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The White House
For Immediate Release

ONDCP and SAMHSA Accepting Applications for $18.75 Million to Harness the Power of Drug Free Community Coalitions

WASHINGTON, DC—The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP), in partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), has announced the availability of new Drug Free Communities (DFC) Support Program funding. ONDCP expects to award approximately $18.75 million for 150 new competing grants support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. The deadline to submit DFC grantee applications is Friday, March 19, 2010.

The DFC Support Program is a collaborative Federal program sponsored by ONDCP and administered in partnership with SAMHSA. The program aims to establish and strengthen communities, private nonprofit agencies, and Federal, state, local, and tribal governments and entities to collaborate and support community-based efforts to prevent and reduce youth substance use. The DFC program was created in 1997 under the Drug Free Communities Act, and was reauthorized in 2001, and again in 2006. The latest reauthorization extends the DFC Program until 2012. The DFC Program provides grants of up to $125,000 per year for up to five years, with a 10-year maximum limit.

“The Drug Free Communities Program reflects the Obama Administration’s commitment to preventing youth substance abuse,” said Gil Kerlikowske, Director of National Drug Control Policy. “Community problems need community solutions, and when local leaders organize around their specific drug issues, we know they can make a difference in creating safer and healthier communities.”

“The Drug Free Communities Support Program is one of the great foundations of our efforts to prevent and reduce substance abuse throughout our Nation,” said SAMHSA Administrator, Pamela S. Hyde, J.D. “These new resources will strengthen and revitalize these community efforts and promote healthy, productive lives.”

The DFC Program aims to achieve two major goals:

  • Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities; public and private nonprofit agencies; and Federal, State, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community anti-drug coalitions
  • Reduce substance abuse among youth and, over time, reduce substance abuse among adults by addressing a range of risk and protective factors that impact substance abuse

In order to assist potential Drug Free Communities Support Program applicants through the grant process, ONDCP, in partnership with SAMHSA, has scheduled three live application workshops in the following cities:

  • January 26: Fort Worth, Texas
  • January 28: Salt Lake City, Utah
  • February 12: National Harbor, Maryland

At the Salt Lake City and National Harbor sites, Native American/American Indian Support Sessions are also being held. All workshops are free and open to the public. Applicants do not have to attend a workshop in order to apply for a grant. To register, visit http://www.ondcp.gov/dfc/fy10_RFA_workshops.html.In addition to these live workshops, ONDCP will post an online workshop and PowerPoint slides on www.ondcp.gov/dfc by January 27, 2010.

WHO CAN APPLY: Community-based coalitions that are focused on addressing youth substance use and meet all of the DFC eligibility requirements.

HOW TO APPLY: In order to be considered for funding, applicants must use the Application for Federal Assistance Form PHS 5161-1 available at http://www.samhsa.gov/grants/apply.aspx and must follow all application submission and formatting requirements by the application deadline. For more information on how to apply, visit http://www.grants.gov.

APPLICATION DUE DATE: All applications are due by March 19, 2010.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Applicants with questions about program issues should contact Olivia Shockey, Public Health Advisor, CSAP at 240-276-1270 or by email at dfcnew2010@samhsa.hhs.gov; or Barbara Orlando, Grants Management Specialist, Office of Program Services at 240-276-1422, or by email at barbara.orlando@samhsa.hhs.gov.

For information on DFC and upcoming application workshops, visit the Program’s Web site at www.ondcp.gov/dfc.