D.A.R.E. America
D.A.R.E. America is a 41-year-old nonprofit that delivers evidence-based K-12 substance abuse prevention curricula through trained law enforcement officers, reaching roughly 2.5 million students annually across all 50 U.S. states and more than 29 countries.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1983
- HeadquartersInglewood, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What D.A.R.E. America does
D.A.R.E. America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1983 that delivers K-12 substance abuse prevention education through uniformed law enforcement officers embedded directly in classrooms. The organization reaches approximately 2.5 million students annually across all 50 U.S. states and more than 29 countries, supported by a national training infrastructure for police officers and school resource officers. Its flagship elementary and middle school curriculum, "keepin' it REAL," and its high school curriculum, "myPlaybook," are evidence-based programs validated through peer-reviewed research published in PLOS ONE in 2023.
The product portfolio is structured around classroom curricula (keepin' it REAL, myPlaybook), officer training programs (D.A.R.E. U and D.A.R.E. PLUS), and an annual conference that serves as the principal community-building venue for the network. Over the past three years, 2,458 officers have been trained across 118 sessions, and more than 400 new law enforcement agencies have been onboarded. The 2026 annual conference is scheduled for Mérida, Mexico—the first held outside the United States—with the 2027 conference set for Tucson, Arizona.
D.A.R.E. is funded through individual donations, merchandise sales, and vehicle donation sweepstakes, including a partnership with Mercedes-Benz USA. The organization maintains a written ethical fundraising policy that excludes contributions from alcohol, tobacco, vaping, and cannabis companies, narrowing its donor pool but reinforcing credibility with schools and parents. Leadership rests with President and CEO Frank Pegueros, and the organization is operationally based in Los Angeles, California.
D.A.R.E. America firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- D.A.R.E. America
- Legal name
- D.A.R.E. America
- Website
- https://dare.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1983
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- D.A.R.E. America is a 41-year-old nonprofit that delivers evidence-based K-12 substance abuse prevention curricula through trained law enforcement officers, reaching roughly 2.5 million students annually across all 50 U.S. states and more than 29 countries.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
D.A.R.E. America industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Youth Prevention Education Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (6117), Educational Services (61), Educational Services (611)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Substance Use Prevention & Student Assistance Programs (School-Based) (EDAKAMAJ)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Behavioral Intervention & PBIS Supports (Tiered, Gen Ed) (EDAJAGAL)
Keywords
Where D.A.R.E. America is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Inglewood
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
D.A.R.E. America business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Fundraising: D.A.R.E. America relies primarily on donations from individuals and organizations. The organization maintains an ethical fundraising policy, declining donations from manufacturers and distributors of marijuana, cannabis-related products, alcohol, tobacco, or vaping products. Fundraising is conducted through sweepstakes events, direct mail campaigns, and the D.A.R.E. to KARE charitable initiative.
- Merchandise Sales: D.A.R.E. sells branded merchandise through darecatalog.com, including workbooks and D.A.R.E. branded items for program participants and supporters.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
D.A.R.E. America product offering
Product offeringCore offering
D.A.R.E. America delivers evidence-based substance abuse and decision-making prevention curricula to K-12 students through trained and certified law enforcement officers in classroom settings. The core curriculum portfolio includes keepin' it REAL for elementary and middle school students and myPlaybook for high school students, all validated through peer-reviewed longitudinal research. Supporting programs include D.A.R.E. U officer training, D.A.R.E. PLUS enhanced program support, the annual International Training Conference, and the D.A.R.E. to KARE charitable initiative.
Product overview
D.A.R.E. America offers a comprehensive K-12 prevention education program delivered through officer-led classroom lessons. The core curriculum portfolio includes keepin' it REAL (elementary), Middle School Curriculum, and myPlaybook (high school), all evidence-based and peer-reviewed. Supporting products include D.A.R.E. U (officer training), D.A.R.E. PLUS (enhanced program support), and the D.A.R.E. Payment System. The organization also hosts the annual International Training Conference and operates the D.A.R.E. to KARE charitable program. The program reaches approximately 2,500,000 students per year across the US and 29+ countries.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- D.A.R.E. to KARE: A charitable initiative where D.A.R.E. provides donations to children's hospitals and other children's charities and shelters, while also providing sweepstakes for supporters.
