Rural Community Toolbox: Funding & Resources for Rural Communities to Address Substance Misuse

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Multistate Mentoring Programs Initiative

Link

https://ojjdp.ojp.gov/funding/opportunities/o-ojjdp-2025-172314

Additional Links

Notice of Funding Opportunity (Grants.gov)

Deadline

Application Deadline: Feb 24, 2025

Sponsor

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)

Purpose

Awards funding to strengthen existing multistate mentoring programs and increase the number of young people who benefit from having mentors. Supports multiple mentoring approaches, including one-on-one, group, or peer mentoring, to promote positive behaviors and outcomes for youth ages 17 or younger at risk for juvenile delinquency, victimization, and justice system involvement. The target population includes youth currently involved or likely to become involved with the justice system; youth that reside in areas with high rates of parental incarceration, community violence, drug markets, gang concentration, and failing schools; youth with a parent in the military, and youth from historically marginalized and underserved populations.

Program consists of 3 grant categories:

  • Category 1 grants support organizations that provide youth mentoring services in 1 state and propose to expand services to an additional state or an additional jurisdiction in their current state. Funding can support existing matches, but the majority of funding should be used for expansion efforts.
  • Category 2 grants support organizations that provide youth mentoring services in 2 to 10 states.
  • Category 3 grants support organizations that provide youth mentoring services in 11 to 44 states.

Applicants must provide mentoring services to youth who are 17 years old or younger at the time of admission to the program.

Program objectives and deliverables include:

  • Increase or expand reach to the number of at-risk or high-risk youth receiving mentoring services
  • Increase or maintain the number of screened and well-trained mentors, with an emphasis on ensuring the mentors selected reflect the youth they serve
  • Develop and implement program design enhancements that align with research and evidence on effective mentoring approaches
  • Provide high-quality mentoring services to meet the needs of the target youth population
  • Implement strategies to enhance program design in 1 or more of the 6 core practice areas listed in the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring

Amount of Funding

Award ceiling:

  • Category 1: $1,000,000
  • Category 2: $1,000,000 to $4,000,000
  • Category 3: $2,000,000 to $4,000,000

Estimated number of awards:

  • Category 1: 5
  • Category 2: 5
  • Category 3: 5

Project period: 36 months
Estimated total program funding: $24,000,000

Awards of up $4,000,000 may be available for Category 2 and 3 applicants who can demonstrate their program will reach a diverse and broad population of youth across their affiliates. Criteria for demonstrating "broadest reach" can be found in the program guidance.

Who Can Apply

Eligible Category 1 applicants are mentoring organizations that have operated a structured, standalone mentoring program for at least 3 years in 1 state.

Eligible Category 2 applicants are mentoring organizations that have operated a structured, standalone mentoring program for at least 3 years in 2 to 10 states.

Eligible Category 3 applicants are mentoring organizations that have operated a structured, standalone mentoring program for at least 3 years in 11 to 44 states.

Category 2 and 3 applicants may not partner with other organizations that are delivering different mentoring program models in order to meet the multistate eligibility requirement.

Geographic Coverage

Nationwide

What This Program Funds

Capacity Building • Operating Costs and Staffing • Training Providers

Application Process

Application instructions, requirements, and other information about the online application process can be found in the funding announcement.

Applications must be submitted electronically through a 2-step process:

  • Step 1: Applicants will submit an SF-424 and an SF-LLL in grants.gov by the February 24, 2025 deadline.
  • Step 2: Applicants will submit the full application, including attachments, in the JustGrants grants management system by the March 10, 2025 deadline.

Applicant webinar
(Registration required)
February 7, 2025
2:00 - 3:30 p.m. Eastern

Contact

For questions on submitting in grants.gov:
800-518-4726
support@grants.gov

For questions on submitting in JustGrants:
833-872-5175
JustGrants.Support@usdoj.gov

For programmatic and technical questions:
Office of Justice Programs (OJP) Response Center
800-851-3420
TTY at 301-240-6310
grants@ncjrs.gov

Topics This Program Addresses

Juvenile Justice • Substance Use Disorder