Grant Funding for Substance Use Disorder Programs

Rural substance use disorder (SUD) programs can leverage grant funding, including from federal, state, or local government sources, to support sustainability of SUD prevention and treatment activities in their communities.

Examples of Federal Government Funding Sources

• The Health Resources and Services Administration Federal Office of Rural Health Policy offers several funding opportunities for rural SUD programs, including the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program.
• The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers multiple grants for SUD programs, including:
  • First Responders Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act Grant
  • Rural Emergency Medical Services Training Grant
  • Strategic Prevention Framework – Partnerships for Success Grant Program
  • Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant
• The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) of the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regularly release funding opportunities for SUD treatment and prevention.
• The U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance provides funding for SUD programs, including:
  • Adult Treatment Court Program
  • Veterans Treatment Court Program
  • Community Courts Initiative
  • Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program
  • Second Chance Act Programs
• Under the Recovery Housing Program, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development distributes funding to states to provide stable housing for individuals recovering from SUD.
• The Administration for Children and Families also supports SUD programs. Some states are using Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) funding to cover SUD treatment and services that support recovery, such as employment training. States can also use the Social Services Block Grant to fund a range of social services, including residential treatment programs for youth.

Examples of State, County, and Local Government Funding Sources

State governments use various funding resources for SUD treatment and include SUD treatment and prevention in their annual budgets. State funding for SUD treatment and recovery is often directed toward child protective services, correctional systems, and drug courts. Examples of state-funded SUD programs are below:

• The state of New York funds MOUD, residential programs, and public awareness campaigns in its executive budget.
• California's Empowering Rural Communities to End the Tobacco Epidemic program funds policy, systems, and environmental change strategies to reduce tobacco use in rural communities.

County governments and agencies may also offer diverse funding opportunities to rural communities. The National Association of Counties prepared a report that describes how counties in Appalachia are helping to fund programs that address the opioid epidemic.

Some rural communities work with local law enforcement agencies to secure funding for services. For example, rural naloxone expansion programs have worked with law enforcement to develop processes for allocating money from drug seizures to support naloxone distribution.

Examples of Philanthropic Funding Sources

National foundations. National foundations and philanthropies can be a key source of SUD prevention and treatment funding for rural communities. For example, the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation funds Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) programs in rural communities. The Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts funds initiatives to address opioid use across four key areas: professional education, payer and provider strategies, policy initiatives, and public awareness. In addition to programs that treat and prevent SUD, funding from foundations can be used for risk reduction initiatives. For example, the Comer Family Foundation funds programs that provide education and community services that help to reduce overdose and disease transmission.

Regional or local foundations. Rural SUD programs may be eligible for funding from regional, state, or local foundations. For example, the Colorado Health Foundation focuses on promoting adult recovery services. The North Carolina Community Foundation provides funding for a multi-year residential SUD treatment program that serves rural communities in North Carolina. In Ohio, the OneOhio Recovery Foundation supports evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery initiatives for SUD and co-occurring disorders. Other programs funded by local foundations include fentanyl education in Virginia and support for rural and coastal Texas residents affected by SUD.

Pharmaceutical companies. Pharmaceutical companies often provide philanthropic support for substance use issues through an associated foundation or corporate philanthropy effort. For example, the Gilead COMPASS (Commitment to Partnership in Addressing HIV/AIDS in Southern States) Initiative is funding programs to reduce HIV disparities in the South, including interventions that focus on well-being, mental health, substance use, and trauma-informed care. Rural naloxone expansion programs have partnered with pharmaceutical companies to provide free or reduced naloxone.

For current funding opportunities for SUD programs, see Rural Funding & Opportunities by Topic: Substance use and misuse in our Online Library. For an overview of entities that fund rural health programs, see Funders of Rural Community Health Programs in the Rural Community Health Toolkit.