CDC-RFA-CE-20-20040601CONT25 - DFC CC _26Sep25_UPDATE.pdf

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)

Notice of Funding Opportunity

Application due May 5, 2025

Drug-Free Communities Support Program – Competing Continuation (Year 6) Opportunity number: CDC-RFA-CE20-20040601CONT25

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has decided to recompete the Awards for the 2025 Drug Free Communities Support Program to ensure that applicants are in compliance with the President’s Executive Orders.

Contents

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 4 Basic information 5

Funding details 6

Eligibility 7

Program description 12

Step 2: Prepare Your Application 33 Find the application package 34

Help applying 34

Join the informational call 34

Application contents and format 35

Step 3: Understand Review, Selection, and Award 48 Application review 49

Selection process 49

Risk review 49

Award notices 50

Step 4: Submit Your Application 51 Get registered 52

Application submission and deadlines 53

Submission methods 54

Other submissions 54

Step 5: Learn What Happens After the Award 55 Post-award requirements and administration 56

Reporting 58

CDC award monitoring 60

Required Training 61

Contacts and Support 62

Before you begin 3

Contents 2

Before you begin If you believe you are a good candidate for this funding opportunity, secure your SAM.gov and Grants.gov registrations now. If you are already registered, make sure your registrations are active and up-to-date.

SAM.gov registration (this can take several weeks) You must have an active account with SAM.gov. This includes having a Unique Entity Identifier (UEI).

See Step 2: Prepare Your Application

Grants.gov registration (this can take several days) You must have an active Grants.gov registration. Doing so requires a Login.gov registration as well.

See Step 2: Prepare Your Application

Apply by the application due date Applications are due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on May 5, 2025.

To help you find what you need, this NOFO uses internal links. In Adobe Reader, you can go back to where you were by pressing Alt + Left Arrow (Windows) or Command + Left Arrow (Mac) on your keyboard.

Before you begin 3 https://sam.gov/ https://grants.gov/

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1:

Review the Opportunity

In this step

Basic information 5

Funding details 6

Eligibility 7

Program description 12

Basic information Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC)

Strengthen collaborations to reduce and prevent substance use in communities.

Have questions?

Go to Contacts and Support.

Key facts

Opportunity name:

Drug-Free Communities Support Program – Competing Continuation (Year 6)

Opportunity number:

CDC-RFA-

CE20-20040601CONT25

Announcement type:

Continuation

Assistance listing:

93.276

Key dates

Application deadline:

May 5, 2025

Informational call:

March 25, 2025

Expected award date:

August 29, 2025

Expected start date:

September 30, 2025

Summary Our purpose is to support the efforts of community coalitions who work to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. The program has two goals:

• Support community coalitions that work to prevent and reduce substance use among youth 18 years and younger by establishing and strengthening collaboration among communities, public and private nonprofit agencies, and federal, state, local, and tribal governments.

• Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance use among adults by:

◦ Addressing the factors in a community that increases the risk of substance use.

◦ Promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance use.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 5

Funding details Type: Grant

Expected total program funding over the performance period: $31,250,000

Expected total program funding per budget period: $6,250,000

Expected awards: 50

Funding range per applicant per budget period: Up to $125,000

Expected average award amount per budget period: $125,000

We plan to award projects for five 12-month budget periods for five-year period of performance.

The number of awards is subject to available funds and program priorities.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 6

Eligibility The intent of this NOFO is to fund community-based coalitions addressing youth substance use that have previously received a DFC grant (Year 1–5).

Additionally, community-based coalitions that previously received a DFC grant but have experienced a lapse in funding or have concluded the first five-year funding cycle and are applying for a second five-year funding cycle are eligible for this funding. A DFC applicant must reside within the United States or the U.S. territories.

Statutory authority Drug-Free Communities Act, 21 USC 1531 et seq., P.L.105-20

Statutory eligibility requirements To be eligible for this opportunity, the community coalition must meet all of the DFC statutory eligibility requirements. The coalition must:

• Include representatives from each of the 12 required sectors.

• Be made up of representatives who have worked together on substance use for at least six months.

• Have its main mission statement be related to youth substance use prevention.

• Address at least two substances.

• Not overlap with another DFC coalition without a letter of mutual collaboration.

• Be able to receive federal funding individually or through a legal entity eligible to receive federal funds (e.g. fiscal agent).

• Have not received more than 10 years of DFC funding.

• Participate in the DFC national cross-site evaluation.

• Request no more than $125,000 per year.

• Secure a 100 percent match from non-federal sources.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 7 https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2022-title21/html/USCODE-2022-title21-chap20-subchapII-partA.htm

Required statutory eligibility proof To meet the statutory eligibility requirements, include the following:

• Sector table that includes the 12 required sectors.

