Montana Meth Project

What it reported doing in 2024

The Montana Meth Project aims to serve all Montanans as the only fully dedicated Meth prevention program in the state. Our prevention efforts are credited with steady declines in first-time teen Meth use in Montana. In response to the growing Fentanyl crisis, we expanded our program last year to include Fentanyl prevention education.Founded in 2005 by businessman Thomas M. Siebel as a private-sector response to a critical public health issue, the Meth Project has been cited by the White House as one of the most effective prevention programs and a model for the nation in addition to being named the 3rd most effective philanthropy in the world by Barrons in its global ranking.As the solely dedicated Meth prevention program in the state, our efforts are vital to ensuring Montana teens are armed with the facts about Meth. In Montana, it has never been more important to keep our Meth prevention message and outreach front and center. According to the Montana Department of Justices Forensic Science Division, Meth remains the drug most frequently encountered by law enforcement and the largest drug threat in Montana. Additionally, the most recent data from the CDCs National Vital Statistics Rapid Release report from May 2023 reports that the rate of drug overdose deaths involving Meth more than quadrupled during the study period from 2016 to 2021. According to the Montana Department of Health and Human Services, in 2020 Meth was found in 48% of drug overdose deaths and $48.5 million was charged by Montana hospitals to treat 4,804 patients for Meth-related admissions and emergency department visits.All Montanans exposed to Meth are at risk if they are not armed with the devastating facts about Meth use. Meth does not discriminate based on age, gender, culture, or race, yet our rural and Native communities are particularly vulnerable as the state is flooded with supply. The days of locally produced Meth in homemade labs are over, and the supply has never been more abundant. The cartels inundate our state with the lowest cost, highest-purity, and most addictive Meth ever seen.Raising awareness about the dangers of Meth and Fentanyl remains critical. These drugs continue to flood Montana at alarming rates. The most recent publicly available data from the Rocky Mountain High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area reports that in the first quarter of 2024, 163,184 Fentanyl dosage units were seized in Montanamore than double the 65,142 seized during the same period in 2023. We deploy our prevention efforts with media campaigns, including NOT EVEN ONCE and ASK ME, that communicate the risks of Meth use; daily social media engagement with our more than 225,000 followers across Instagram, Facebook, and other platforms with content and open discussion about the risks of Meth use; and distribution of the Montana Meth Prevention Lesson Video to middle school and high school students across the state and country. Central to our work is MethProject.org the definitive source for information about Meth. The site serves individuals and organizations dedicated to substance abuse prevention addressing teens most asked questions about Meth with a range of interactive content from animations and quizzes to personal stories.The Montana Meth Prevention Lesson Video is a one-click tool for teachers and homeschool parents to educate students about the facts of Meth use. The video follows original Meth prevention curriculum created by top educators for the Meth Project. Hosted by one of the states top science teachers, the video demonstrates the volatility of the drug, incorporates dynamic animations showing how Meth use affects the mind and body, testimonials from real-life users in recovery, and tips on how to talk to friends and peers about Meth use.Likewise, our newest Fentanyl Prevention Lesson is unique as it is presented by a Montana senior, harnessing the power of peer-to-peer education. In addition to the full 10-minute Prevention Lesson video, our 18-second F

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 100%; rating input score 100
• Program expense ratio: 87.4%; rating input score 87
• Fundraising efficiency: $28.28 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 66; 66th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 2 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 33
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Missing
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Pass
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Missing
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• 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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 5 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 62
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Fail
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Missing
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

• Operating margin: -42.8%; rating input score 6; 6th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.07; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.09; rating input score 27; 27th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 46.1%; rating input score 5; 5th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 3.8% per year; rating input score 100; 49th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: -6.6% per year; rating input score 0; 8th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: -13.3% per year; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings