The Influence Foundation Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, founded in New York in 2017. Our mission is to advocate through journalism for rational and compassionate approaches to drug use, drug policy and human rights.
Our Board
(President / Executive Director) Will Godfrey is the editor-in-chief of Filter.
(Treasurer) Phil Hur’s experience includes 13 years working at Ernst & Young, where has was an actuary and senior manager for People Advisory Services, with specializations including pensions risk management strategy, and mortality and annuity calculations. He was previously an expatriate tax services specialist. He has a BA in Economics from NYU.
(Secretary) Christine Rodriguez is a dyed-in-the-wool harm reductionist and former senior program manager for harm reduction at AIDS United. She has 15 years’ experience in drug-user health across HIV, viral hepatitis and overdose prevention, and has worked in varied roles across policy advocacy, capacity building, training and direct service in the public and nonprofit sectors. She earned her Master of Public Health from the University of California, Berkeley, and her Bachelor of Arts in American Studies, specializing in sociology, from Pomona College.
Dr. Sheila Vakharia is the policy manager for the Office of Academic Engagement at the Drug Policy Alliance where she works to help bridge the research and policy divide. She was previously an assistant professor in the department of Social Work at LIU’s Brooklyn campus and has worked as a clinical social worker in both traditional abstinence-based and harm reduction treatment settings.
Morgan Godvin is a writer from Portland, Oregon. She founded Beats Overdose, a harm reduction provider for the music and entertainment industry. She is a research associate with Health in Justice Action Lab and a councilmember on Oregon’s decriminalization Measure 110 Oversight and Accountability Council. She was formerly incarcerated.
Lt. Diane Goldstein (Ret.) is the executive director of the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (LEAP), an organization of current and former law enforcement officials opposed to the War on Drugs. She spent over 20 years in law enforcement, retiring as a Lieutenant for the Redondo Beach, California Police Department. A highly decorated officer, her views on the drug war gradually changed as she moved up the ranks and saw the failures of what law enforcement was trying to accomplish. She has presented at the UK Houses of Parliament and to Californian legislatures.
Donate to The Influence Foundation
As a nonprofit organization, The Influence Foundation is funded entirely by donations and grants. If you wish to support our work of reporting on drug use, drug policy and human rights, please donate using the button below. We’re grateful for your support.
Past Fiscal Sponsorship
The Influence Foundation was previously fiscally sponsored by the Law Enforcement Action Partnership (formerly Law Enforcement Against Prohibition), a US Internal Revenue Service 501(c)3 nonprofit educational organization. In May 2020, after The Influence Foundation achieved independent 501(c)(3) status, the fiscal sponsorship relationship concluded as planned.
Our supporters
We are grateful to all of our supporters. The organizations and individuals listed below have donated or granted sums of $500 or more in a given year. Many other supporters have kindly donated smaller amounts.
Please read our Editorial Independence Policy to understand how Filter‘s editorial team retains full authority over editorial decisions.
All donations and grants are unrestricted unless otherwise stated.
2024
Altria Client Services
Joe Gitchell
Global Action to End Smoking (formerly the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World)
Knowledge Action Change
Philip Morris International
Reynolds American, Inc.
The R Street Institute (6)
The Taxpayers Protection Alliance (8)
The University of Virginia (8)
2023
Altria Client Services
The American Vaping Association
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
Joe Gitchell
Juul Labs, Inc.
Knowledge Action Change
Reynolds American, Inc.
The R Street Institute (6)
2022
Altria Client Services
Joe Gitchell
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
Juul Labs, Inc.
Knowledge Action Change
The Open Society Foundations (7)
Philip Morris International
Reynolds American, Inc.
2021
Altria Client Services
The American Vaping Association
Joe Gitchell
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
Juul Labs, Inc.
Knowledge Action Change
Reynolds American, Inc.
The R Street Institute (6)
2020
Altria Client Services
The American Vaping Association
Anonymous individuals
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (2)
Joe Gitchell
The Josh Shifman Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Juul Labs, Inc.