• Meeting minutes.

• General applicant information.

• Letter of mutual cooperation if there is overlap with another coalition.

• Statement of legal eligibility that says if the coalition is a 501(c)(3) organization or is partners with a fiscal agent, if applicable.

• Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the coalition and the fiscal agent, if applicable.

• Ten-year funding limit that attests that the coalition has not received more than 10 years of DFC funding.

• Describe how you will collect and report the DFC Program’s required core measures. See Required Performance Measures and Evaluation Performance Measurement Plan sections.

• Submit a budget and budget narrative that requests no more than $125,000 in federal funds and outlines 100 percent in non-federal match.

For more detailed information, refer to the attachment section.

Ten-year funding limit If you are a community coalition that has already received 10 years of DFC funding, you are not eligible for this award.

To be eligible, you would have to form a new coalition. The proposed new, unique, and distinct coalition must:

• Consist of different leadership and sector representatives from the community.

• Have a new name and mission statement.

• Develop a 12-month action plan based on newly conducted community needs assessment.

• Serve a new population.

If you are a fiscal agent applying on behalf of a new coalition, the 10-year funding limit does not apply to you.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 8

Eligible applicants The community coalition must be a 501(c)(3) organization, or the coalition can partner with an outside organization that is eligible to receive federal funds to serve as the Fiscal Agent on behalf of the coalition. Fiscal agents can include the following types of organizations:

• State governments or their bona fide agents (includes the District of Columbia).

• Territorial governments or their bona fide agents in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and the Republic of Palau.

• County governments or their bona fide agents.

• City or township governments or their bona fide agents.

• Special district governments or their bona fide agents.

• Independent school districts.

• Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education.

• American Indian or Alaska native tribally designated organizations.

• Public housing authorities and Indian housing authorities.

• Native American tribal organizations, other than federally recognized tribal governments.

• Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status, other than institutions of higher education.

• Private institutions of higher education.

• State-controlled institutions of higher education.

• For-profit organizations other than small businesses.

• Small businesses.

Responsiveness criteria We will review your application to make sure it meets these requirements.

These are the basic requirements you must meet to move forward in the competition. We won’t consider an application that:

• Is from an organization that doesn’t meet eligibility criteria. Refer to the requirements outlined in the eligibility section.

• Is submitted after May 5, 2025.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 9

• Proposes research activities. See 45 CFR 75.2 for the definition of research.

• Is from an organization that has another DFC grant.

• Is from an organization that is in a different state than the coalition.

Application limits In addition to the responsiveness criteria, you must follow these limits related to the number of applications your organization can submit.

Under this NOFO, you may submit only one application under your organization’s Unique Entity identifier (UEI).

Cost sharing and matching funds This program requires you to contribute 100 percent of the federal share in year 6. Beginning in year 7, the percentage increases. For 6 to 10 years of DFC funding, you must contribute the appropriate percentage in match funding.

Year of funding request Matching requirement

6 100 percent

7 to 8 125 percent

9 to 10 150 percent

Types of cost sharing You can meet your match requirement through any combination of:

• Cash contributed by your organization.

• Cash contributed by partners or other third parties.

• In-kind (non-cash) contributions from third parties.

Acceptable in-kind match Some examples include:

• The value of goods and services donated to the operation of the DFC coalition, including:

◦ Office space.

◦ Volunteer secretarial services.

◦ Pro bono accounting services.

◦ Other volunteer services to support the coalition’s work.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 10 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.2(Research)

• Other volunteer services, including youth hours worked on events.

• Training programs sponsored by other coalitions or partners from the community.

• In-kind services provided by key personnel including the program director and authorized organization representative.

• Coalitions that include a representative with expertise in the field of substance use from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Indian Health Service, or a tribal government agency and that are serving a tribal community can use additional federal funding as match.

Use of opioid settlement funds Use of opioid settlement funds may satisfy the match requirement under the DFC program and may be allowable as it meets the criteria of “not paid by the Federal Government under another Federal award” under applicable grant regulations, 45 CFR 75.306(b)(5).

The use of the funds in this way is subject to applicable law, including state, local, or other provisions that apply to these opioid settlement funds.

Unacceptable in-kind match Some examples include:

• Federal funds, including those passed through a state or local government, such as the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) Community Based Coalition Enhancement of Grants to Address Local Drug Crises and Sober Truth on Preventing (STOP) Underage Drinking Act grants.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 11 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR911e5e1a30bfbcb/section-75.306

Program description Background Overview There are still too many young people using substances like alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, opioids, and prescription drugs. Although substance use among youth has declined over the last decade, drug overdose deaths among youth have significantly increased over the last few years.

