Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program COMPETING CONTINUATION (Year 6)

The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program – Competing Continuation (Year 6) is a discretionary grant opportunity managed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), specifically the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), in partnership with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Created under the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997 (Public Law 105-20), this program aims to continue its support for community-based coalitions that work to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. The fiscal year 2026 iteration of the program represents the sixth year of funding for those who previously received support during the first five-year cycle or those returning after a lapse in funding. The primary purpose of this program is to enhance collaboration among various community sectors including public and private non-profit agencies, as well as governmental entities at all levels—federal, state, local, and tribal. The overarching goal is twofold: to establish and strengthen partnerships that reinforce coalition efforts to address youth substance use and to mitigate substance use risks in local communities. Although the primary focus is on youth (individuals under the age of 18), the program also seeks to create long-term reductions in adult substance use by modifying environmental and social risk factors. Funding through this opportunity is made available as a grant with a total estimated program funding of $31,250,000 for fiscal year 2026. The maximum allowable funding for any single applicant is $125,000. Matching funds are required, though the exact amount of the required match is not specified in the opportunity forecast. The CDC anticipates awarding approximately 50 grants under this opportunity. All applicants must ensure electronic submission by April 14, 2026, no later than 11:59 PM Eastern Time. The estimated award date is August 31, 2026, and the project start date is scheduled for September 30, 2026. Eligible applicants include community-based coalitions that previously received DFC grants for Years 1–5, experienced a lapse in funding, or completed a full five-year funding cycle and are now applying for a second cycle. Applicants must either be nonprofit organizations (with or without 501(c)(3) status), state or local government entities, institutions of higher education (public or private), tribal governments (federally or state-recognized), tribal organizations, or other appropriate entities as determined by the program administrator. All applicant coalitions or legal applicants must be located within the United States or U.S. territories. This opportunity is forecasted with an estimated posting date of January 27, 2026. No specific pre-application deadlines such as letters of intent or white papers are indicated in the forecast documentation. Interested applicants should monitor the Grants.gov platform for official postings and additional application materials closer to the estimated post date. The contact for this opportunity is Christi Jones, who can be reached via email at DFC_NOFO@cdc.gov. No phone number is currently listed. This opportunity is recurring and expected to continue its regular cycle annually. The submission deadline for this cycle is April 14, 2026. Assuming annual recurrence, the next anticipated cycle is projected for April 2027, with internal applicant tracking recommended by April 2026 to prepare for that round. Community coalitions looking to continue or renew their prevention initiatives are encouraged to align their planning and resource mobilization accordingly.