FY 2026 Community and Schools Youth Drug Prevention Program
🏛 Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (USDOJ-OJP-OJJDP)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 7, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for states, local governments, tribes, and nonprofits preventing youth substance use. Applicants must be able to deliver prevention programs in schools and community settings. Programs should coordinate with law enforcement and community coalitions. Activities include education, early intervention, mentoring, and treatment referral.
Eligible recipients include state agencies, city and county governments, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, and nonprofit organizations. The grant supports a continuum of prevention strategies. Funding targets schools and extracurricular youth settings. Programs must build local capacity and community partnerships.
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Program description
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the OJJDP FY 2026 Community and Schools Youth Drug Prevention Program. This opportunity supports states, units of local government, federally recognized Native American Tribal governments and nonprofit organizations to deliver substance use prevention programs for youth in schools and extracurricular settings in coordination with law enforcement and community coalitions. This includes building community-based capacity and implementing a continuum of prevention strategies that address youth substance use, such as education, early intervention, mentoring, referral to treatment, and investigations in coordination with local law enforcement and community coalitions.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- SF-424 Supplement
- Project Narrative
- Budget Narrative
- Letters of Support/Commitment
- Organizational Capacity Documentation
Program contact
- 👤 Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention
- 📧 OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov
- 📞 0000000000
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 16.838 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
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$18,533,000
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$9,600,000
-
$8,911,329
-
$7,000,000
-
$7,000,000
-
$7,000,000
-
$7,000,000
-
$7,000,000
-
$7,000,000
-
$7,000,000
Top States by Funding
- FL 5 awards $37.0M
- OH 10 awards $29.9M
- MD 5 awards $27.7M
- MA 8 awards $27.0M
- WV 3 awards $19.5M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 16.838). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $24,975,562 | |
| 2025 | $138,006,175 |
FAQ
Who can apply for this grant?
States, local governments, federally recognized tribes, and nonprofits are eligible. Your organization must be able to deliver substance use prevention programs for youth.
What activities does this grant support?
The grant funds education, early intervention, mentoring, treatment referral, and coordination with law enforcement and community coalitions. Programs should address youth substance use in schools and extracurricular settings.
When is the application deadline?
The deadline is November 9, 2026. Confirm the exact deadline on Grants.gov as dates may change.
How much funding is available?
Total program funding is $12 million. Individual awards up to $750,000 are possible, though specific per-award amounts are not fixed.
Is cost sharing required?
No, this grant does not require cost sharing or matching funds from applicants.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Start by understanding OJJDP's prevention strategy framework before writing. Strong applications align with federal priorities on youth substance use.
- Build partnerships with local law enforcement and community coalitions early. Reviewers expect documented commitment from these partners.
- Show evidence of community need using local data on youth substance use. Include baseline metrics you'll track during implementation.
- Detail your capacity to implement a continuum of strategies, not just one approach. Explain how education, intervention, and referral work together.
- Budget for coordination and community organizing work. Many applicants underestimate the cost of sustained partnership and capacity-building activities.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Weak partnerships: Failing to demonstrate genuine law enforcement and community coalition involvement from the start. Generic needs statements without local data on youth substance use. Treating prevention as only classroom education rather than a continuum of strategies.
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