Effects of substance use When young people use substances, it can:

• Negatively impact their brain development.

• Lead to risky behaviors.

• Make them more likely to experiment with harmful substances.

• Make them more likely to develop a substance use disorder later in life.

Young people’s mental health, along with where they live, learn, work, and play, can impact whether they start to use substances. This can contribute to higher risk of substance use among different groups. Regardless, every young person deserves access to better health.

What we can do One of the best ways to prevent young people from using substances is carrying out comprehensive strategies that address the individual, family, and community-level risk and protective factors that influence youth substance use.

Organizations located in communities are trusted partners because they have built strong relationships and understand the needs of their communities. By working together as a coalition, these organizations can create a tailored approach to youth substance use based on a community’s unique circumstances.

We designed this funding opportunity to help community coalitions carry out comprehensive strategies that reduce risk factors and promote protective factors to prevent and reduce substance use among youth. To do this, you will partner with a broad array of organizations and sectors within your community.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 12

Related work

Fiscal year 2024

• Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program-Competing Continuation (Year 6) CDC-RFA-CE20-200406CONT24

• Office of National Drug Control Policy | The White House

Purpose The purpose of this program is to support the efforts of community coalitions who work to prevent and reduce substance use among youth.

Approach Overview Grant funds support a comprehensive approach to address youth substance use in communities and to develop coalitions capable of building their local capacity to carry out evidence-based prevention strategies. These are strategies that have been proven to prevent or reduce youth substance use.

Establishing a cohesive multi-sectoral community coalition can help to effectively carry out evidence-based and practice-based youth substance use prevention strategies within a community.

These strategies should address the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance use and promote the factors that minimize the risk of substance use.

We based the DFC logic model on the Seven Strategies for Community-Level Change. The following logic model includes the strategies and activities recommended under this NOFO. It also includes the program’s expected short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes.

Program logic model The following logic model includes the strategies and activities allowed under this NOFO.

The logic model also includes the program’s expected outcomes. Outcomes are the results that you intend to achieve and usually show the intended direction of change, such as increase or decrease.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 13 https://www.grants.gov/search-results-detail/349585

The asterisked ( * ) outcomes are those we expect you to achieve during five-year period of performance.

Not all outcomes apply to all strategies. The table shows how they apply. You will use these outcomes as a guide for developing performance measures.

Table: Strategies and outcomes

Strategies and activities Short-term Outcomes

1-2 years

Intermediate Outcomes

3-4 years

Long-Term Outcomes

5 years

Strategy 1. Provide information to the general public and key stakeholders about youth substance use.

Strategy 2. Enhance skills among relevant stakeholders so youth and adults can engage in positive social relationships and decision-making capabilities.

Strategy 3. Provide support to increase opportunities that increase involvement in drug-free or healthy alternative activities.

Strategy 4. Increase access, reduce barriers, and improve connections between systems and services that help prevent youth substance use.

Strategy 5. Change consequences to incentivize positive practices and disincentivize negative practices.

Strategy 6. Change physical design of the community to enhance protection against or to reduce the risk for youth substance use.

Strategy 7. Educate and inform about modifying or changing policies that reduce access and availability to substances among youth.

Improve knowledge of youth substance use patterns.

Improve knowledge of coalition efforts to address youth substance use in the community.

Increase outreach to relevant sectors of the community to address youth substance use.

Increase the capacity of local agencies and organizations to address youth substance use.

Increase intergovernmental cooperation, coordination, and collaboration to change the conditions that impact youth substance use.

Reduce factors in the community that increase the risk of substance use.

Promote factors that minimize the risk of substance use.

Increase the ease, ability, and opportunity for youth to access settings, such as programs emphasizing self- efficacy and learning skills that prevent substance use.

Decrease the ease, ability, and opportunity for youth to access substances.

Establish and strengthen collaboration among community members and organizations to address youth substance use.*

Reduce substance use among youth and over time reduce substance use among adults.*

* Indicates outcomes you are required to report on.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 14

Strategies and activities This section elaborates on the strategies and activities described in the logic model and provides details about how you expect to implement your program.

We expect you to work with the 12 required sectors to carry out evidence-based and practice-based prevention strategies to reduce the use of at least two named substances. You can select these strategies and substances based on a community needs assessment or other local data.

Your strategies should seek to:

• Limit access to substances.

• Change the culture and context on how decisions about substance use are made.

• Shift the consequences associated with substance use to not penalize, but better support youth.

• Address barriers to achieving optimal health and well-being.

Make sure that your strategies are comprehensive, and that you can carry them out during the period of performance (5 years).

