Tribal Behavioral Health: Suicide Prevention
🏛 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis (HHS-SAMHS-SAMHSA)
Can you apply?
This grant is for tribal nations, tribal organizations, and Native American entities seeking to develop, implement, and evaluate evidence-based suicide prevention programs tailored to tribal communities. Eligible applicants typically include federally recognized tribes, tribal health departments, tribal behavioral health organizations, and tribal nonprofits serving Native American populations. The grant supports activities such as suicide prevention training, mental health crisis response systems, community awareness campaigns, and culturally adapted interventions that address the specific risk factors and protective factors within tribal communities. Geographic scope is limited to tribal lands and Native American communities within the United States.
Program description
The purpose of this program is for the prevention suicide, suicide attempts, and deaths by suicide among American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth and young adults through age 24 in Tribal communities.
Who can apply
Eligible applicants
Demographic focus
How to apply
Application links
Required documents
- SF-424 (Application for Federal Assistance)
- SF-424A (Budget Information)
- Project narrative describing the suicide prevention program design, cultural adaptation, and implementation plan
- Tribal resolution or evidence of tribal approval and support
- Epidemiological data and community needs assessment specific to suicide risk in the service population
- Detailed budget narrative justifying all expenditures
- Letters of support from tribal partners, health systems, and community stakeholders
- Evaluation plan with measurable outcomes and timelines
- Evidence of organizational capacity and prior experience managing grants
- Curriculum vitae or resumes of key personnel
Program contact
- 👤 Kathleen Burkhart
- 📧 nativeconnections@samhsa.hhs.gov
- 📞 240-276-1313
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
Who is eligible to apply for this grant?
Federally recognized tribes, tribal health departments, tribal nonprofits, and Native American organizations with established governance and capacity to manage federal grants.
What types of activities does this grant support?
Suicide prevention training, crisis intervention systems, community education campaigns, culturally adapted mental health interventions, peer support programs, and evaluation of prevention strategies.
Is there a deadline date?
Specific deadline information has not been announced. Applicants should monitor the agency website and Grants.gov for announcement of the application period.
What makes a competitive application?
Strong applications demonstrate cultural alignment with tribal values, data showing the need for intervention, experience with tribal populations, sustainable implementation plans, and meaningful evaluation metrics.
What is the typical funding range?
Grant amounts typically vary based on project scope and population served, but SAMHSA behavioral health grants generally range from $50,000 to over $500,000 annually.
💡 Tips for applicants
- Ground your application in tribal epidemiological data: include local suicide rates, risk factors specific to your community, and baseline mental health metrics to justify the need.
- Prioritize cultural adaptation: demonstrate how program design incorporates tribal traditions, values, and existing community strengths rather than adopting one-size-fits-all models.
- Build strong sustainability language: show how you will maintain the program after federal funding ends, including partnerships with tribal health systems, training of community members, and potential revenue diversification.
- Develop clear leadership and governance: clarify the role of tribal leadership in oversight, decision-making, and accountability to ensure authentic community engagement.
- Include meaningful evaluation: propose metrics that matter to your tribe, incorporate community members in evaluation design, and plan for sharing results with the community in accessible formats.
⚠️ Common mistakes
Applications often lack sufficient tribal epidemiological data or fail to demonstrate how suicide prevention strategies are culturally adapted to specific tribal values and contexts. Additionally, many applicants underestimate the importance of tribal governance and community engagement structures, submitting generic behavioral health plans rather than truly community-driven initiatives.
Similar grants
- OPEN FY26 Bureau of Land Management Rangeland Resource Management – Bureau wide — Bureau of Land Management
- OPEN FY26 Bureau of Land Management Cultural and Paleontological Resource Management – Bureau wide — Bureau of Land Management
- OPEN FY26 Bureau of Land Management Youth Conservation Corps – Bureau wide — Bureau of Land Management
- OPEN Infertility Training Center — Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health
- OPEN FY26 Bureau of Land Management Eastern Nevada Conservation, Recreation and Development – NEVADA BLM — Bureau of Land Management