National Center for Child Traumatic Stress - Category 1

The National Child Traumatic Stress Initiative – Category I, National Center for Child Traumatic Stress is a federal funding opportunity administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The program is authorized under the Public Health Service Act and is designed to support the national infrastructure for addressing child trauma across the United States. This initiative functions as the coordinating hub of a broader network of grantees focused on improving trauma-informed care systems for children and youth. The selected awardee will serve as the National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, responsible for unifying and advancing the work of multiple regional and community-based centers. The primary purpose of this grant is to create or maintain a national coordinating center that supports the development, dissemination, and implementation of evidence-based and evidence-informed practices related to childhood trauma. The program emphasizes training, technical assistance, evaluation, and large-scale coordination across a national network. Activities include organizing training initiatives, supporting collaboration among partners, disseminating research and best practices, and improving access to trauma-informed services. The initiative is aligned with federal priorities related to mental health, data-driven decision-making, and improving outcomes for vulnerable populations. Funding is provided as a cooperative agreement with substantial federal involvement. The program offers up to eight million dollars per year for a project period of up to five years, with continuation contingent on performance and availability of funds. Of this total, a portion is specifically allocated for data collection, analysis, and reporting activities. Funds are primarily intended to support training, coordination, evaluation, and dissemination efforts. Restrictions apply to allowable costs, including limits on indirect cost rates and prohibitions on certain activities that do not align with federal policy priorities. Cost sharing is not required for this program. Eligibility is limited to domestic public and private nonprofit entities, including state and local governments, tribal organizations, and nonprofit institutions. Applicants must demonstrate the capacity to lead a national initiative and coordinate large-scale efforts across multiple stakeholders. The application process requires submission through federal systems such as Grants.gov and includes multiple components such as a project narrative, budget narrative, attachments, and required federal forms. Applicants must also maintain active registrations in federal systems including SAM.gov, Grants.gov, and eRA Commons. Applications are evaluated through a structured merit review process that assesses need, implementation approach, organizational capacity, and data collection plans. Reviewers assign scores based on predefined criteria, and final funding decisions consider both peer review results and alignment with agency priorities. Applicants must clearly outline goals, measurable objectives, and a detailed plan for implementing all required activities, including evaluation and reporting mechanisms. The application deadline is July 13, 2026, with submissions due by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Awards are expected to be announced by September 1, 2026, with a project start date of September 30, 2026. The program is recurring as part of an ongoing federal initiative to strengthen trauma-informed systems of care. Applicants are encouraged to begin registration processes early due to system requirements and processing times. Program contacts are available for technical, financial, and review-related inquiries to support applicants throughout the process.

Align closely with required activities; emphasize national coordination capacity; demonstrate strong evaluation and data systems; ensure compliance with federal priorities