Seven strategies for community-level change We included the seven strategies in our logic model. These strategies include efforts that affect individuals as well as the entire community.

Provide information about youth substance use. This can include educational presentations, workshops or seminars, and data or media presentations like public service announcements (PSAs), brochures, town halls, forums, web communication, social media.

Build skills so youth, adults, and community members can build positive social skills and decision-making capabilities. You can do this through a combination of activities such as workshops, seminars, or activities designed to increase the skills of participants, members, and staff. Examples include training and technical assistance, parenting classes, strategic planning retreats, and model programs in schools.

Provide support to increase opportunities that reduce risk factors or enhance protective factors for youth and young adults. Create opportunities for participation in activities that reduce risk or enhance protection. These might include alternative activities, mentoring, referrals for services, support groups, and youth clubs.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 15

Increase access, reduce barriers, and improve connections between systems and services that help prevent youth substance use. Improve systems and processes to increase the ease, ability, and opportunity to use them. These might include opportunities to access transportation, housing, education, safety, recreational facilities, and culturally sensitive prevention initiatives.

Change consequences to incentivize positive practices and disincentivize negative practices. Increase or decrease the probability of a behavior by altering the consequences for performing that behavior. These might include recognition programs for merchants who pass compliance checks and publicizing businesses that are not compliant with local ordinances.

Change the physical design of the community to reduce the risk for and enhance protection against youth substance use. These might include re-routing foot and car traffic, adjusting park hours, and reducing the number and location of places where people can access alcohol or tobacco. DFC federal funds or your cost sharing contributions cannot support landscape, lighting, or construction projects.

Educate and inform about policies that reduce access and availability to substances among youth. These may include written procedures, by-laws, proclamations, rules, or laws, to the extent that applicable law and policies allow. These might include workplace initiatives, law enforcement procedures, and practices, public policy actions, and systems change.

To help inform your strategies and activities, you can:

• Refer to The Seven Strategies for Community Change.

• Use the National Coalition Institute’s (NCI) coalition logic model to identify root causes and local conditions to address youth substance use. You can use the results of that analysis to determine the strategies and activities you will implement to support the outcomes identified in the DFC logic model.

• Use the SAMHSA Strategic Prevention Framework for assessment, planning, and decision-making. Consider cultural competence and sustainability in all five steps of the process.

We do not require you to submit your own logic model in your application.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 16 https://www.samhsa.gov/resource/ebp/strategic-prevention-framework

Outcomes This section includes information about the outcomes we expect you to report progress on and achieve within the performance period.

We expect you to achieve a series of short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes as a result of your efforts. Tailor the short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes in the DFC logic model in your detailed performance measurement plan.

Communities of focus We expect you to define the communities you propose to serve, using various geographic boundaries, including:

• Neighborhoods.

• Census tracts.

• ZIP codes.

• School districts.

• Townships.

• Counties.

• Parish lines.

• Other defining properties.

You must also include the rationale you use for selecting your chosen community and describe how you plan to prevent and reduce substance use among youth in that area.

Carefully consider the size and population of the area so you will have the ability to affect change. For example, choosing a community that is too large may be problematic because multiple neighborhoods may have distinct problems or conditions that need to be addressed to affect change.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 17

Work plan You must provide a detailed work plan (12-month action plan) for the current performance period of 2025 to 2026. The action plan should demonstrate a comprehensive approach to the reduction of the use of at least two substances and create sustainable community-level change.

You should develop the 12-month action plan by using the following example.

Make sure that your plan:

• Outlines the specific objectives, strategies, and activities that align with DFC goals, including who is responsible and the anticipated timeframe.

• Addresses at least two named substances that you select based on a community needs assessment or other local data. You should include a rationale based on data such as school suspension rates, school suspensions, juvenile court data, emergency room data, or other applicable data. Strategies and activities should be specific to the selected substances. Note: Vaping is not a substance, it is a substance delivery method.

• Includes activities that address risk and protective factors, including root causes that may be driving substance use in the community, such as Adverse Childhood Experiences and mental health.

• Uses existing frameworks, such as the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF) and Seven Strategies for Community-Level Change.

• Includes objectives that are specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and time-bound (SMART).

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 18

Example work plan (12-month action plan) DFC Goal 1: Establish and strengthen collaboration among community stakeholders and organizations to address youth substance use.

Table: Work plan example for objective 1

Objective 1: [SMART objective]

Strategy 1: [Specific strategy]

Activity Who is Responsible By When?

Strategy 2: [Specific strategy]

Activity Who is Responsible By When?

DFC Goal 2: Reduce substance use among youth and, over time, reduce substance use among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance use and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance use.

