TO WHOM THEY ARE PRESENTING. THE PROGRAM HELPS INCREASE YOUTH COMMITMENT TO LIVE DRUG FREE.
- $3,000 spent. UPLIFT IS A 9TH GRADE PEER TO PEER PROGRAM PRESENTING TO 6TH GRADE STUDENTS. THE UPLIFT PROGRAM IS AN INTERACTIVE PROGRAM FOCUSED ON YOUTH EMPOWERMENT TO ACHIEVE SUCCESS WITHOUT THE USE OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL. 9TH GRADE STUDENTS PERFORM SELF-CREATED PSAS INVOLVING TEEN ISSUES FOR 6TH GRADE STUDENTS. AFTER THEY PRESENT THE VIDEOS THE 9TH GRADERS FACILITATE SMALL GROUP DISCUSSION SURROUNDING A SPECIFIC SUBSTANCE AND WORK WITH THE 6TH GRADE STUDENTS TO CREATE THEIR OWN PSA. THIS PROGRAM ADDRESSES ISSUES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND OTHER TOPICS INCLUDING PARENTAL RELATIONSHIPS, ABUSE, BULLYING, CYBER BULLYING, PREJUDICE, THE IMPORTANCE OF SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT, AND MAKING GOOD CHOICES. THE PROGRAM HELPS ESTABLISH A POSITIVE LEADERSHIP COHORT AMONG THE 9TH GRADE STUDENTS, PROMOTES CHARACTER, AND DEMONSTRATES THE VALUE OF COMMUNITY SERVICE. PEER TO PEER EDUCATION ESPECIALLY BETWEEN MIDDLE SCHOOL AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS IS EVIDENCED TO BE EFFECTIVE.
- $2,500 spent. SCHOLARSHIPS
- $2,000 spent. COPE IS A ONE-DAY PULL OUT PROGRAM FOR ALL 7TH GRADE PUBLIC AND PAROCHIAL SCHOOL STUDENTS IN THE COLE AND OSAGE COUNTY AREA. COPE TEACHES DECISION MAKING TECHNIQUES, TOBACCO, MARIJUANA, AND ALCOHOL FACTS, DRUG ADVERTISING TECHNIQUES, CULTURAL DIFFERENCES, COMMUNICATION SKILLS, PERSONALITY COMPREHENSION, AND TEAM BUILDING SKILLS. THE PROGRAM WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1999.
- TOBACCO PREVENTION PROGRAM IS A FACILITATED PROGRAM PRESENTED TO 3RD GRADE STUDENTS WHICH DEMONSTRATES IN AN ENGAGING MANNER THE DANGEROUS EFFECTS OF TOBACCO ON THE HUMAN BODY. THE PROGRAM IS VERY INTERACTIVE AND SPONSORED IN COLLABORATION WITH JCMG, SSM HEALTH, AND CAPITAL REGION MEDICAL CENTER. THIS PROGRAM WAS STARTED BY CDFY IN 2006 AND THE COMMUNITY NEED ADDRESSED IS SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION, SPECIFICALLY UNDERAGE TOBACCO USAGE, BY INFORMING STUDENTS OF THE DANGERS OF TOBACCO, THE INGREDIENTS, AS WELL AS THE HARMS OF SECOND HAND SMOKE, CHEW, CIGARETTES, AND CIGARS. THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES NEW KNOWLEDGE FOR THE YOUNG STUDENTS, INVOLVING INCREASED UNDERSTANDING, CHANGED ATTITUDES/VALUES, AND MODIFIED BEHAVIORS. IT IS AN INITIAL INTRODUCTION TO A DRUG FREE LIFESTYLE, WHICH ALSO EDUCATES AND PROVIDES AN OPPORTUNITY FOR SCHOOL PERSONNEL TO IDENTIFY STUDENTS WITH NEEDS.
- OC-ADCAT OSAGE COUNTY ANTI-DRUG COMMUNITY ACTION TEAM (OC-ADCAT) IS A GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION SERVING OVER 13,700 RESIDENTS AND MORE THAN 3,600 STUDENTS WITHIN OSAGE COUNTY. OC-ADCAT WAS CREATED TO BE AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE FOR SUBSTANCE ABUSE PREVENTION, EDUCATION, AND RECOVERY: CHANGING LIVES, SAVING FUTURES. WORKING TO CHANGE LIVES BY EMPOWERING COMMUNITIES TO COMBAT SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND ITS RELATED PROBLEMS AT HOME, SCHOOL, AND WORK WITH PROVEN, PRACTICAL RESOURCES, IN PREVENTION, EDUCATION, RECOVERY, AND ADVOCACY.
- VIDEO CONTEST DESIGNED TO EMPOWER YOUTH BY PROVIDING AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE A VIDEO THAT DETAILS THE DANGERS OF DRUGS AND ALCOHOL USE. THE "DRUGS DESTROY YOUR DREAMS" VIDEO CONTEST IS DESIGNED TO GIVE YOUTH THE OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE THEIR OWN VIDEO ILLUSTRATING HOW DESTRUCTIVE DRUGS CAN BE AND EMPHASIZING WHAT THEY DO TO AVOID DRUGS. ALL ENTRIES ARE CONSIDERED PROPERTY OF CDFY AND ELIGIBLE FOR USE IN MEDIA CAMPAIGNS AND PSAs.
