OhioMHAS Releases SFY 2026 Community Funding Grant Information for Applicants (GIFA)

The Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (OhioMHAS) has released the SFY 2026 Community Funding Package memo and Grant Information for Applicants (GIFA) and program guidelines that ADAMH Boards use for funding services based on their local community plan. View the SFY 2026 documents here. Please note that OhioMHAS has posted an FAQ and we understand the Program Guidelines are being revised to address a couple issues.

Funding amounts are preliminary and subject to change based on the finalization of state and federal funding amounts available to the Department. It is expected that the GIFA reports and allocations will be updated shortly after the SFY26-27 state operating budget is finalized on or around the beginning of July.

The six new “state block grants” are included in the SFY 26 GIFA and allocation amounts are based on the Governor’s as-introduced budget amounts, which is common practice during budgeting years. The MHAS new state block grant funding allocations are based on SFY 25 allocation amounts for the funds that are rolled into the new state block grants.  The intent is to maintain current GRF funding levels from SFY25, pending final allocations in the approved budget, with any new SFY26 funding increases distributed under the new funding methodology.  Of note, the federal block grant allocation to ADAMHS Boards has been reduced, with MHAS holding back ~25% of base funding, with additional federal funding variations based on usage in a given region. This is intended to support crisis services expansion and/or adjust for other potential federal funding reductions under discussion. 

Also of note: there is a new requirement that any provider receiving block grant funds – including those passed through by ADAMHS Boards – must now submit an application in GFMS. This was previously only required for direct-funded providers. Providers currently receiving block grant funds passed through by ADAMHS Boards will have until December to complete their applications.

As you review this information, have discussions with your ADAMHS Boards, and evaluate preliminary reports, you are encouraged to send questions to OhioMHAS at [email protected].