Table: Work plan example for objective 2

Objective 2: [SMART objective]

Strategy 1: [Specific strategy]

Activity Who is Responsible By When?

Strategy 2: [Specific strategy]

Activity Who is Responsible By When?

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 19

You must also provide a summary (up to one paragraph) of what you aim to achieve at the end of the 5 years and how the objectives and strategies outlined in the 12-month action plan will help contribute to the long-term outcomes to foster sustainable, community-level change.

You will have the flexibility to modify and finalize the work plan post-award and following the completion of the National Coalition Academy (NCA).

Table: Using SMART Objectives

Regular Objective SMART Objective

Reduce substance use rates for adolescents

By July 31, 2026, reduce the percent of 9th graders in Random County who have used [specific substance] from 8 percent baseline to 7 percent as indicated in our annual youth survey.

Meet with 12 high schools to inform them about drug drop-box programs.

Public health staff will meet with key stakeholders at all high schools in our jurisdiction resulting in 3 out of 4 high schools committing to work on educating about and implementing drug drop-box programs by June 2026, as indicated in our annual school partner survey.

Data, monitoring, and evaluation CDC strategy Evaluation and performance measurement are tools used to:

• Highlight program accomplishments.

• Monitor the implementation.

• Demonstrate the effectiveness of NOFO strategies and activities.

• Build an evidence base for program strategies.

• Clarify the applicability of the evidence base to different populations, settings, and contexts.

• Drive continuous program improvement.

Required performance measures The DFC National Cross-Site Evaluation is intended to measure the effectiveness of the DFC Support Program in achieving its goals of increasing collaboration and preventing or reducing youth substance use. The collection of key data is a critical component of this award.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 20

You must participate in the DFC National Cross-Site Evaluation, which includes providing data every 2 years on core measures for alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and prescription drug use in at least three grades between 6th and 12th grade. We recommend that you include at least one grade at the middle school level and one grade at the high school level.

You will collect data for the following measures:

• Past 30-day use: The percentage of survey respondents who reported using alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, or misusing prescription drugs at least once within the past 30 days.

• Perception of risk: The percentage of survey respondents who perceived that their use of a given substance has moderate or great risk.

• Perception of parental disapproval: The percentage of survey respondents who perceived their parents would feel that regular use of alcohol (one or two drinks nearly every day), or engaging in any use of tobacco, marijuana, or misuse of prescription drugs is wrong or very wrong.

• Perception of peer disapproval: The percentage of survey respondents who perceived their friends would feel it would be wrong or very wrong for them to drink alcohol regularly (one or two drinks nearly every day), or engage in any use of tobacco, marijuana, or misuse of prescription drugs.

It will be your responsibility to adhere to the DFC National Cross-Site Evaluation reporting schedule (every 2 years for the substances named in the respective grade levels). If you do not submit the core measures, you will have failed to comply with the award terms and conditions.

We will also require you to submit annual progress reports that outline the community profile, sector and youth engagement, coalition capacity, risk, and protective factors, and implementation of youth substance use prevention strategies. You should identify and monitor measures of short-term, intermediate, and long-term outcomes, which can serve as benchmarks for measuring programmatic progress and impact.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 21

Evaluation and performance measurement plan You must provide an evaluation and performance measurement plan. Use the measures required under the CDC strategy section.

Include the following elements.

Methods Describe how you will:

• Collect the performance measures.

• Use evaluation findings for continuous program quality improvement.

• Incorporate evaluation and performance measurement into planning, implementing, and reporting of project activities.

Additionally, explain:

• How key program partners will participate in the evaluation and performance measurement process.

• How feasible it will be to collect appropriate evaluation and performance data.

• How you will share evaluation findings with communities and stakeholders.

• Other relevant information, such as performance measures you propose.

Data management plan For all public health data that you plan to collect, describe:

• The data you plan to collect and their available data sources.

• The feasibility of collecting appropriate evaluation and performance data.

• Other relevant data information, such as performance measures you propose.

Evaluation and performance measurement requirements post award We do not require you, at the time of application, to comply with the DFC National Cross-Site Evaluation’s Requirements. However, we will require you to comply with the evaluation requirements once awarded. This includes:

• Submitting any surveys used to collect core measure data for review and approval through the DFC and CARA & Me system.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 22

• Submitting the core measure data in specified increments (every 2 years) for the substances named in the respective grade levels.

• Submitting a data management plan (DMP) that includes:

◦ The data you will collect or generate.

◦ If there are reasons why you cannot share data collected or generated under this award with CDC. These could include legal, regulatory, policy, or technical concerns.

◦ Who can access data and how you will protect it.

