Opioid Restitution Fund Grants Program (FY27)

Opioid Restitution Fund Grants Program (FY27) is sponsored by Howard County Government. This program invests in community-based organizations and local government to mitigate current and future harms related to opioids.

Opioid Restitution Funds Grants Program | Howard County We are currently accepting applications for the FY27 Opioid Restitution Fund Grants Program. These awards will be made for the one-year period from July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027. Click here to access the Notice of Funding Opportunity .

All applications open: March 18, 2026 The application deadline has been extended to April 27, 2026 by 11:59 pm (no late applications will be accepted) All eligible applicants are invited to apply for open Opioid Restitution Fund (ORF) grant opportunities. Scroll down for additional information on this grant opportunity. All applications must be submitted through the Neighborly webform here: bit.

ly/HoCoFY27ORF .

For guidance on using Neighborly, see here: Neighborly Access Instructions Additional documents and resources: ORF FY27 Notice of Funding Opportunity Attachment 1: Priority Strategies Attachment 2: Budget Template Attachment 3: Application Guide and Questions Attachment 4: Exhibit E List of Opioid Remediation Uses Attachment 5: Guidance on Supplanting Neighborly Application Access Instructions More information and resources can be found on this page below.

Be sure to add yourself to our mailing list HERE to be notified of future opportunities and updates for this grant program. A pre-application webinar was held on March 25, 2026. In this webinar, DCRS staff will review information from this Notice of Funding Opportunity and answer general questions about the opportunity.

It is highly encouraged that interested applicants review this webinar prior to submitting their application. A copy of the presentation slides is available below: FY27 ORF NOFO Information Session Slides A recording of the session is available by request, please email dheilman@howardcountymd. gov for access.

Program Overview and Background Howard County’s Opioid Restitution Fund makes grants to nonprofit organizations and government entities for the purpose of opioid abatement/ remediation. This opportunity is made available through the county’s Opioid Restitution Fund, which receives payments resulting from opioid-related litigation.

Opioid abatement activities serve to mitigate current and future harms associated with opioid use, including but not limited to preventing opioid overdoses. This work primarily includes activities that serve people who use drugs, people with opioid use disorder, and youth with risk factors for early substance use and development of substance use disorder.

It may also include training and professional development for individuals working within systems that interact with and serve these populations. All grants made with this funding must support the creation of a new program/services, the expansion of existing programs/services to allow for more people to be served, and/or enhancements in the quality of existing programs/services in a way that measurably improves outcomes.

All activities must be evidence-based or evidence-informed with an evaluation component. Supplanting is strictly prohibited .

Be a local government entity, a certified 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, or community-based organization operating under fiscal sponsorship; Be active and in good standing with the Maryland State Department of Assessments & Taxation (SDAT); and, Provide services in Howard County, Maryland or propose to begin providing services in Howard County, Maryland.

Awards will be made for the one-year period from July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027, in amounts between $15,000 and $750,000. There is no predetermined number of awards; funding will be distributed until all available funds are expended or the award period ends. This opportunity prioritizes funding to strategies from Attachment 1: Priority Strategies .

However, applicants may request and receive funding for any activities that align with Exhibit E of the national settlement agreements .

Proposed activities must: Benefit Howard County residents; Serve to mitigate future and current harm related to opioids; Be evidence-based or evidence-informed with an evaluation component; Create a new service/program, expand the number of people served by an existing service/program, or enhance quality of an existing service in a way that measurably improves outcomes; and, Align with allowable uses described in Exhibit E of the national settlement agreements.

Applicants are welcome to request funds for more than one category (creation, expansion, enhancement). A more detailed list and guidance of allowable and unallowable uses for this funding can be found in the Notice of Funding Opportunity . Please also review our Guidance on Supplanting document to also ensure your proposal avoids supplantation.

All applications must be submitted through the Neighborly webform here: bit. ly/HoCoFY27ORF . For guidance on using Neighborly, see here: Neighborly Access Instructions Applications must be submitted by 11:59 PM Eastern Time on April 22, 2026 .

Late applications will not be accepted. Tips for Completing Your Application Please submit your application by the due date and time indicated. Late applications will not be accepted.

