Preventing Drug Overdoses: Community Prevention and Response
🏛 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis (HHS-SAMHS-SAMHSA)
Can you apply?
This grant is for organizations addressing community-level drug overdose prevention and response. Eligible applicants typically include nonprofits, local health departments, community health centers, substance abuse treatment providers, and community-based organizations serving high-need populations affected by the opioid crisis. Activities supported include overdose prevention programs, harm reduction initiatives, naloxone/medication access and distribution, peer recovery support services, emergency response coordination, and community education efforts. The grant supports both prevention activities and emergency response infrastructure in communities experiencing elevated overdose rates. Geographic scope is nationwide, with priority often given to communities with demonstrated overdose mortality burden.
Program description
The purpose of this program is to develop and implement a community-wide prevention program of drug overdose deaths by expanding access to FDA-approved opioid overdose reversal medications.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- Project narrative/statement of need
- Detailed program implementation and timeline
- Evaluation plan with measurable outcomes and metrics
- Budget narrative and itemized budget (typically on SF-424A)
- Letters of commitment from key partners (health departments, law enforcement, emergency services, treatment providers)
- Organizational capacity documentation (staff qualifications, past performance, audit/financial records)
- Evidence of community need (overdose mortality data, surveillance reports, epidemiological information)
- Sustainability and dissemination plan
Program contact
- 👤 Shannon Hastings
- 📧 DTP-NOFO@samhsa.hhs.gov
- 📞 202-961-8620
Funding track record
No recent recipient data available for CFDA 93.490 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 93.490). How funding has trended year over year.
| 2026 est. | $545,000,000 |
FAQ
What organizations are eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, public health departments, community health centers, substance abuse treatment facilities, and community-based organizations with demonstrated experience in overdose prevention or substance abuse services.
What types of activities does this grant support?
Funding supports overdose prevention programs, naloxone distribution, harm reduction services, emergency response coordination, peer recovery support, training, and community education on overdose prevention and response.
How competitive is this funding?
SAMHSA grants are moderately to highly competitive. Success typically requires strong community partnerships, demonstrated need data, sustainable program design, and evaluation capacity. Programs addressing health equity and serving underserved populations are prioritized.
What is the typical funding range?
SAMHSA overdose prevention grants typically range from $100,000 to $500,000 annually, though amounts vary by specific program announcement and priority areas.
When is the deadline?
The application opens March 20, 2026. Specific deadline dates and submission windows should be verified on Grants.gov or SAMHSA's website when the application period begins.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Establish strong partnerships with local health departments, law enforcement, emergency services, and community organizations to demonstrate coordinated overdose response capacity and community buy-in.
- Use local overdose mortality data and epidemiological evidence to clearly demonstrate community need and target populations most affected by the opioid crisis.
- Include detailed implementation and evaluation plans showing how you'll measure outcomes like naloxone distribution numbers, overdose reversals, lives saved, and community awareness increases.
- Address health equity explicitly by showing how your program reaches high-burden populations and addresses social determinants of health contributing to overdose risk.
- Demonstrate sustainability planning beyond grant funding, including partnerships with local funding sources, integration with existing systems, and capacity for long-term program continuation.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applicants often fail to ground their proposals in local overdose data and epidemiology, resulting in generic programs that don't address community-specific drivers of the crisis. Another common weakness is insufficient partnership documentation—reviewers want to see concrete evidence of coordination with health departments, emergency services, and community organizations, not just letters of support. Finally, many applications lack clear evaluation plans that connect specific outputs (naloxone kits distributed) to meaningful health outcomes (overdose reversals, lives saved), making it difficult to assess impact and demonstrate accountability.
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