◦ Data standards that ensure released data have documentation that describes collection methods, what the data represent, and data limitations.

◦ Archival and long-term data preservation plans.

◦ How you will update the DMP as new information is available over the life of the project. You will provide updates to the DMP in annual reports.

For a definition of “public health data” and other key information, see Data Management and Access on our website.

Paperwork Reduction Act Any activities involving information collection from 10 or more individuals or organizations may require the Paperwork Reduction Act (PRA) approval. The PRA requires review and approval of the information collection by the White House Office of Management and Budget. For further information to determine if a proposed activity requires PRA approval, contact your project officer. Collections include items like surveys and questionnaires. If you have collections requiring PRA approval, CDC is responsible for working with OMB to gain the approval.

For more information about CDC’s requirements under PRA see CDC Paperwork Reduction Act Compliance.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 23 https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html https://www.cdc.gov/grants/additional-requirements/ar-25.html https://www.cdc.gov/scientific-integrity/php/public-information-collection/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/os/integrity/reducepublicburden/index.htm https://www.cdc.gov/scientific-integrity/php/public-information-collection/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/os/integrity/reducepublicburden/index.htm

Organizational capacity You must demonstrate your organizational capacity to manage and implement the grant. This capacity includes your organizational structure, key personnel, and Community Coalition described as follows.

Organizational structure You must describe the organizational structure and how it will support your implementation of the grant.

You must have the capacity to:

• Oversee operations of activities and programs.

• Provide fiscal oversight.

• Complete and submit required reports on time.

• Provide adequate communication.

• Formulate coalition goals and objectives.

• Develop and carry out the 12-month action plan.

• Maintain engagement with the required 12 sectors each budget year.

• Retain and recruit members.

• Demonstrate substantial involvement from volunteers.

If you are serving as a fiscal agent on behalf of a coalition, indicate that in this section. Fiscal agents must include a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that describes:

• The working relationship between the fiscal agent and the community coalition to implement the grant.

• The management role of the coalition’s leadership in financial decisions related to the DFC grant.

A sample MOU is provided in the supporting materials.

Key personnel At a minimum, we require the following key personnel:

Authorized organization representative (AOR)

• The AOR is the representative of your organization with authority to act on your organization’s behalf in matters related to the award and administration of grants.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 24

• In signing a grant application, the AOR agrees that your organization will assume the obligations of the award. These responsibilities include overseeing the financial aspects of the grant and the performance of the grant-supported project or activities as specified in the approved application.

• The AOR must be an employee of your organization and must be identified in the Personnel budget category as either federal or non-federal.

• The AOR must not be the same person as the PD/PI and the project coordinator.

Program director or principal investigator (PD/PI)

• The PD/PI is the person who provides programmatic oversight of the grant and is accountable to officials of your organization.

• The PD/PI cannot be the same person as the AOR.

Project coordinator

• The project coordinator manages the work of the coalition and program activities, including training, coalition communication, data collection, and information dissemination.

• The PD/PI and the project coordinator can be the same person.

Required skills Staff selected to fulfill key personnel positions should have skills in non-research program administration, including:

• Program planning and implementation.

• Program evaluation.

• Performance monitoring.

• Financial management and reporting.

• Budget management and administration.

• Personnel management.

• Project management.

To demonstrate proficiency in these topic areas, you will submit resumes for filled positions or position descriptions for unfilled positions.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 25

Community coalition You must describe the role of the community coalition in this section.

For the purposes of this program, a community coalition is a community-based formal arrangement for cooperation and collaboration among 12 required sectors of a community in which each group retains its identity, but all agree to work together toward a common goal.

Please note: Coalition members cannot represent more than one sector category. Paid staff (like your program director/principal investigator and project coordinator) cannot serve as sector representatives.

Please refer to the following page for a detailed description of the required sectors.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 26

The required sectors are:

Youth: Someone 18 years of age or younger in a public, private, home schooled, or alternative school (you must list their age).

Parent: A person who is legally responsible for a child, grandchild, or foster child.

Business: A representative of a business-related organization that provides services that are not in conflict with the goals and objectives of the DFC program.

Media: A representative of a communication outlet that provides information to the community.

Through an appropriate media platform, this representative should be capable of communicating and sharing information (such as in print, digitally, or through social media) that furthers the coalition’s mission.

School: A representative of the school system with influence in school policies and procedures.

Youth-serving organization: A representative of an organization that provides services to support youth.

Religious or fraternal organization: A representative of a faith-based organization or representative from a fraternal organization that is based on a common tie or pursuit of a common goal. The organization must have a substantial program of fraternal activities.

Law enforcement: A representative of a law enforcement agency. The representative must be an active sworn law enforcement officer, not retired.

