Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program

Per the authorizing legislation [Drug-Free Communities Act 1997, Public Law No. 105-20, and Reauthorized Public Law No. 115-271], the DFC Support Program has two goals: 1. Establish and strengthen collaboration among communities, public and private non-profit agencies, as well as federal, state, local, and tribal governments to support the efforts of community coalitions working to prevent and reduce substance misuse among youth. 2. Reduce substance abuse use and misuse among youth and, over time, reduce substance misuse among adults by addressing the factors in a community that increase the risk of substance abuse misuse and promoting the factors that minimize the risk of substance misuse.

Grants awarded through the DFC Support Program are intended to support established community-based youth substance use prevention coalitions capable of effecting community-level change. A coalition is defined as a community-based formal arrangement for cooperation and collaboration among groups or sectors of a community in which each group retains its identity, but all agree to work together toward a common goal of building a safe, healthy, and drug-free community. Coalitions receiving DFC funds are expected to work with leaders in their communities to identify and address local youth substance use problems and create sustainable community-level change. A DFC legal applicant (an organization applying on behalf of a coalition, the coalition, or the applicant coalition) must reside within the United States and/or the U.S. Territories. The intent of the DFC Support Program is to fund coalition activities in the United States and does not authorize the funding of organizations or activities outside the United States.

The coalition must consist of one or more representatives from each of the following required 12 sectors: Parents, Youth, Business, Media, Schools, Youth-Serving Organizations, Law Enforcement, Civic/Volunteer Organizations, Religious/Fraternal Organizations, Healthcare Professionals, State/Local/Tribal Government, and Other Substance Abuse Organizations (21 USC § 1532) An individual who is a member of the coalition may serve on the coalition as a representative of not more than one sector category. The coalition must demonstrate that members have worked together on substance abuse reduction initiatives for a period of not less than 6 months at the time of submission of the application, acting through entities such as task forces, subcommittees, or community boards The coalition must also demonstrate substantial participation from volunteer leaders in the community. The coalition must have as its principal mission the reduction of youth substance use, which, at a minimum, includes the use and abuse of drugs in a comprehensive and long-term manner, with a primary focus on youth in the community The coalition must have developed a 12-Month Action Plan to reduce substance use among youth which targets multiple drugs of abuse. Substances may include, but are not limited to, narcotics, depressants, stimulants, hallucinogens, inhalants, marijuana, alcohol, and tobacco, where youth use is prohibited by federal, state, or local law. The coalition must establish a system to measure and report outcomes, established and approved by the DFC Administrator, to the federal government. The applicant must demonstrate that the coalition is an ongoing concern by demonstrating that the coalition is a non-profit organization or has made arrangements with a legal entity that is eligible to receive federal grants. The coalition must have a strategy to solicit substantial financial support from non-federal sources to ensure that the coalition is self- sustaining. The applicant must not request more than $125,000 in federal funds per year. Two DFC-funded coalitions may not serve the same zip code(s) unless both coalitions have clearly described their plan for collaboration in their application and each coalition has independently met the eligibility requirements. Grant recipients may be awarded only one grant at a time through the DFC Support Program. In order to receive a DFC grant, coalitions may not have received 10 years of DFC funding.

Eligible applicants are community-based coalitions addressing youth substance use. The Statutory Eligibility Requirements, written into the DFC Act, are inherent in the language of the DFC Support Program.

DFC applicants are expected to choose strategies that will lead to community level change. Such strategies seek to: (1) limit access to substances; (2) change the culture and context within which decisions about substance use are made; and/or (3) shift the consequences associated with youth substance use. Evidence exists that well-conceived and implemented policies at the local, state, and national levels can reduce community level alcohol, tobacco, and other drug problems. The DFC Support Program requires that coalitions develop and implement a comprehensive 12-Month Action Plan to prevent youth substance use. The Seven Strategies for Community Level Change, a conceptual understanding of strategies a coalition may employ, include efforts that affect individuals as well as an entire community.

Grant funds are available for 12 months, with the option to carry-over unused grants funds.

2 CFR 200

The DFC Support Program's peer review process utilizes current or former DFC grant award recipients and experienced substance use disorder prevention specialists to serve as peer reviewers. Each application is assigned to a panel of three peer reviewers for scoring, and the composite of the three scores becomes the application's final score. Peer reviewers will score the five questions that comprise the Project Narrative by totaling the points for each question to create a cumulative score (scores will range from 0 to 100 points). The scoring criteria is included in the Funding Opportunity Announcement.

Upon full completion of the statutory eligibility review process and review of final scores, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) begins funding with the highest scoring grant until all funds are exhausted. DFC grants are not awarded based on how many DFC-funded coalitions are within a geographic boundary (e.g., state, county, or city). The primary funding decision criterion is the application's final peer review score. All final grant award decisions will be made by ONDCP's DFC Administrator, consistent with the DFC Act of 1997. ONDCP may also take into consideration factors relating to rural, American Indian/Alaska Native, and economically disadvantaged communities.

Annual continuation awards will depend on the availability of funds, recipient progress in meeting project goals and objectives, timely submission of the required data and reports, and compliance with all grant award Terms and Conditions. Failure to comply with the Terms and Conditions of the award may result in suspension or termination of the award.