Preventing Suicide and Interpersonal Violence Among Youth and Young Adults

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, is forecasting a discretionary grant opportunity focused on preventing suicide and interpersonal violence among youth and young adults. This initiative reflects the CDC’s broader public health mission to reduce injury and violence through evidence-based research and community-level interventions. The program specifically targets individuals aged 10 to 24 years, a population that faces significant risks related to mental health challenges, exposure to violence, and harmful online environments. The purpose of this funding opportunity is to support investigator-initiated research that evaluates primary prevention strategies designed to reduce suicide-related outcomes and interpersonal violence. Rather than funding the development of new interventions, the program emphasizes the rigorous evaluation of existing programs, policies, or practices that are already implemented or ready for implementation but have not yet undergone thorough scientific assessment. This focus ensures that funded projects contribute meaningful evidence to guide public health practice and policy. Funding under this opportunity is expected to support a range of evaluation activities, including assessing interventions that enhance social connectedness and cohesion at the community level, mitigate the negative impacts of online experiences on mental health, and address technology-facilitated forms of interpersonal violence. Applicants may propose studies that measure reductions in suicide-related behaviors, improvements in protective factors, or decreases in harm caused by digital or in-person violence. The program allows flexibility in methodological approaches as long as they produce rigorous and actionable findings. The estimated total program funding is 12000000 dollars, with approximately eight awards anticipated. Individual awards may reach up to 500000 dollars, though a minimum award amount is not specified. There is no cost sharing or matching requirement, which lowers barriers for a wide range of applicants. Eligible entities include governmental bodies, educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, tribal entities, and for-profit organizations, reflecting an inclusive approach to participation across sectors involved in youth health and safety. The application process will be conducted electronically, with submissions required through official federal grant systems by the stated deadline. While detailed application components will be provided in the full Notice of Funding Opportunity upon release, applicants can expect to submit research plans, evaluation methodologies, and supporting documentation demonstrating capacity to carry out the proposed work. The CDC will evaluate applications based on criteria such as scientific merit, feasibility, and potential public health impact. The timeline for this opportunity indicates that the notice is currently in a forecast stage, with an estimated posting date of October 1, 2026, and an anticipated application deadline of December 1, 2026. Awards are expected to be announced around August 29, 2027, with project activities beginning on September 30, 2027. Interested applicants may contact the CDC program officer for additional information via email or phone. As a federal funding opportunity, this program may recur annually or periodically, though recurrence is not explicitly confirmed in the forecast.