Civic or volunteer groups: A representative of an organization that provides civic or volunteer activities that serves the community (not a coalition member). Examples include Lions clubs, Rotary clubs, and so on.

Healthcare professional: An individual or representative of an organization licensed to provide physical, mental, or behavioral healthcare services, like a pediatrician, pharmacist and so on.

State, local, or tribal governmental agency with expertise in the field of substance use: A representative of a government-funded agency with a focus on substance use prevention, treatment, or recovery support services.

Other organizations involved in reducing substance use.

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 27

For tribal applicants, appropriate sector representatives may hold different titles and positions than non-tribal applicants. For example:

• A traditional healer or spiritual leader can serve as the religious and fraternal organization sector representative.

• A tribal Elder that enforces tribal law can serve as a law enforcement sector representative.

• A storyteller can serve as the media sector representative.

If there are positions or titles for other sectors that you believe meet DFC requirements, please provide the rationale in the sector table.

Collaborations

With other CDC projects and CDC-funded organizations We encourage you, where applicable and appropriate, to collaborate with CDC programs that are implementing evidence-based and practice-based prevention strategies that align within the strategies and activities section and note this in your application.

Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) or Memoranda of Agreement (MOAs) with these collaborators are not required.

Examples of relevant CDC partners and programs include:

• Overdose Data to Action – State Overdose Data to Action

• Overdose Data to Action – Local Overdose Data to Action

• Opioid Response Strategy (ORS), High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas

(HIDTA) Program

• CDC’s Alcohol Program

• Division of Adolescent and School Health

• Suicide Prevention, Division of Injury Prevention

• Office on Smoking and Health

• Office of Tribal Affairs and Strategic Alliances

• Good Health and Wellness in Indian Country CDC

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 28 https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/php/od2a/state.html https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/php/od2a/local.html?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/od2a/local.html https://orsprogram.org/program-overview/ https://orsprogram.org/program-overview/ https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/program/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/ https://www.cdc.gov/suicide/index.html https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/programs/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/tobacco/about/osh/ https://www.cdc.gov/tribal-health/ https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-tribes-ghwic/php/about/?CDC_AAref_Val=https://www.cdc.gov/healthytribes/ghwic.htm

Budget, funding policies, and limitations General guidance

• Your budget is arranged in eight categories: salaries and wages, fringe benefits, travel, equipment, supplies, contractual, other (includes consultant costs) and indirect costs.

• You may use funds only for reasonable program purposes consistent with the award, its terms and conditions, and federal laws and regulations that apply to the award. If you have questions about this determination, ask the grants management specialist.

• You may not use funds to purchase furniture or equipment.

See also program-specific limitations.

Unallowable costs You may not use funds for:

• Research.

• Clinical care, except as allowed by law.

• Pre-award costs, unless we give you prior written approval.

• Other than for normal and recognized executive-legislative relationships:

◦ Publicity or propaganda purposes, including preparing, distributing, or using any material designed to support or defeat the enactment of legislation before any legislative body.

◦ The salary or expenses of any grant or contract recipient, or agent acting for such recipient, related to any activity designed to influence the enactment of legislation, appropriations, regulation, administrative action, or executive order proposed or pending before any legislative body.

◦ See Anti-Lobbying Restrictions for CDC Grantees.

Supplanting existing funding

• You cannot replace your current program’s funds with federal grant funds.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 29 https://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/Anti-Lobbying-Restrictions.pdf

Pass-through funding to community organizations

• Grant funds cannot be passed on to other community organizations via mini-grants or other methods, including one coalition funding another coalition. The recipient coalition must directly manage the programmatic work of the DFC Program.

Data collection and evaluation limit

• No more than 10% of the total federal grant award can be used for data collection and evaluation purposes. Coalitions are not required to hire evaluators.

• This limit does not apply to non-federal match funding.

Furniture and equipment purchases

• You cannot use funds to purchase furniture or equipment.

• You cannot use funds for landscaping or neighborhood revitalization projects, including lighting or community gardening efforts.

Law enforcement and detection or testing devices

• You cannot use funds for vaping detection devices, drug testing strips, drug testing kits, or to purchase Naloxone.

• You cannot use funds for law enforcement equipment, drug courts, drug search detection canines, or related training.

Educational and sports programs

• You cannot use funds for youth sports programs.

• You cannot use funds for stipends or tuition expenses.

• You cannot use funds for curricula or packaged strategies that do not have evidence of effectiveness or have evidence of harm in the peer reviewed literature.

Special considerations

• Food is only allowed as a small incentive (up to $3 per person) for participating in a community-wide event of the DFC Support Program.

