DFC Funding Announcements

ONDCP along with our program partners at SAMHSA is pleased to announce the FY2010 class for the Drug Free Communities Support Program. After the most competitive process in recent history, we are pleased to award 169 new DFC grants, 16 new DFC Mentoring grants, 549 DFC continuation grants and 7 DFC Mentor continuation grants. For a listing of this year's awardees, please click the links below:

• DFC New Awards
• DFC New Mentor Awards
• DFC Continuation Awards
• DFC Continuation Mentor Awards

For those applicants who were not funded in FY 2010, you will receive summary sheets, including your score, in October from SAMHSA via USPS to the Business Official listed on the application. We hope you will use these comments to improve your application for future years. Information is also available in our FAQ section.

Additional Information About the DFC 2010 Awards

Below are several files with additional information about the DFC "Class of 2010":

• DFC National News Release
• DFC Program Overview Fact Sheet
• DFC Evaluation Data Fact Sheet

Public Encouraged to Share Stories and Ideas

ONDCP is dedicated to fostering safe communities and healthy individuals, and achieving this broad mission is only possible through the hard work of partners, engaged communities, and dedicated individuals. We recognize that much of the meaningful progress is made at the community level and that's why we are interested in hearing stories from your community. Great ideas can come from inside and outside government, from large organizations, or a single, small effort. Learning about your work in substance abuse prevention and treatment can help inform programs and shape policies.

Visit the Share Your Stories page and share your experiences today.

New 2010 National Drug Control Strategy Released

Because nearly all Americans are impacted by the consequences of drug use, the Strategy is designed to be relevant at the local level. Whether you are a parent looking for information, a community member interested in treatment resources, a police officer or local elected official searching for new approaches to drug-related crimes, or someone who wants to know more about the Administration's drug policy, the National Drug Control Strategy will serve as a useful resource.

Particularly of interest to Drug Free Communities may be Chapter 1, Strengthen Efforts to Prevent Drug Use in Our Communities or the video message from ONDCP's Director Gil Kerlikowske.

2010 DFC Grant Making Process

The DFC and DFC Mentoring 2010 funding cycles are closed at this time.  We anticipate releasing the FY2011 DFC Request for Applications in January, 2011 and the Mentoring DFC RFA in February 2011. For potential applicants interested in a visual timeline for the awards process, click here. The grant cycle for DFC follows this same general timeline each year.  If you have questions about applying for the DFC program, please review the statutory eligible requirements.

Coalition Resources

Drug Free Communities Support Program Overview
The DFC Program was started as a result of the passage of the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997.  Since its inception, the program has funded more than 1,600 community coalitions addressing youth substance use.  If you are member of a community coalition and want to learn more about the DFC Program, click here for a short video that will provide you with an overview of DFC and what it provides to communities in the US and its Territories.

Statutory Eligibility Requirements
Coalitions that are interested in applying for the DFC grant must meet the statutory eligibility requirements outlined in the Drug Free Communities Act of 1997.  Failure to meet even a single requirement will make an application ineligible and it will not proceed to Peer Review for scoring.  We encourage coalitions that are thinking that DFC may be the right funding stream for them to begin working toward meeting the statutory eligibility requirements TODAY!  Click here to view a short video on the DFC statutory eligibility requirements. 

Strategic Prevention Framework
Coalitions that receive DFC funding must use the Strategic Prevention Framework (SPF).  The SPF is a community planning model that allows for all DFC coalitions to speak a common language and engage in a common process for forward progression.  Previous DFC Request for Applications (RFA) have been based on the SPF, so if your coalition is thinking about applying for the DFC grant in the future, learning about the SPF will help you in successfully completing your application.  Click here for a short video on the SPF.  You can also check out the Primer Series developed by CADCA's National Coalition Institute at www.cadca.org/resources/series/Primers.  To request up to five free copies of each of the seven primers, email training@cadca.org.

Environmental Strategies
The DFC Program requires the use of environmental strategies by its funded coalitions.  Many community coalitions across the US are actively engaged in these types of strategies, which are aimed at addressing whole environments through policy and practice change that effects community norms.  The RFA for 2010 required applicant coalitions to effectively describe the environmental strategies they intend to use if they are funded and we anticipate this trend continuing in future RFAs.  If you are a community coalition member and want to learn more about environmental prevention strategies, you can download The Coalition Impact:  Environmental Prevention Strategies (provided by CADCA's National Coalition Institute).  To request up to five free copies, please email training@cadca.org.

Ongoing Technical Assistance
We highly encourage coalitions to seek technical assistance in an ongoing manner just to discuss coalition management issues, get new ideas and learn new solutions to your community coalition's issues.  If you are feeling like your coalition is stuck in a rut and not progressing, technical assistance is often the jolt needed to reinvigorate your efforts.  The great thing about technical assistance is that it is brief, tailored to your needs and gives you real time feedback.  It is a great way to keep your coalition healthy and provides support for coalition professionals.  CADCA's National Coalition Institute provides free telephone technical assistance to community coalitions.  Get your coalition's "check up" by contacting Kristy Miller, CADCA's Technical Assistance Manager, at 800-542-2322, ext. 240.