Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act Grants | SP 26 001

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): The Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act Grants (SP 26 001)

What is this grant opportunity?

The Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act Grants is a discretionary grant program administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Funding Opportunity Number is SP 26 001.

What is the main purpose of the program?

The core goal is to help communities across the United States prevent and reduce alcohol use among youth and young adults ages 12 to 20.

Who is the target population for the prevention work?

The program focuses on youth and young adults ages 12 to 20, specifically related to preventing and reducing underage alcohol use.

What funding category does this opportunity fall under?

This opportunity sits in the health funding category and is framed as a public health prevention effort rather than a treatment-only program.

What is the CFDA/Assistance Listing number for this program?

The CFDA/Assistance Listing number is 93.492.

Is this a formula grant or a discretionary/competitive grant?

It is a discretionary grant program run by SAMHSA, meaning it is awarded through a competitive process rather than a formula distribution.

Who is eligible to apply?

Only domestic public and private nonprofit entities are eligible, and they must be organizations that are currently receiving or have previously received grant funding under the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997 (Section 519B of the Public Health Service Act, 42 USC 290bb-25b, as amended).

Does an organization need prior Drug-Free Communities (DFC) funding to be eligible?

Yes. Eligibility is tied by statute to organizations that currently receive or have previously received funding under the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997.

Are for-profit organizations eligible?

No. The eligibility described is limited to domestic public and private nonprofit entities with current or prior DFC funding history.

Are applicants required to be located in the United States?

Yes. Eligibility is limited to domestic entities, meaning U.S.-based public and private nonprofit organizations that meet the DFC funding history requirement.

How much funding is available per award?

The award ceiling is $60,000 per award.

How many awards does SAMHSA expect to make?

SAMHSA expects to make about 32 awards.

What is the application deadline?

The listed closing date is July 15, 2026.

Can the application portal close before the listed deadline?

Yes. SAMHSA will accept and review only the first 60 complete, successfully submitted, and high-quality applications received through eRA. Once that 60-application threshold is reached, the submission portal will close and additional applications will not be considered.

What does the 60-application limit mean in practice?

It means timing and readiness matter. Meeting the stated deadline may not be enough if the first 60 complete, successfully submitted, and high-quality applications are received before July 15, 2026.

How are applications submitted?

Applications are submitted through eRA (the electronic submission system referenced for this opportunity).

Will SAMHSA review applications submitted after the first 60 are received?

No. After SAMHSA reaches the cap of the first 60 complete, successfully submitted, and high-quality applications, the portal closes and additional submissions will not be considered.

What does SAMHSA mean by "complete, successfully submitted, and high-quality" applications?

The notice emphasizes that only applications meeting these criteria and received early enough to fall within the first 60 will be accepted for review. The practical takeaway is that applicants should plan to submit a strong, finalized application as early as possible because incomplete or lower-quality submissions may not make it into the accepted set before the cap is reached.

When was this funding opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on June 15, 2026.

Does the creation date affect how applicants should plan?

Yes. With a creation date of June 15, 2026 and a listed closing date of July 15, 2026, the window is relatively short, and the early-closure rule based on the first 60 qualifying submissions makes early preparation and submission especially important.

Is the program focused on prevention or treatment?

The program is framed as a public health prevention initiative focused on preventing and reducing underage drinking, rather than being a treatment-only services program.

What types of organizations is SAMHSA aiming to fund through this program?

The program is aimed at organizations with existing or prior DFC funding history, signaling SAMHSA expects applicants to have experience with community-based substance use prevention coalitions or similar prevention infrastructure supported under the Drug-Free Communities Act.

Is this grant intended for large-scale statewide expansion projects?

Based on the modest award ceiling ($60,000) and the expected number of awards (about 32), the program is described as supporting targeted local initiatives rather than large-scale statewide expansions.

What is the most important operational constraint to plan around?

The most important constraint is that SAMHSA will only accept and review the first 60 complete, successfully submitted, and high-quality applications through eRA. Once 60 are received, the portal closes even if the listed deadline has not yet arrived.