health · HHS-SAMHS-SAMHSA
First Responders-Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Adminis · TI-26-006
Award Range
$0 – $800K
Total Program Funding
$34.7M
Expected Awards
118
Deadline
July 27, 2026
GRANTQUICK SUMMARYPlain-English Overview
SAMHSA is funding 118 grants (up to $800K each, $34.7M total) for the First Responders-CARA program. The purpose: train first responders and community members to administer opioid overdose reversal medications (naloxone/Narcan). This is one of the largest and most accessible SAMHSA grants — if your state/local government or tribe is losing people to opioid overdoses and you want federal money for naloxone distribution and training, this is it.
Who Should Apply
States, local governments (cities, counties, special districts), and American Indian/Alaska Native tribes and tribal organizations. This is limited to government entities and tribal organizations — nonprofits cannot apply directly.
Who Should NOT Apply
Nonprofits (even those doing overdose prevention work), private organizations, hospitals (unless government-run), universities, or for-profit entities.
Key Requirements (Plain English)
- •Must be a state, local government, or AI/AN tribe/tribal organization
- •Must focus on training first responders in opioid overdose reversal medication administration
- •Must distribute overdose reversal medications in the community
- •Must train community members (not just professional first responders)
- •Must collect and report data on training and distribution activities
- •No cost-sharing required
💡 GrantQuick Tip
With 118 awards, this is one of the easiest federal grants to win IF you're an eligible government entity. The limiting factor is eligibility — only governments and tribes can apply. If you're a nonprofit doing overdose prevention, partner with your city/county government to be a subcontractor. Focus your application on specific high-overdose neighborhoods, show your current overdose death data, and quantify exactly how many naloxone kits you'll distribute and how many people you'll train.
Competitiveness: Low — 118 awards for government entities and tribes. Many eligible applicants don't apply because they don't know about it or lack grant-writing capacity.
What This Grant Funds
The purpose of the FR-CARA program is to train first responders and communities in administering and distributing opioid overdose reversal medications (OORM).
Who Can Apply
Eligible Applicant Types
Funding Details
- Maximum Award
- $800K
- Total Program Funding
- $34.7M
- Expected Number of Awards
- 118
- Cost Sharing Required?
- No
- Funding Instrument
- grant
Key Dates
Agency Contact
Office of Financial Resources Division of Grants Management 240-276-1400
NOFOBudget.CSAP@samhsa.hhs.govReady to apply?
View the full NOFO and submit your application on Grants.gov