RFA# 50330845: Transition Age Young Adults (18-24) Substance Misuse Prevention

RFA #50330845 Funding Announcement: Transition Age Young Adults (18-24 years old) Substance Misuse Prevention

October 9, 2025: The Community Prevention Early Intervention (CPEI) unit at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is seeking applications from a single qualified entity to lead an initiative aimed at preventing substance use among college students or transition-aged young adults (18-24 years old). The initiative must include a partnership with multiple Colorado higher education institutions. This Request for Applications (RFA) #50330845 is intended to identify an organization capable of providing comprehensive training and technical assistance to professionals and students at both public and private higher education institutions that are either 2 or 4 year colleges and universities across Colorado as well as the continued implementation of an existing social norming campaign, positive norming strategies and the facilitation of a coalition model of service delivery that target transition-aged young adults (18-24 years old).

Purpose

A core component of this initiative is the implementation and support of a social norming initiative targeting transition-aged young adults in a 2 or 4-year higher education setting. In addition to correcting misperceptions around substance use, the selected organization will also support positive norming strategies and facilitate a coalition model of service delivery. This comprehensive prevention plan will help build capacity and aim to reduce risky behaviors and promote healthier choices.

Outcomes

The desired long-term outcomes of this initiative include the prevention and reduction of substance use, including opioid misuse, as well as the strengthening of protective and promotive factors that support student mental health and well-being. Ultimately, this initiative aims to foster a culture of wellness, shared responsibility, and upstream prevention within Colorado’s institutions of higher education and the surrounding community.  

Eligible Entities

Eligible applicants within the State of Colorado include: 

• community-based organizations serving under-resourced populations
• non-profit organizations serving Native Americans
• private non-profit entities
• governmental entities (including counties, cities, schools, and school districts)
• universities
• local health or human services departments
• other public entities
• private for-profit entities
• faith-based organizations

RFA #50330845 Transition Age Young Adult (18-24) Substance Misuse Prevention: Application Documents (Google Folder)

Please refer to the submission instructions. CDPHE will only accept electronic submission of applications.

This Request for Applications (RFA) is issued by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE), also referred to as the "State". The CDPHE contact listed in the instructions is the sole point of contact for this RFA.

1. During the solicitation process for this RFA, all official communication with applicants will be via notices on the CDPHE program website listed in the schedule of activities. Notices may include any modifications to administrative or performance requirements, answers to inquiries received, clarifications to requirements, and the announcement of the apparent winning applicants. Applicants are responsible for monitoring for publication of modifications to this solicitation. It is incumbent upon applicants to carefully and regularly monitor for any such notices. Applicants are not to contact any other state office or individual regarding this RFA or this project. Applicants are not to rely on any other statements that alter any specification or other term or condition of the solicitation.
2. Applications must be received on or before the due date and time as indicated in the Schedule of Activities. Late applications may not be accepted. It is the responsibility of the applicant to ensure that its application is received by the CDPHE at the location listed in these instructions on or before the due date and time.
3. One completed copy of the Request for Application Cover Sheet & Signature Page must be signed digitally or in ink, preferably blue ink, by a person who is legally authorized to bind the applicant to the application. Submissions that are determined to be at variance with this requirement may be deemed non-responsive and may not be accepted.

All materials submitted shall become the property of the CDPHE.

• The Application must be received electronically no later than the due date and time indicated on the cover page of this document. Faxed applications will not be accepted. Complete the Transition Aged Young Adult Application Form and attach the required attachments to the form.
• All attachments must be uploaded to SurveyMonkey as a PDF. This includes your budget workbook, as SurveyMonkey does not accept Excel files. Export your Excel budget workbook to a PDF. Make sure that all of the necessary sheets are fully visible in the PDF. Do not include any instructions or examples in the file. If needed, adjust the page orientation to landscape.
• Clearly name each attachment with your organization's name followed by the attachment label. For example, if your organization is Athena, label Attachment A as "Athena Attachment A."
• Applications received through the form will receive a message confirming the delivery.

Questions and Inquiries

• Applicants may make written inquiries using the Transition Age Young Adults (18-24) Substance Misuse Prevention Funding RFA Question Submission form to obtain clarification of requirements concerning the RFA.
• Responses to applicant inquiries will be published as an outline in the Schedule of Activities by October 21, 2025, at 5 p.m. MST. No questions will be accepted after this date and time.   
  • Applicants will be asked to write out the question and include the section number and paragraph number from the Transition Aged Young Adult RFA to which your inquiry applies.
    • Responses to applicant inquiries will be published as an outline in the Schedule of Activities by the close of business on the date indicated. Applicants are not to rely on any other statements that alter any specification or other term or condition of the RFA. 

Questions and Answers

• Question: The RFA mentions the “…implementation and support of an existing social norming campaign targeting transition-aged young adults (18-24).” What campaign is this referring to? (Section A, Paragraph # 3)
  • Answer: The existing social norming campaign is Time To Ungrind.
• Question: Would CDPHE be interested in funding the development and implementation of new/adapted interventions, campaigns, or strategies through this funding? (Section A, Paragraphs # 3-4)
  • Answer: No.
• Question: Is there an expectation that applicants already have commitments from universities and colleges? (Section A, Paragraph # 2)
  • Answer: No.
• Question: Does the application portal allow applicants to submit letters of support?
  • Answer: The application does not ask for letters of support.
• Question: What happens if a university/college already has a substance use coalition? Is it okay if we are not facilitating, but we are attending?
  • Answer: This grant intends to maximize reach and sustainability and to facilitate a coalition model of service delivery. This approach will encourage collaboration among multiple higher education institutions, allowing the sharing of best practices, coordinating prevention strategies, and building capacity through peer learning and mutual support. The coalition framework should foster cross-institutional partnerships, ensuring that prevention efforts are responsive to the unique needs of diverse campuses while supporting a unified strategy for substance use prevention statewide for institutions of higher education (RFA #50330845: Section A, page 2).