Reach out if you have questions or need support prior to the day the application is due to ensure you receive a timely response. Respond to application questions clearly, concisely, and completely. Applications are not being evaluated based on writing ability, grammar/spelling errors, use of full sentences, how much jargon you use, or the length of your sentences and words—but rather on their content.

Focus on ensuring your ideas make sense and communicate them as simply as possible . If you choose to use AI to complete any portion of your application, be sure that you understand and can speak to the concepts your application is communicating. Please also ensure that the information is accurate and that your organization is actually capable of implementing the activities you are proposing.

Collaborative Applications Collaborative applications that involve the participation of more than one organization are welcomed. Please indicate in your application that you are submitting a collaborative application. The application should be completed on behalf of the lead agency, who will be responsible for reporting and requesting reimbursement from the Office of Community Partnerships for expenses incurred.

Collaborators can be indicated in the budget as subcontracts. Multi-Project Applications Applicants submitting requests for grant support for more than one project or program should only submit one application and one budget etc. Office Hours & One-on-One Individualized Support DCRS Office of Community Partnerships staff will also host “office hours” from 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM ET on the following days.

Attendees can join the office hours directly using this link . April 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 13, 16, 17, 20 Anyone who intends to apply or has questions about the grant opportunity is welcome to attend office hours. There is no agenda and no information will be formally presented.

The office hours are an opportunity for applicants to receive one-on-one individualized guidance and support on their applications. There is no need for applicants to schedule attendance, anyone may show up at any time during office hours. Applicants may attend as many office hour sessions as they wish.

* *Outside of office hours, DCRS staff will not read, score, or review individual applications or provide individual feedback during the application period** This serves to ensure all applicants have access to the same amount and type of support and assistance. If you are unable to attend any of the scheduled office hours but need support and have questions, you may reach out to dheilman@howardcountymd.

gov to schedule a supplementary office hours session. Evaluation of Applications Applications will be evaluated by several committees which may include Howard County government staff with relevant subject matter expertise, Opioid Restitution Fund Commission members, and community members with relevant experience, including lived experience.

Evaluators are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest and recuse themselves from review accordingly. All applications will go through a compliance/eligibility review by OCP staff prior to being sent to review committees.

Applications will be scored by reviewers on the following criteria: Alignment with priority strategies Strength of outputs and outcomes Budget detail, cost reasonableness, necessity, alignment with activities and outcomes Involvement of people with lived experience Need and service gap/ insufficiencies Project suitability to addressing described needs Alignment of activities with intended outcomes Description of key staff and partners Are you interested in sharing your expertise and helping decide where opioid settlement dollars are invested in Howard County?

We are currently recruiting for volunteers to review and score grant applications for the Opioid Restitution Fund. Reviewers will be asked to score no more than five applications using a provided evaluation rubric and to participate in meetings to share their input and feedback with fellow reviewers and county staff. The anticipated time period for FY27 application review is April 27, 2026 through June 5, 2026.

Please use this link to complete a quick survey form indicating your interest.

Resources and Application Documents ORF FY27 Notice of Funding Opportunity Attachment 1: Priority Strategies Attachment 2: Budget Template Attachment 3: Application Guide and Questions Attachment 4: Exhibit E List of Opioid Remediation Uses Attachment 5: Guidance on Supplanting Neighborly Application Access Instructions Howard County’s Opioid Restitution Fund Howard County’s Opioid Restitution Fund (ORF) receives annual payments resulting from opioid-related litigation.

Seven major national settlement agreements were reached in 2021 and 2022 following many years of litigation brought by state and local governments against pharmaceutical manufacturers, pharmacies, and distributors over their role in the opioid overdose crisis.

These settlements resolved litigation and determined annual payment amounts to states and subdivisions (i.e., counties) from each defendant over a period which extends to approximately 18 years. The payments to states and subdivisions are to be used for the purposes of “abatement,” or “remediation,” of opioid use.

The national settlements have in common a list of core strategies and allowable uses, referred to as “ Exhibit E: List of Opioid Remediation Uses . These funds must support evidence-based or promising activities, may not supplant other funds, and must be directed towards opioid abatement activities specifically.