- SECOND CHANCE IS AN EARLY INTERVENTION PROGRAM THAT HELPS REDUCE UNDERAGE ALCOHOL AND DRUG USE. SECOND CHANCE IS A PROGRAM THAT EMPOWERS FAMILIES WITH HOPE; OFFERING INSIGHT INTO FAMILY DYNAMICS AND A NEW SET OF TOOLS TO HELP WITH COMMUNICATION AND PREVENTION. THE SCHOOLS THROUGHOUT MID-MISSOURI ARE WORKING TOGETHER TO PROVIDE EARLY INTERVENTION TO TEENS AND THEIR PARENTS BY PROVIDING CLASSES FACILITATED BY SUBSTANCE ABUSE PROFESSIONALS ALLOWING THE STUDENT TO ACQUIRE SKILLS IN MAKING HEALTHY FUTURE CHOICES. THE PROGRAM IS DESIGNED TO GIVE YOUTH AN ALTERNATIVE TO THE DIRE CONSEQUENCES OF SUBSTANCE ABUSE AND PROVIDE SOLUTIONS TO LONG TERM SUSPENSION. THE PROGRAM CONSISTS OF 6 CLASSES ON A ROTATING SCHEDULE FACILITATED BY A LICENSED COUNSELOR IN A DYNAMIC FORMAT THAT ENGAGES BOTH PARENTS AND YOUTH, SIMULTANEOUSLY. SPECIFIC BEHAVIORAL SUPPORTS AND PROTECTIVE FACTORS ARE ADDRESSED DURING THE GROUP SESSIONS. AREAS OF DISCUSSION INCLUDE RELAPSE PREVENTION, INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, SOCIAL SUPPORT GROUPS AND SELF-HELP GROUPS, ABUSE/DEPENDENCY AND ADDICTION ISSUES, COMMUNICATION, SOCIAL SITUATIONS, STRESS, DECISION MAKING, OWNERSHIP, NEGATIVE THINKING, SELF-WORTH, TREATMENT REFERRALS, AND WHY KIDS DO DRUGS!
- ANNUAL BANQUET IS AN EVENT IN WHICH COUNCIL FOR DRUG FREE YOUTH RECOGNIZES DRUG FREE SENIORS IN HIGH SCHOOL THAT HAVE WRITTEN ABOUT HOW/WHY THEY STAY DRUG FREE, HOW THEY PLAN TO DO SO UNTIL THEY ARE 21, AND HOW THEY WOULD SOLVE THE DRUG PROBLEM IN OUR COMMUNITY. THE PEER TO PEER PERFORMANCE GROUPS; SAFETY KIDS, SHOW ME PLAYERS, AND UPLIFT WILL EXPLAIN HOW THE PROGRAM HAS POSITIVELY IMPACTED THEIR LIFE TO THE COMMUNITY AND WE PRESENT A BRIEF VIDEO OF THEIR PERFORMANCES. WE PROVIDE DINNER FOR ALL THE YOUTH IN CONJUNCTION WITH SUPPORT FROM OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS; SSM HEALTH AND CAPITAL REGION MEDICAL CENTER. WE ALSO RECOGNIZE A VOLUNTEER, LAW ENFORCEMENT REPRESENTATIVE, AND BUSINESS PARTNER AT THIS EVENT.
- LUNG AND BRAIN RENTAL IS A SERVICE THAT OFFERS ORGANIZATIONS THE OPPORTUNITY TO BORROW THE LUNGS AND/OR BRAIN FOR DISPLAY AT VARIOUS EVENTS IN THEIR COMMUNITY. THESE EVENTS MAY INCLUDE HEALTH FAIRS, SCHOOL HEALTHY DAYS, OR OTHER EVENTS PROMOTING SUBSTANCE USE PREVENTION.
- YOUTH COMMITTEE IS MADE UP OF HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS FROM THE LOCAL AREA. THEIR GOAL IS TO ENGAGE THE COMMUNITY IN VARIOUS ACTIVITIES AND VOLUNTEERING OPPORTUNITIES WHILE PROMOTING A HEALTHY LIFESTYLE AND POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT TO THEIR PEERS. BY OFFERING POSITIVE EXPERIENCES, RELATIONSHIPS, AND ENVIRONMENTS, THE COMMITTEE AIMS TO ENCOURAGE POSITIVE YOUTH DEVELOPMENT IN THE COMMUNITY. THE MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE WILL BE INVOLVED IN DECISION-MAKING PROCESSES WITHIN SCHOOLS, COMMUNITIES, GOVERNMENT, AND OTHER ORGANIZATIONS TO PROTECT AND SECURE THE FUTURE OF THE YOUTH. THE COMMITTEE PROVIDES ITS MEMBERS WITH OPPORTUNITIES TO DEVELOP LEADERSHIP AND LIFE-BUILDING SKILLS THAT THEY CAN USE TO GUIDE AND SUPPORT THEIR PEERS IN THE COMMUNITY. THE YOUTH COMMITTEE WELCOMES AND BRINGS TOGETHER YOUNG PEOPLE FROM ALL BACKGROUNDS IN MID-MISSOURI TO WORK TOWARDS COMMON GOALS AND IDEAS.
- PEER-TO-PEER PROGRAMS ARE FACILITATED BY STUDENTS, FOR STUDENTS. THEY ARE PERFORMED ON-SITE AT ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOLS. STUDENTS IN VARIOUS GROUPS PERFORM SKITS AND SONGS THAT DEMONSTRATE HOW TO SAY NO TO ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, BULLYING, SUICIDE, AND VIOLENCE PREVENTION. THEY ALSO ADDRESS PARENTAL CONFLICT, DEPRESSION, AND SUICIDE PREVENTION. IN 2023, APPROXIMATELY 2,600 STUDENTS WERE SERVED IN 2 COUNTIES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated November 6, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since May 1998.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated November 4, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.