The deadline for application submission is 5 p.m. December 15, 2023.
Overview
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment's Overdose Prevention Program is pleased to announce the availability of funds to enhance evidence-based opioid overdose prevention programming and evidence-informed interventions that have an immediate impact on reducing overdose morbidity and mortality, with a focus on opioids, stimulants, and polysubstance use.
The purpose of these funds is to prevent opioid misuse and overdose using existing data to inform evidence-based public health approaches. In 2019, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Overdose Data to Action Program awarded funds to Colorado's Overdose Prevention Program to reduce opioid overdose in Colorado. The Overdose Data to Action (OD2A) grant allowed the Overdose Prevention Program to partner with organizations across the state to implement local, evidence-based, data-driven prevention initiatives to support prevention strategies. OD2A funded extensive interventions including provider education, public awareness, community-level interventions, targeted naloxone distribution, community education, and the use of data (e.g. surveillance, evaluation, and information from individuals with lived experience) to inform program development. Under OD2A-S, recipients are expected to continue implementing and, if appropriate, scaling up these interventions and other evidence-based and/or evidence-informed interventions that facilitate access to harm reduction services and linkage to and retention in care.
Who should apply:
Eligible organizations must be based in Colorado. See Additional track-specific guidelines in the track documents for more information. Organizations can only apply for one type of funding.
Only the following entities will be considered for funding under this RFA:
- Local Public Health Agencies (LPHA)
- Community-Based Non-Profit Organizations
- Harm Reduction Organizations
- Syringe Service Programs
- Federally recognized Native American Tribes in Colorado
- Nonprofit organizations providing services to eligible Tribes on a reservation or federally recognized Tribal land with a letter of support from the applicable Tribal council are also eligible to apply.
Track 1: Harm Reduction
Track 1 funds the implementation and support of selected evidence-based interventions to reduce stigma toward people who use drugs (PWUD) and to facilitate the implementation and uptake of harm-reduction strategies.
Track 2: Community-Based Linkage to Care
Track 2 funds selected evidence-based interventions that facilitate linkage to care, retention in care, and support recovery. Community-based linkage to care focuses on building community capacity to help people with SUD connect to services and stay connected.
Eligible organizations must demonstrate their readiness to coordinate strategies that advance the initiatives of their chosen tracks. This may include demonstrating experience and/or expertise in the following: harm reduction, linkage to care, evidence-based behavioral health strategies, building collaborative relationships, community engagement, health equity work, and overdose prevention.
Learn more about the RFA
The purpose of these funds is to prevent opioid misuse and overdose using existing data to inform evidence-based public health approaches. Overdose Data to Action In States (OD2A-S) supports efforts in reducing overdose morbidity and mortality. It builds on the work, expertise, and lessons learned from CDC's previous cooperative agreement, Overdose Data to Action, while simultaneously aligning with shifts in the epidemic, including changes in the illicit drug supply and a rise in polysubstance overdoses (i.e., involving more than one substance). OD2A-S strategies promote the use of surveillance and other data to inform prevention and policy interventions that are anchored in the best available evidence. The complex and changing nature of the overdose epidemic highlights the need for an interdisciplinary, comprehensive, and cohesive approach. To accomplish the work under this funding opportunity, recipients must engage in, coordinate with, and leverage various partnerships.
Overdose deaths disproportionately affect people of color and communities already experiencing higher rates of criminalization and discrimination based on race, gender, and socioeconomic status. Eligible organizations must demonstrate the ability to engage these communities using culturally responsive prevention strategies and a health equity lens with a specific focus on underserved populations and regions. CDPHE acknowledges that generations-long social, economic, and environmental inequities result in adverse health outcomes. They affect communities differently and have a greater influence on health outcomes than either individual choices or one’s ability to access health care. Reducing health disparities through policies, practices, and organizational systems can help improve opportunities for all Coloradans.
Eligible organizations must also demonstrate an understanding of linkage to care strategies and/or harm reduction principles and demonstrate readiness to implement innovative strategies utilizing evidence-informed interventions. The grant program will be funded through August 31, 2028, pending availability of funds and applicant performance. Should additional funding become available, the State, at its discretion, may extend contract terms for up to the full grant period.
Optional OD2A-S RFA # 42329 Pre-Application Webinar
An optional informational pre-application conference will be held virtually on November 16, 2023, from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. The webinar will be recorded and posted on the website afterward. You can register in advance to attend the webinar.
Track guidance
Guidance documents are available for each track that provide detailed information about eligibility, anticipated activities, and other application requirements specific to organizations applying to the specific track. Applicants should read the entire content of this document before applying.
| Track | Required and Allowable Track Activities |
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Track 2: Community-based Linkage to Care
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Applications are due by 5 p.m.., December 15, 2023, and must be submitted by email to sara.cardona@state.co.us.
Required Documents
All applications must include Attachments A-D in this order and you must complete the required Google Forms.
*The Letter of Intent is optional. Filling out the intent to apply does not constitute a formal obligation to apply.
| CDPHE RFA Cover Sheet and Signature Page (must be signed and dated with a wet ink signature or a digital signature). | |
| Attachment B | Applicant Checklist |
| Attachment C | Contact Information Form |
| Attachment D | Project Budget |
| Application Narrative | Google Form |
| Financial Risk Assessment Questionnaire | Google Form (See Appendix 1 for additional information about the Financial Risk Assessment Questionnaire and FAQs. |
| *Optional Letter of Intent | This form is optional and allows CDPHE staff to estimate how many organizations plan to submit applications. |
Documents for applicant review
**These two documents are provided to assist applicants with completing the
application. Do not submit either of these documents with your completed application.
1. Evaluation Scoring Sheet : for applicant review only
2. Application Narrative Mirror Doc : for applicant review only
Questions and Answers
Applicants may submit written questions to sara.cardona@state.co.us.
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The deadline for applicants to submit written inquiries is 5 p.m. for the following dates. No questions will be accepted after this date/time. |
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| Answers to written inquiries and any changes to the RFA published on this webpage by 5 p.m. on the following dates: |
November 21, 2023 November 29, 2023 December 4, 2023 |
Additional Guidance and Resources
| Overdose Prevention Unit |
Grant Writing Resources |
RFA Timeline
| Application Timeline | Time | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Application Submission Deadline | 5 p.m. | 12/15/2023 |
| Evaluation Period | N/A | 12/18/2023 - 1/10/2024 |
| Estimated Notification of Award | 5 p.m. | 1/19/2024 |
| Contract Drafting | 1/22/2024 - 2/2/2024 | |
| Estimate Contract Effective Date | 5/1/2024 |