Hands Across Cultures Inc

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
850414715
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2025
Forms available
Form 990 2025, Form 990-EZ 2020
Location
Espanola, NM, USA
Phone
5057477290
Rating
77
Verdict
SUPPORTED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Alcohol, Drug Abuse, Prevention Only

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$596,328
Expenses
$570,114
Assets
$245,913
Liabilities
$28,763

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Amounts in USD.

Leadership & pay

8 people listed

Executive titles in this filing

  • SAMMY QUINTANA (President)
  • ADAN BACA (Vice President)

Highest reported compensation

  • DIEGO LOPEZ (Executive Dir.): $151,469 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2025. Names and roles reflect this filing, not necessarily current officeholders.

Overview

Mission

Development and implementation of special alcohol, tobacco, and other drug abuse (atod) prevention treatment, cultural diversity, economic development, violence prevention and bicultural programs and services.

What it reported doing in 2025

Increased community collaboration by utilizing evidence-based, seven strategies of community level change including the implementation of the enhance skills strategy. We collaborated to hold and attend workshops, seminars, or activities designed to increase the skills of participants, members and staff: collaboration and coordination with community members, agencies, organizations, law enforcement, government, and other agencies.hands accross cultures assisted in accomplishing reducing youth substance use through identifying several measurable objectives al derived from data identified in our annual community assessment. We facilitated local coalitions to prioritize pressing data and identify problem areas in terms of substance abuse. Based on a criteria, we identified objectives that we felt were doable and manageable given the resources and manpower available.we identified the following strategies to implement and provide evidence-based approaches. Change consequences, reduce access, modify/change policy, provide information and provide support. We constructed media messages to increase perception of harm and perception of risk with regards to youth alcohol use and dwi, as well as, the abuse of prescription pills. Hands accross cultures also collaborated with several law enforcement entities to inform the community about prescription pill take back days and safety resources. We also assisted in strengthening school policy with regards to enforcement of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs.hands across cultures and coalition partners publicized law enforcement efforts and consequences for breaking alcohol and drug laws. We also publicized the dangers of abusing prescription pills and opioids.we also engaged youth and community alike in cultural art and video projects where we highlighted positive elements. We emphasized aspects of the various cultures encompassed in northern New Mexico to illuminate social issues concerning the community. We worked in northern santa fe county and southern rio arriba county in collaboration with project race, espanola ymca, rio arriba joint task force and dwi planning council, santa fe prevention alliance, teen court, national latino behavioral health association, connecting our voices workgroup and youth council, the rio arriba community health council, 100% rio arriba (100% New Mexico initiative), the lanl foundation and the drug enforcement administration. We aimed to increase protective factors for youth through positive, pro social events and activities strengthening bonds with family, mentors, community and culture. We implement evidence-based prevention strategies, activities and programs. We also adapt to the cultural sensitivity that our community needs.hands across cultures also produced important community documentaries and narrative films and campaigns highlighting paths to prevention, tretment and recovery including: "the way we carry water and rio arriba rising", a community-driven initiative highlighting the voices, resilience and recovery efforts of rio arriba county.hands across cultures facilitated the rio arriba community health council to increase access to important services across rio arriba and northern santa fe counties, as well as, reduce the misuse of fentanyl amongst teens and adults. We worked in collaboration with the rio arriba community health council and law enforcement to reduce opioid and polystustance related overdoses via prevention strategies.

Operating model

Revenue model
Grant-funded. 95% of the money available for current operations came from government grants.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

The verdict

SUPPORTED - A large share of available resources goes toward mission work and the filed numbers largely add up. Some filing-based governance responses are negative or unanswered and expenses are high relative to revenue.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 84
  • Transparency & Controls: 70
  • Accountability: 79
  • Sustainability: 32
  • Growth: 100

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 84.7%; rating input score 85
  • Program expense ratio: 88.6%; rating input score 89
  • Fundraising efficiency: $32.75 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: 1 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 17
    • Compensation committee: Missing
    • Independent consultant: Missing
    • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
    • Written employment contract: Missing
    • Compensation survey or study: Pass
    • Board or committee approval: Missing
  • Foreign activity oversight: Limited
  • Grant itemization coverage: Limited
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 4 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 50
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Pass
    • Document-retention policy: Pass
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Fail
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 4.4%; rating input score 43; 43rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.43; rating input score 22; 22nd percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.12; rating input score 33; 33rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 26.6%; rating input score 10; 10th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: 32.3% per year; rating input score 100; 89th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 1% per year; rating input score 100; 15th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 5.7% per year; rating input score 100; 38th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 84.7% of revenue deployed · 88.6% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 7 of 7 board members independent · 4 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $505K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $151K · 8 people listed · 1 of 6 pay-setting controls reported
  • Consistency: 26 of 26 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors and executive pay
  • Filing history: 6 filing years from 2010 to 2025
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 2 filed money-flow records
  • Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
  • People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • Review — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Operating margin scored 43/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Total-asset coverage ratio scored 22/100.
  • High — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 10/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Liabilities to assets ratio scored 33/100.