Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Evaluation

The Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Evaluation is a forecasted federal funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration. The opportunity number is HRSA-27-041, and the Assistance Listing is 93.690, Rural Communities Opioid Response Programs. The funding instrument is a cooperative agreement and the category of funding activity is Health. The opportunity is currently identified as a forecast rather than a posted application opportunity. The forecast was dated August 14, 2026, and was last updated August 21, 2026. The purpose of the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program - Evaluation is to evaluate the impact of rural behavioral health strategies and methods employed under the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program initiative. The program is also intended to support the development of evaluation tools and resources for use in rural communities. These evaluation activities and resulting resources are intended to inform future community-led rural health initiatives. The source does not provide additional details about specific evaluation methodologies, required measures, application questions, reporting requirements, or formal evaluation criteria for applicant selection. The opportunity forecasts total program funding of $5,000,000 and one award. Both the forecasted award floor and award ceiling are $5,000,000, indicating a single anticipated cooperative agreement at that amount based on the currently available forecast. Cost sharing or matching is not required. The source does not state a period of performance, indirect cost limitation, subaward limitation, or detailed allowable and prohibited cost rules. Because this is a forecasted opportunity, applicants should rely on the future posted funding notice for any additional spending restrictions or award conditions that are not included in the forecast. Eligible applicants are broadly described as domestic public or private, nonprofit or for-profit entities. Listed applicant types include nonprofits with and without 501(c)(3) status, private institutions of higher education, public and state controlled institutions of higher education, small businesses, other for-profit organizations, Native American tribal organizations, federally recognized Native American tribal governments, state governments, county governments, city or township governments, special district governments, independent school districts, and public housing authorities or Indian housing authorities. Domestic eligibility includes the 50 states, District of Columbia, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, Guam, U.S. Virgin Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Republic of Palau. However, funded RCORP-Evaluation activities may only support HRSA-designated rural counties and rural census tracts. The estimated posting date is January 23, 2027, and the estimated application due date is March 23, 2027. Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the listed application due date. No letter of intent, concept paper, pre-proposal, notice of intent, or other pre-application gating requirement is identified in the forecast. The source also does not provide application components, required uploads, application questions, review criteria, or other submission mechanics beyond the electronic submission deadline. These details may become available when the forecasted opportunity is formally posted. HRSA forecasts an award date of August 1, 2027, followed by an estimated project start date of September 1, 2027. The fiscal year is 2027, and the forecast lists an archive date of April 22, 2027. No recurring annual, biennial, quarterly, or other repeating application cycle is stated, so recurrence should not be inferred from the available information. The named grantor contact is Lynlee Tanner Stapleton, reachable by telephone at 301-443-5764. The official program email provided is ruralopioidresponse@hrsa.gov.

Focus the proposed evaluation on the impact of rural behavioral health strategies and methods used under RCORP, and on developing evaluation tools and resources for rural communities that can inform future community-led rural health initiatives. Ensure supported activities are limited to HRSA-designated rural counties and rural census tracts.