- keepin' it REAL
- myPlaybook
- D.A.R.E. U
- D.A.R.E. PLUS
Products and services
- keepin' it REAL Elementary Curriculum An evidence-based substance abuse prevention education curriculum designed for elementary school students, delivered by trained and certified law enforcement officers in classroom settings. The curriculum's effectiveness has been validated through a three-year multi-longitudinal study by the University of North Carolina Greensboro and Prevention Strategies, published in PLOS ONE and indexed by NIH's National Library of Medicine, showing identifiable improvements in key psychosocial measures and deterring the onset of 30-day alcohol use, drunkenness, and vaping.
- keepin' it REAL Middle School Curriculum Evidence-based prevention education curriculum designed for middle school students that addresses contemporary risks including drugs, opioids, teen suicide, social media safety, and vaping. Delivered in classroom settings by trained law enforcement officers.
- myPlaybook High School Curriculum High school-level prevention education curriculum addressing critical risks facing teenagers today, including substance abuse, opioids, teen suicide, social media safety, and vaping. Delivered in classrooms by trained and certified law enforcement officers.
- D.A.R.E. U (Officer Training Program) Training program for law enforcement officers and professionals dedicated to prevention education, providing the certification required to deliver D.A.R.E.'s evidence-based curricula in K-12 classrooms. Supports the continuing education and professional development of community policing officers.
- D.A.R.E. PLUS Enhanced D.A.R.E. program offering additional resources and support for schools implementing the prevention education curriculum, complementing the standard keepin' it REAL and myPlaybook offerings.
- D.A.R.E. International Training Conference Annual premier training event for D.A.R.E. officers and prevention professionals from around the globe, offering specialized training sessions and workshops on current prevention education topics. Established in 1988 as a preeminent training activity for professionals dedicated to creating and maintaining safe communities.
- D.A.R.E. to KARE Charitable giving program through which D.A.R.E. provides donations to children's hospitals and other children's charities and shelters, distributing KARE kits to children in need. Includes sweepstakes events (such as Kennedy Space Center Astronaut Training) that engage donors and raise funds to support the program.
Quantifiable outcome
- Identifiable improvements in key psychosocial measures and deterring onset of 30-day alcohol use, drunkenness, and vaping when delivered by D.A.R.E. officers
Companies that use D.A.R.E. America
Customer profileNamed customers7 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
D.A.R.E. America technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
D.A.R.E. America partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- D.A.R.E. to KARE TeamscoreD.A.R.E. to KARE is a charitable initiative where marketing teams across the US conduct fundraising campaigns and donate toys to children's hospitals and charities. Teams include Executive Marketing Group Inc (Florida), Omni Marketing Group Inc (Nevada), Empire Elite Enterprises (Texas), and Encore Collective Inc (Texas). These teams help raise funds and distribute KARE kits to children's charities and shelters.
- Affiliates, Donors, Partners, and SponsorscoreD.A.R.E. America works with various affiliates, donors, and sponsors who support the mission of teaching students good decision-making skills. The organization maintains an ethical fundraising policy and does not accept donations from manufacturers or distributors of marijuana, cannabis-related products, alcohol, tobacco, or vaping products.
- University of North Carolina GreensborocoreUNCG and Prevention Strategies conducted a three-year multi-longitudinal evaluation of D.A.R.E.'s keepin' it REAL elementary school prevention education curriculum. The positive findings were published in PLOS ONE and indexed by NIH's National Library of Medicine.
- Law Enforcement AgenciescoreOver 400 new law enforcement agencies have launched the D.A.R.E. program. These agencies train officers who then deliver D.A.R.E. curricula in schools. The extensive network spans all 50 US states and 29+ countries.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
D.A.R.E. America competitors and assessment
Company assessmentEmerging players
- Hazelden Publishing (Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation): Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation publishes evidence-based prevention and treatment curricula, including school-based programs, making it a partial peer to D.A.R.E. in the K-12 prevention publishing space with overlap in evidence-based content.