• Promotional items/incentives are only allowed for program outreach, and specific purposes necessary to meet the requirements, goals, and objectives of the federal grant award (up to $30 per person per activity).

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 30

• Travel: Follow the guidance provided by your organization. If you don’t have official travel guidance, refer to Planning for Travel for detailed instructions on local GSA rates.

• Lodging and subsistence: Other travel expenses like lodging, meals, and incidentals, must be reasonable and not exceed the costs outlined in local GSA rates or the limits set by your organization’s travel policy. For more information on travel costs, please see 45 CFR 75.474.

• You can use funds for program staff background checks and drug tests.

For guidance on some types of costs that we restrict or do not allow, see 45 CFR part 75, General Provisions for Selected Items of Cost.

Indirect costs Indirect costs have a common or joint purpose across more than one project and cannot be easily separated by project. Learn more at CDC Budget Preparation Guidelines.

To charge indirect costs you can select one of two methods:

Method 1 — Approved rate. You currently have an indirect cost rate approved by your cognizant federal agency.

Provide a summary of the rate. Enclose a copy of the current approved rate agreement in your attachments.

Method 2 — De minimis rate. Per 2 CFR 200.414(f), if you have never received a negotiated indirect cost rate, you may elect to charge a de minimis rate. If you choose this method, costs included in the indirect cost pool must not be charged as direct costs.

This rate is 15% of modified total direct costs (MTDC). See 2 CFR 200.1 for the definition of MTDC. You can use this rate indefinitely.

Other indirect cost policies

• As described in 45 CFR 75.403(d), you must consistently charge items as either indirect or direct costs and may not double charge.

• Indirect costs may include the cost of collecting, managing, sharing, and preserving data.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 31 https://www.gsa.gov/travel https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-E/subject-group-ECFR5d90ba314caea08/section-75.474 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75/subject-group-ECFR5d90ba314caea08 https://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/budget-preparation-guidance.pdf https://www.cdc.gov/grants/documents/budget-preparation-guidance.pdf https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/section-200.414 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-2/part-200/section-200.1#p-200.1(Modified%20Total%20Direct%20Cost%20(MTDC)) https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/part-75#p-75.403(d)

Salary rate limitation The salary rate limitation in the current appropriations act applies to this program. As of January 2025, the salary rate limitation is $225,700. We will update this limitation in future years.

Program income Program income is money earned as a result of your award-supported project activities. You must use program income for the purposes and under the conditions of the award. Find more about program income at 45 CFR 75.307.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 1: Review the Opportunity 32 https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-45/subtitle-A/subchapter-A/part-75/subpart-D/subject-group-ECFR911e5e1a30bfbcb/section-75.307

Step 2:

Prepare Your Application

In this step

Find the application package 34

Help applying 34

Join the informational call 34

Application contents and format 35

Find the application package The application package has all the forms you need to apply. You can find it online. Go to Grants Search at Grants.gov and search for opportunity number

CDC-RFA-CE20-20040601CONT25.

If you can’t use Grants.gov to download application materials or have other technical difficulties, including issues with application submission, contact Grants.gov for assistance.

To get updates on changes to this NOFO, select Subscribe from the View Grant Opportunity page for this NOFO on Grants.gov.

Need help? See Contacts and Support.

Help applying For help related to the application process and tips for preparing your application, see How to Apply on our website. For other questions, see Contacts and Support.

Join the informational call For more information about this opportunity, join our informational call:

Competing Continuation (Year 6) Applicant Informational Webinar.

Date: March 25, 2025

Time: 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. ET

We will record the webinar. If you are not able to join live, you can replay the webinar.

The goals of this session are to review the requirements of the DFC Program, outline how to apply, and describe how the applications will be evaluated and scored.

Joining and participating is voluntary and does not affect eligibility, application scoring, or award selection. You can attend anonymously.

1. Review 2. Prepare 3. Understand 4. Submit 5. Award Contacts

Step 2: Prepare Your Application 34 https://grants.gov/search-grants https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.grants.gov/support https://www.cdc.gov/grants/applying/index.html https://www.edgereg.net/er/Registration/StepRegInfo.jsp?ActivityID=43295&StepNumber=1 https://dfc.cmpinc.net/ https://dfc.cmpinc.net/

Application contents and format Applications include 20 items. This section includes guidance on each and how many points will be assigned to them.

Make sure to include each of the following:

Item How to upload Page limit

Project abstract Use the Project Abstract Summary Form on Grants.gov

1 page

Project narrative Use the Project Narrative Attachment form on Grants.gov

20 pages

Budget narrative Use the Budget Narrative Attachment form on Grants.gov

None

Attachments (13 total) Insert each in a single Other…