FY 2026 Mentoring for Youth Impacted by Opioids and Other Substance Use
🏛 Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention (USDOJ-OJP-OJJDP)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Oct 9, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations delivering mentoring services to youth affected by substance use and opioid dependency. Eligible applicants include units of local government, national organizations, and statewide organizations that provide mentoring services. The program funds mentoring programs serving youth currently using substances, youth at risk of use, and youth with family members experiencing substance use disorders. Mentoring may be delivered one-on-one, in groups, peer-to-peer, or through hybrid models combining in-person and virtual approaches.
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Program description
This is a notice of funding opportunity (NOFO) for the OJJDP FY 2026 Mentoring for Youth Impacted by Opioids and Other Substance Use program. This opportunity supports the implementation and delivery of high-quality mentoring services for youth who are currently using or dependent on substances, as well as youth at risk of substance use or who have close family members experiencing substance use or dependency. Mentoring services may include one-on-one, group, or peer mentoring—or a combination of these approaches or hybrid (traditional in-person combined with virtual mentoring).
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
- 501(c)(3) Public Charity
- City / Municipal Government
- County Government
- Nonprofits
- Private University
- Public K-12 School
- Public University
- State Government
- Tribal Nation
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational Capacity documentation
- Letters of Support/Memoranda of Understanding
- Evaluation Plan
- Work Plan/Timeline
Program contact
- 👤 Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention
- 📧 OJP.ResponseCenter@usdoj.gov
- 📞 0000000000
Funding track record
Recent awards under CFDA 16.726 from the last 3 years — real organizations that won funding through this same program.
Top 10 Largest Recent Awards
-
$28,000,000
-
$28,000,000
-
$27,049,027
-
$26,195,504
-
$26,126,253
-
$11,000,000
-
$11,000,000
-
$10,999,994
-
$10,999,928
-
$7,822,988
Top States by Funding
- GA 12 awards $146.1M
- FL 9 awards $53.0M
- CA 11 awards $17.5M
- NY 8 awards $15.6M
- DC 9 awards $15.4M
Source: USAspending.gov — federal spending transparency. Data covers last 3 years.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 16.726). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2024 | $89,265,260 |
FAQ
Who is eligible to apply?
Units of local government, national organizations, and organizations with statewide reach offering mentoring services. Your organization must demonstrate capacity to deliver quality mentoring to youth affected by substance use.
What types of mentoring does this grant support?
One-on-one mentoring, group mentoring, peer mentoring, or combinations of these. Hybrid models combining in-person and virtual mentoring are also allowed.
What is the funding range?
Awards may reach up to $2,000,000. The total funding pool is $16,500,000 for the program year.
Is cost-sharing required?
No cost-sharing or match requirement is required for this grant.
What are the key deadlines?
The application deadline is November 16, 2026. Check the OJJDP website for LOI requirements or earlier submission dates.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Focus your narrative on the opioid crisis and its impact on local youth. Show data on substance use trends in your service area.
- Describe your mentoring model clearly—specify which formats you'll use and why they fit your youth population.
- Demonstrate strong organizational capacity with evidence of staff qualifications and past mentoring program outcomes.
- Address how you'll serve youth with family members in recovery or experiencing dependency, not just youth in active use.
- Build partnerships with substance abuse treatment providers, schools, and community organizations to strengthen your application.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Failing to demonstrate prior experience or capacity in youth mentoring. Vague descriptions of mentoring activities without clear outcomes or fidelity metrics. Insufficient focus on the opioid/substance use nexus—making it about general mentoring rather than addiction-specific support.
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