Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA)

The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) funding opportunity, administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) under the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control (NCIPC), supports community-based coalitions in addressing local youth drug crises. This program is an extension of the long-standing Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program, which was established by the Drug-Free Communities Act of 1997. Through this initiative, the CDC collaborates with the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to combat substance use among youth, particularly focusing on the prevention and reduction of opioid and methamphetamine use and the misuse of prescription drugs in adolescents aged 12 to 18. The CARA grant program aims to enhance the efforts of community-based coalitions that are current or former recipients of the DFC Support Program. These coalitions must demonstrate a significant, sustained local challenge with opioid or methamphetamine use, exceeding national averages. The CARA initiative is specifically targeted at reinforcing existing infrastructure in communities, enabling effective, locally tailored responses to substance use challenges among youth populations. The program mandates that all applicants must be domestic public or private nonprofit entities located within the U.S. or its territories, including organizations such as state and local governments, federally and state-recognized tribes, universities, professional associations, and faith-based or community organizations. The grant provides financial resources for coalitions to conduct community-level interventions. Activities supported under this grant may include evidence-based prevention education, outreach programs, local data collection and analysis, coordination with schools and law enforcement, and the promotion of safe medication practices. While there is no cost-sharing or matching funds requirement, eligible applicants must be nonprofit organizations as defined by IRS 501(c) classifications or entities deemed appropriate by the Administrator, with clear documentation of drug misuse trends above the national average in their respective communities. Application submissions for this funding opportunity must be completed electronically by April 28, 2026, no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. There are no pre-application requirements such as letters of intent or concept papers listed in the current documentation. Applicants are advised to prepare their proposals with sufficient time to meet the deadline. The anticipated total funding available through this opportunity is $18,750,000, with up to 50 awards expected, and individual award ceilings capped at $75,000. Applications will be evaluated based on criteria that align with federal drug policy priorities and relevant Executive Orders. These priorities include enhancing public safety, defending against ideological extremism, and enforcing existing federal laws related to substance abuse prevention. CARA emphasizes accountability and expects recipients to support applicable federal policies as part of their program execution. For further information or assistance in accessing the full application materials, potential applicants may contact Christi Jones via email at CARA_NOFO@cdc.gov. The grant opportunity is listed under Assistance Listing Number 93.799 and has the official funding opportunity number CDC-RFA-CE-26-0110. The application portal and associated resources are accessible via Grants.gov. Awards are expected to be announced following the application close date, though specific notification timelines were not disclosed.