The National Council Announces Grant Opportunity to Support Harm Reduction Strategies

The National Council for Mental Wellbeing, with support from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), invites nonprofit organizations to apply for grant funding to support one-year pilot projects integrating harm reduction strategies and public safety initiatives.

Through a competitive Request for Funding Applications (RFA) process, up to eight sites will be selected to implement evidence-based or promising strategies through collaborative partnerships with public safety to reduce risk of overdose and other drug-related harms for people who use drugs (PWUD) and people with substance use disorders (PWSUD) who are or may become justice-involved.

Awards will be made in amounts of up to $81,250 for a yearlong project beginning in February 2023. In addition to funding support, selected implementation sites will receive and participate in training and technical assistance (TTA) opportunities.

Eligible applicants will be nonprofit organizations in the U.S. that a) provide harm reduction services, including syringe services, naloxone or fentanyl test strips, peer-based overdose prevention or response, medications for opioid use disorder or linkages to substance use treatment to people who are at risk of drug overdose and b) can demonstrate current or past collaborations with public safety agencies.

Applications must be submitted online by Friday, December 23, 2022, at 11:59 p.m. ET.