In creating grant opportunities and distributing funding from Howard County’s Opioid Restitution Fund, the Office of Community Partnerships aims for: Transparency regarding access to funds, strategy, and awarded activities. An equitable, objective, and fair process for accessing grant funds. Alignment with local and state overdose response strategies.

Filling gaps rather than duplicating efforts. Responsiveness to data-informed county needs and community input. We welcome input from community members about the use of this fund.

Please contact Dana Heilman at dheilman@howardcountymd. gov with any questions or concerns. Applications are now closed for the performance period of January 1, 2026 – June 30, 2026.

Applications were due on November 17th, 2025. *This is a short-term opportunity for a 6-month period. This opportunity will prioritize projects that are able to be stood up quickly and costs that can be incurred within the 6-month timeframe.

Notice of Funding Opportunity Attachment 3: SurveyMonkey Application Attachment 4: Exhibit E List of Opioid Remediation Uses FY26 Funding Opportunity Info Session An information session regarding this opportunity was held on November 5, 2025. The slide deck for this session is included below: Opioid Restitution Fund FY26 Grant Opportunity Information Session Slides Click Here to view the video recording of this session.

Maryland Opioid Restitution Fund Maryland’s Opioid Restitution Fund (MOOR) Opioid Settlement Spending: Recommendations for Local Governments (MOOR) Guide for community advocates on the opioid settlements: Maryland (Vital Strategies) National Opioids Settlements Agreements Exhibit E: List of Opioid Remediation Uses A Quick “How-To” Guide for Understanding Opioid Settlements State-to-State (NACCHO, CEG) National spending trackers Global Settlement Tracker (OST) State Opioid Settlement Spending Decisions (NASHP) Payback: Tracking the Opioid Settlement Cash (KFF Health News) Opioid Settlement Expenditures (JHSPH) Principles for the Use of Funds from the Opioid Litigation (JHSPH) Strategies for Effectively Allocating Opioid Settlement Funds (RAND) County Energy Saving Days Adequate Public Facilities Ordinance Review Committee Administrative Charging Committee Adult Public Guardianship Review Board Adult-Use Cannabis Advisory Panel Advisory Board on Consumer Protection Agricultural Preservation Board Alcoholic Beverage Hearing Board Animal Matters Hearing Board Asian American Pacific Islander Commission Board of Election Resources Election Results & Monthly Registration Reports NVRA Monthly Statistical Reports Mail-In Ballots & Mail-In Voting Board of Electrical Examiners Board of Library Trustees Board of License Commissioners Board to Promote Self Sufficiency Cemetery Preservation Advisory Board Citizens Advisory Council Citizens' Election Fund Commission Coalition to End Homelessness Board Columbia Downtown Housing Corporation Commission for Transitioning Students with Disabilities Commission for Veterans & Military Families Commission for Women 2026 Women's History Month Poster Contest Commission on Disabilities Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Holiday Commission Economic Competitiveness and Opportunity Now Task Force Emergency Food and Shelter Program Local Board Environmental Sustainability Board Equal Business Opportunity Commission Film Industry and Location Marketing (FILM) Task Force Gateway Master Plan Advisory Committee HB 1450 Revenue Options Taskforce Harriet Tubman Advisory Council Historic Preservation Commission History and Historic Sites Advisory Group Housing & Community Development Board Housing Opportunities Trust Fund Advisory Committee Howard County Domestic Violence Fatality Review Team Howard County Planning Group to Plan America's 250th Anniversary Human Trafficking Prevention Coordination Council Interfaith Advisory Council Internal Affairs Hearing Board La Alianza Latina Workgroup Local Behavioral Health Advisory Board Multimodal Transportation Board Opioid Restitution Fund Commission Pension Oversight Commission Police Accountability Board Property Tax Assessment Appeals Board Public Facilities & Spaces Commission Public Garden Focus Group Recreation & Parks Advisory Board Retirement Plan Committee Soil Conservation District Spending Affordability Advisory Committee Workforce Development Board Workforce Development Board Career Pathways Youth Engagement Leadership Workgroup Circuit Courthouse Information Howard County Circuit Courthouse Archives Clean & Sustainable Government County Executive's Newsletter Ellicott City Safe and Sound St.

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