RIZE Prevention

What it reported doing in 2025

We provide the iRIZE program, which is an evidence-based approach to primary and secondary prevention for youth. iRIZE was built on our innovative, signature prevention methodology and comprehensive relational system of care model. We provide iRIZE free of charge to middle schools in South Carolina, thanks to grants and donations we receive for this program. Having conducting a 4-year pilot study in collaboration with SC Department of Education and school districts in Upstate SC, we are confident about the efficacy of our evidence-informed approach and our implementation of evidence-based drug prevention programming and peer led social norm interventions. This 4-month program serves students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades. Access to our Community Connector resource tool is given to all students, parents and school staff associated with those schools. We are now piloting our Mission iRIZE initiative to provide our facets of our iRIZE program to high school and college students- via our participation in the SC POWER Collective Co-op for opioid addiction and overdose prevention- along with all our support resources and counseling/coaching services. During the 2025-26 academic year, RIZE Prevention provided the iRIZE program to 20 middle schools and conducted over 50 program presentations for approximately 7,300 students, parents and school staff. For schools that implemented our program with high fidelity, approximately, 89% of 6th graders who received our iRIZE program signed the iRIZE Pledge to be drug-free. Approximately, 85% of 7th graders who received the second-year installation of our program signed the pledge. Approximately, 69% of 8th graders who received the third-year of our program signed the pledge. We provided our Mission iRIZE program to 6 high schools and 1 college, reaching approximately 9,000 students. We also provide one-on-one coaching and licensed clinical counseling to teens, regardless of if they attend a school that receives our iRIZE program. This coaching is administered through our staff members, each of who are IAAMC certified through The Addictions Academy. During the 2025-26 academic year, we coached over 100 teens, 80% of who chose to remain sober and refrain from drug usage after completing the coaching program. That is a 400% increase from the previous year. We also connected multiple youth to outside clinical resources to address substance use and/or co-occurring mental health disorders.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 92.7%; rating input score 93
• Program expense ratio: 77.2%; rating input score 77
• Fundraising efficiency: $16.77 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 51; 51st percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• 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: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • 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: -20%; rating input score 11; 11th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 0.89; rating input score 38; 38th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 39; 39th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 27.6% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 24.7% per year; rating input score 100; 90th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 34.9% per year; rating input score 100; 92nd percentile among comparable filings