Campus Suicide Prevention Grant Program
🏛 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis (HHS-SAMHS-SAMHSA)
✓ Free, no account · Source: Grants.gov · Last verified Jul 27, 2026
Can you apply?
This grant is for colleges and universities to prevent suicide among students. Applicants must be accredited four-year and two-year postsecondary institutions. Public, private, and tribal institutions are eligible.
Schools must demonstrate capacity to implement evidence-based suicide prevention programs. They should address mental health services, awareness campaigns, and crisis response. Funding supports training, planning, and direct program delivery on campus.
The program targets students ages 18-24 but can include younger students at the institution. Preference may go to schools serving underrepresented populations or high-risk student groups.
⚖️ Cost sharing / matching required — applicants must contribute their own funds.
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Program description
The purpose of this program is to support a comprehensive public health and evidence-based approach that: (1) enhances behavioral health services for all college students, including those at risk for suicide, depression, serious mental illness (SMI)/serious emotional disturbances (SED), and/or substance use disorders that can lead to school failure; (2) prevents and reduces suicide and mental and substance use disorders; (3) promotes help-seeking behavior and reduces stigma; and (4) improves the identification and treatment of at-risk college students so they can successfully complete their studies.
Note: Cost-sharing is waived for minority-serving institutions and community colleges.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Key dates & requirements
Required documents
- Application Form (SF-424)
- Project Narrative
- Budget and Budget Narrative
- Organizational Capacity Statement
- Letters of Support or MOUs
- Data on Student Mental Health Needs
- Evaluation Plan
Program contact
- 👤 Portland Ridley
- 📧 portland.ridley@samhsa.hhs.gov
- 📞 (240) 276-1848
Funding track record
No recent recipient data available for CFDA 93.532 in our database.
This can happen for newer programs, programs that use non-standard award types (loans, direct payments, fellowships), or those funded through sub-agencies under different codes.
Funding history
Annual funding for this program — Federal obligations (CFDA 93.532). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2026 est. | $945,000,000 |
FAQ
What types of schools can apply?
Accredited two-year and four-year colleges and universities are eligible. Public, private, and tribal institutions can apply.
Can I use funding for mental health staff salaries?
Yes, funding typically covers staffing, training, counseling services, and prevention programs.
What evidence-based programs are accepted?
Programs must be based on research. Common approaches include gatekeeper training, peer support, and screening protocols.
What is the typical funding amount?
Grants typically range from $150,000 to $300,000 annually, depending on institution size and student population.
How competitive is this grant?
This is moderately competitive. Institutions with strong mental health infrastructure and clear outcomes measurement tend to score better.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Focus on your current suicide prevention efforts and how this grant will expand them meaningfully.
- Include data on student mental health needs at your institution, supported by assessments or surveys.
- Show clear connections between your proposed activities and measurable outcomes for student wellness.
- Partner with campus counseling, residence life, student health, and academic departments for a comprehensive approach.
- Develop a realistic timeline and budget that matches your institution's capacity to implement evidence-based practices.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications without clear baseline data on student suicide risk or mental health needs. Proposals that lack coordination with existing campus mental health services. Insufficient detail on how outcomes will be measured and tracked over time.
Similar grants
- OPEN Preventing Suicide and Interpersonal Violence Among Youth and Young Adults — Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - ERA
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- CLOSED Research on System Support and Tools for Provider Training and Quality Monitoring for Suicide Preventive Care — National Institutes of Health
- CLOSED Pilot Effectiveness Trials of Peer Support Services for Suicide Prevention — National Institutes of Health
- OPEN Accelerating Solutions to Improve Access and Quality of Empirically-Supported Practices for Youth Mental Health (R01 Clinical Trial Optional) — National Institutes of Health