OJJDP FY25 Mentoring for Youth Affected by Opioid and Other Substance Use | O OJJDP 2025 172446

Opportunity Information: Apply for O OJJDP 2025 172446

The OJJDP FY25 Mentoring for Youth Affected by Opioid and Other Substance Use grant is a discretionary funding opportunity from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), focused on strengthening and expanding mentoring programs for children and youth whose lives have been impacted by opioids and other substance use. The central goal is to improve outcomes for young people and support families by increasing access to structured, high-quality mentoring relationships that can provide stability, guidance, and positive connections to caring adults or peers.

Funded projects are expected to deliver mentoring as the core intervention. Programs may use one-on-one mentoring, group mentoring, peer mentoring, or a blended model that combines multiple approaches, as long as the design is clear and the mentoring component remains the primary focus. Alongside mentoring, applicants may propose supplemental activities that directly support and reinforce the mentoring model, meaning any add-on services should be logically connected to the mentoring strategy and help mentors and mentees achieve the program's intended outcomes.

A key flexibility in this opportunity is that up to 20 percent of the total award budget may be used for non-mentoring direct services when those services fit the project design and address needs identified within the target population. Examples listed include mental health treatment, substance use treatment, or other supportive services. This allows programs to address barriers that can prevent youth from engaging fully in mentoring or benefiting from it, while still keeping mentoring as the centerpiece of the initiative.

Eligibility is broad and includes many types of public, nonprofit, and private entities. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments; nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status (as long as they are not higher education institutions); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and other organizations that meet federal eligibility requirements. The opportunity materials also emphasize interest in units of local government, national organizations, and organizations with statewide reach that provide mentoring services, signaling that OJJDP is looking for applicants capable of operating at scale or coordinating across multiple communities.

The grant is listed under Assistance Listing/CFDA 16.726 and supports activities aligned with law, justice, and legal services, reflecting OJJDP's mission and the connection between substance-use impacts, youth wellbeing, and juvenile justice prevention efforts. The opportunity number is O-OJJDP-2025-172446. The anticipated maximum award amount (award ceiling) is $1,980,000, and OJJDP expects to make around 13 awards, indicating a competitive process with a limited number of funded projects.

Key dates provided show the opportunity was created on September 15, 2025, with an application closing date of October 23, 2025. Applicants considering submission should plan for a program narrative and budget that clearly center mentoring services for youth affected by substance use, explain how the mentoring model will be implemented and managed, and justify any supplemental or direct-service components as necessary supports that strengthen mentoring outcomes rather than replace the mentoring intervention.

• The Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "OJJDP FY25 Mentoring for Youth Affected by Opioid and Other Substance Use" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 16.726.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2025-09-15.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2025-10-23. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $1,980,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 13 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Others.

Apply for O OJJDP 2025 172446

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