Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts
The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts (FORE) is an independent, private, national grantmaking foundation established in 2018 to address the nation's opioid and drug overdose crisis. Based in New York, NY, FORE operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to finding and fostering innovative solutions to this public health challenge. The foundation employs approximately 7 staff members and functions as a national grantmaking organization that considers proposals from U.S.-based 501(c)(3) organizations.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$102.2M
-1.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$9.0M
+33.2% YoY
Grant Count
69
+7.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$131K
+23.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
FORE's mission is to convene and support partners advancing patient-centered, innovative, evidence-based solutions addressing the opioid crisis. The foundation focuses on four key strategic areas:
- Professional Education — Educating health care and other professionals about prevention and evidence-based treatment
- Payer & Provider Strategies — Developing sustainable prevention, treatment, and recovery models
- Policy Initiatives — Informing state and federal policies to ensure access to care
- Public Awareness — Raising public awareness of effective strategies for curtailing the crisis
FORE supports initiatives addressing opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdoses across the continuum of prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery. The foundation prioritizes populations and communities at highest risk of mortality and with higher barriers to services, including communities of color, justice-involved populations, women, pregnant and parenting individuals, young people, and rural communities.
The foundation also supports ethnographic and toxicologic investigations to understand drug use and improve overdose prevention, and conducts education and dissemination through convenings and public outreach.
Grantmaking
FORE makes grants to organizations working on opioid-related solutions at national, state, and community levels. The foundation accepts grant requests through Request for Proposals posted on its website, as well as commissioned work for specific programs.
Grant Range
& Activity:**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
FORE funds work across the United States, supporting projects in numerous states and major urban centers including New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The foundation's geographic reach includes: Alaska, Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maryland, Minnesota, North Carolina, North Dakota, New Hampshire, New Jersey, and additional states.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue (Fiscal Year 2024):
- Total Assets: $102.2 million
- Total Revenue: $2.6 million
- Total Expenses: $11.9 million
- Total Liabilities: $7.74 million
Historical Assets:
- FY2022: $120 million
The foundation's expenses exceed annual revenue, indicating it draws from its asset base to support its grantmaking activities.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $102,175,953 | $103,845,374 | $121,364,686 |
| Revenue | $2,634,797 | $2,710,498 | $9,522,193 |
| Expenses | $11,884,801 | $8,597,562 | $13,098,748 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $11,391,707 | $8,741,416 | $8,671,648 |
| Net Investment Income | $1,936,218 | $1,704,869 | $8,641,733 |
| Distributable Amount | $4,982,850 | $5,319,105 | $6,115,016 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
212 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts
Community Driven Responses to Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Mortality Grant
FOUNDATION FOR OPIOID RESPONSE EFFORTS
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Community-Driven Responses to Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Mortality RFP
FOUNDATION FOR OPIOID RESPONSE EFFORTS
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Andrea Barthwell — Board Chair
- Karen A. Scott, MD, MPH — President (only compensated board member)
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANDREA BARTHWELL MD DFASAM | BOARD CHAIR & DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| ADAM USDAN | TREASURER & DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| JULIE CHO | SECRETARY & DIRECTOR | 5 | — |
| ADRIENNE M BROWN MSW LMSW | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LORI A SCHECHTER JD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| PETER SLONE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| H WESTLEY CLARK | DIRECTOR TERM ENDED ON 10/26/23 | 2 | — |
| RICHARD SCHOTTENFELD | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LAKEESHA WALROND | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| NAPOLEON RUTLEDGE | DIRECTOR AS OF 2/15/24 | 2 | — |
| KAREN A SCOTT MD MPH | PRESIDENT | 40 | $492,563 |
| DAVID MINETA | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
FORE continues to expand its grantmaking portfolio with recent announcements including:
A $550,000 two-year grant to Project Venture (March 2026) to expand the Walking in Strength initiative on Pine Ridge Reservation, building on an initial 2022 investment that has already reached nearly 600 students with demonstrated improvements in cultural connectedness, resilience, and empathy
FORE Awards $550,000 Grant to Expand Youth Substance UseA $65,702 grant to Tradeoffs (March 2025) to produce in-depth podcast episodes and written articles highlighting evidence-based solutions and innovative approaches to addressing opioid use disorder and overdose prevention
FORE Allocates $2.4 Million to Combat Overdose and OpioidAn $80,000 grant to Legal Action Center (August 2025) to support work fighting discrimination and building health equity for people with criminal records, addiction, or HIV
FORE maintains an active Request for Proposals process, including a current "Community-Driven Responses to Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose Mortality" RFP.
FORE Allocates $2.4 Million to Combat Overdose and OpioidSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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