- Character Strong: Character Strong provides K-12 SEL and prevention curricula addressing student well-being, mental health, and harmful behaviors, making it an emerging peer competing for the same district curriculum dollars as D.A.R.E.
- PRIDE Surveys: PRIDE Surveys provides student survey instruments and prevention resources used by schools and law enforcement to assess substance use trends, functionally adjacent to D.A.R.E.'s evidence-based prevention mission in the same school/law enforcement ecosystem.
Direct peers
- Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD): SADD is a peer-led nonprofit prevention organization focused on youth decision-making around drugs, alcohol, and dangerous behaviors, comparable to D.A.R.E. in mission and K-12 audience but using a peer-to-peer rather than officer-led model.
- Mendez Foundation (Too Good For Drugs): The Mendez Foundation's Too Good For Drugs program is a direct peer delivering evidence-based substance abuse prevention curricula to K-12 students, overlapping closely with D.A.R.E.'s keepin' it REAL curriculum in target schools.
- Botvin LifeSkills Training: Botvin LifeSkills Training is a direct peer that provides evidence-based substance abuse and violence prevention curricula for K-12 schools, competing head-to-head with D.A.R.E.'s keepin' it REAL and myPlaybook programs for school district adoption and grant funding.
- Committee for Children (Second Step): Committee for Children produces the Second Step SEL curriculum, a direct peer to D.A.R.E. in K-12 social-emotional learning and prevention education, often purchased by the same districts addressing bullying, substance abuse, and student wellness.
- EVERFI: EVERFI is a direct peer delivering digital prevention education curricula on substance abuse, mental health, and social-emotional learning to K-12 schools at scale, competing against D.A.R.E.'s officer-led classroom model with a tech-enabled, lower-cost delivery approach.
Broad incumbents
- Discovery Education: Discovery Education is a broad incumbent K-12 digital curriculum provider offering health and SEL content that competes for district wallet share against D.A.R.E.'s prevention curricula, though it operates across many subjects rather than specializing in prevention.
Others
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): NIDA is a federal research agency that funds and publishes the science base for substance abuse prevention, including some of the research validating D.A.R.E.'s curricula; it is thematically related as an ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
D.A.R.E. America social profiles
Digital presenceD.A.R.E. America financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
D.A.R.E. America leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
D.A.R.E. America funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
D.A.R.E. America M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about D.A.R.E. America
What does D.A.R.E. America do?
D.A.R.E. America delivers evidence-based substance abuse and decision-making prevention curricula to K-12 students through trained and certified law enforcement officers in classroom settings. The core curriculum portfolio includes keepin' it REAL for elementary and middle school students and myPlaybook for high school students, all validated through peer-reviewed longitudinal research. Supporting programs include D.A.R.E. U officer training, D.A.R.E. PLUS enhanced program support, the annual International Training Conference, and the D.A.R.E. to KARE charitable initiative.
Is D.A.R.E. America a public or private company?
D.A.R.E. America is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was D.A.R.E. America founded?
D.A.R.E. America was founded in 1983. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is D.A.R.E. America based?
D.A.R.E. America is headquartered in Inglewood, United States, in the North America region.
How does D.A.R.E. America make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Donations and Fundraising is the primary driver. The others are merchandise Sales.
Who are D.A.R.E. America's main competitors?
Emerging players on record are Hazelden Publishing (Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation), Character Strong and PRIDE Surveys. Direct peers are Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), Mendez Foundation (Too Good For Drugs), Botvin LifeSkills Training, Committee for Children (Second Step) and EVERFI. Discovery Education is listed as a broad incumbent. National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) is listed as an others.
Does D.A.R.E. America have an API?
No public API is recorded for D.A.R.E. America.
What industry is D.A.R.E. America in?
D.A.R.E. America's product category is Youth Prevention Education Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAKAMAJ, Substance Use Prevention & Student Assistance Programs (School-Based), with a secondary code of EDAJAGAL, Behavioral Intervention & PBIS Supports (Tiered, Gen Ed). Its NAICS code is 6117 and its SIC code is 8200.