Knowledge Action Change (3)
The Open Society Foundations (4)
Philip Morris International
The R Street Institute (6)
2018-2019
Altria Client Services
The American Vaping Association
Anonymous individuals
The Drug Policy Alliance (1)
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
Joe Gitchell
Juul Labs, Inc.
Knowledge Action Change (3)
Philip Morris International
The Proteus Fund (5)
Reynolds American, Inc.
The R Street Institute (6)
1. Restricted grant to support a drug war journalism diversity fellowship.
2. Restricted grant to support independent development of editorial independence, donor transparency and ethics policies; plus general support grants based on Filter‘s pre-planned tobacco harm reduction and general coverage.
Disclosure regarding the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World: Through September 2023, the Foundation received charitable gifts from PMI Global Services Inc. (“PMI”). Independent from PMI since its founding in 2017, the Foundation continues to operate in a manner that ensures its independence from any commercial entity.
3. Restricted grants to support reporting on tobacco harm reduction through a Global Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship—an initiative funded by a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, and independently designed and awarded by Knowledge Action Change.
4. Restricted grant to support Filter‘s international methadone reporting and educational efforts, based around promotions of the film Liquid Handcuffs.
5. Restricted grant to support an in-depth reporting project on prosecutors.
6. Restricted grants to support in-depth reports on aspects of harm reduction.
7. Restricted grant to support methadone educational events and promotion of the film Swallow This.
8. One-off donation to support travel to a harm reduction event.
Policies
Our supporters
We are grateful to all of our supporters. The organizations and individuals listed below have donated or granted sums of $500 or more in a given year. Many other supporters have kindly donated smaller amounts.
Please read our Editorial Independence Policy to understand how Filter‘s editorial team retains full authority over editorial decisions.
All donations and grants are unrestricted unless otherwise stated.
2023
Knowledge Action Change
The R Street Institute (6)
2022
Altria Client Services
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
Joe Gitchell
Juul Labs, Inc.
Knowledge Action Change
Philip Morris International
Reynolds American, Inc.
2021
Altria Client Services
The American Vaping Association
Joe Gitchell
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
Juul Labs, Inc.
Knowledge Action Change
Reynolds American, Inc.
The R Street Institute (6)
2020
Altria Client Services
The American Vaping Association
Anonymous individuals
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World (2)
Joe Gitchell
The Josh Shifman Fund of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Juul Labs, Inc.
Knowledge Action Change (3)
The Open Society Foundations (4)
Philip Morris International
The R Street Institute (6)
2018-2019
Altria Client Services
The American Vaping Association
Anonymous individuals
The Drug Policy Alliance (1)
The Foundation for a Smoke-Free World
Joe Gitchell
Juul Labs, Inc.
Knowledge Action Change (3)
Philip Morris International
The Proteus Fund (5)
Reynolds American, Inc.
The R Street Institute (6)
1. Restricted grant to support a drug war journalism diversity fellowship.
2. Restricted grant to support independent development of editorial independence, donor transparency and ethics policies; plus general support grants based on Filter‘s pre-planned tobacco harm reduction and general coverage.
Disclosure regarding the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World: The Influence Foundation is funded in part by a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, Inc. (FSFW), a US nonprofit 501(c)(3) private foundation. FSFW accepts charitable gifts from PMI Global Services Inc. (PMI); under FSFW’s Bylaws and Pledge Agreement with PMI, FSFW is independent from PMI and the tobacco industry. FSFW’s mission is to end smoking in this generation. The contents, selection, and presentation of facts, as well as any opinions expressed in Filter are the sole responsibility of Filter and The Influence Foundation and under no circumstances shall be regarded as reflecting the positions of the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, Inc.
3. Restricted grants to support reporting on tobacco harm reduction through a Global Tobacco Harm Reduction Scholarship—an initiative funded by a grant from the Foundation for a Smoke-Free World, and independently designed and awarded by Knowledge Action Change.
4. Restricted grant to support Filter‘s international methadone reporting and educational efforts, based around promotions of the film Liquid Handcuffs.
5. Restricted grant to support an in-depth reporting project on prosecutors.
6. Restricted grants to support in-depth reports on aspects of harm reduction.
