Advocacy Grants Program: Advancing Drug Policy Through Partnership & Community Engagement

Attendees of “NOT ONE STEP BACK," a panel discussion led by our partners during our annual Policy Change Partners Gathering.

The Drug Policy Alliance’s (DPA) Advocacy Grants Program has been making small grants to grassroots organizations working on drug policy reform since 2005. The main fund within this program is Promoting Policy Change, an annual cycle that provides general operating support to proven drug policy reform organizations.

The Advocacy Grants Program funding priorities are guided by DPA’s mission to advance 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.

We are currently interested in efforts that prioritize:

  • Eliminating or reducing criminal penalties for drug possession, and reducing the role of the criminal justice system as a response to drug use and sales.
  • Promoting health–centered drug policies by advocating for services such as treatment on demand, supervised consumption services, drug maintenance therapies, syringe access programs, and other innovative harm reduction approaches.
  • Advancing equitable marijuana policy reform, including: decriminalization, medical use, legalization for adult personal use, record sealing and expungement.
  • Developing public education initiatives directed at a wide range of audience that promote responsible, reparative and just solutions to ending the drug war.
  • Promoting leadership and expertise of those directly impacted by the drug war, including individuals associated with drugs and drug usage, individuals incarcerated for association with drugs, and communities of color.
  • Organizing groups most directly affected by the drug war – including formerly incarcerated persons; communities of color; women, trans, and gender–nonconforming individuals; immigrant communities; and under-resourced communities.

Apply for a Grant

Promoting Policy Change

Through Promoting Policy Change we seek to build beneficial, collaborative relationships between DPA and our funded partners. Through the partnership we support capacity-building, information sharing, and technical assistance. We encourage collaboration between partners, host an annual partners gathering, and bring partners to the biennial International Drug Policy Reform Conference. The annual application cycle begins each spring.

Apply for a PPC grant

See a list of our current PPC partners

Restrictions

  • The Advocacy Grants Program only accepts grant proposals from 501(c)3 non-profit organizations or organizations with a fiscal sponsor that has a 501(c)3.
  • The Advocacy Grants Program does not support:
    • International organizations
    • Individuals
    • Direct service
    • Fundraising events
    • Production of videos or films
    • Academic, research or journalistic projects
    • Punitive, abstinence-only treatment programs or advocacy for such programs

If you have any questions about the Advocacy Grants Program, please email us at grants@drugpolicy.org.