Applications Now Available for STOP Act Grants

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)´s Center for Substance Abuse Prevention is now accepting applications for the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) grants. STOP Act grants are meant to help Drug-Free Communities (DFC) grantees prevent and reduce alcohol use among youth in communities.

The STOP Act was created to strengthen collaboration among communities, the federal government, and state, local and tribal governments; and to enhance intergovernmental cooperation and coordination on the issue of alcohol use among youth. It is also intended to serve as a catalyst for increased citizen participation and greater collaboration among all sectors and organizations of a community that first demonstrates a long-term commitment to reducing alcohol use among youth; and to disseminate to communities timely information regarding state-of-the-art practices and initiatives that have proven to be effective in preventing and reducing youth alcohol use.

Applicants are required to select activities that are consistent with the strategies identified in the 2007 Surgeon General’s Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking that seek to change the environment within which underage drinking takes place, such as changing community norms regarding alcohol use by youth, reducing opportunities for underage drinking by limiting youth access to alcohol, creating changes in underage drinking enforcement efforts, addressing penalties for underage use, and/or reducing the prevalence of negative consequences associated with underage drinking (such as motor vehicle crashes, sexual assaults, etc.).

Only public and private nonprofits that receive funds under the DFC program—and have not previously received a STOP Act award—can apply.
SAMHSA anticipates giving out approximately 20 grants of up to $50,000 a year.

Visit www.samhsa.gov/Grants/2009/sp_09_007.aspx to download an application. The application deadline is May 26, 2009.