2025 Funding Opportunity

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The Gateway to the Rockies Opioid Council (GROC), or Region 10, representing Clear Creek, Gilpin, and Jefferson Counties (hereinafter referred to as “GROC” or “The Counties,” and with Jefferson County as the fiscal agent) has received funding from the opioid settlement dollars to address gaps and opportunities in prevention, treatment, and recovery services for people who use opioids or other substances, or those with opioid use disorder as well as other co-occurring substance use disorders and mental illnesses in the region.

The 2025 Funding Opportunity window is open February 1 - March 31.

Purpose of this Request For Applications (RFA)

This RFA invites organizations to submit proposals that mitigate the region's greatest needs about substance use disorders. GROC has decided to dedicate dollars towards the following objectives:

• Prevention efforts focus on youth and community-wide initiatives. For youth, the goal is to provide school-based education on substance use and mental health, while community-wide activities aim to engage all age groups in prevention and education efforts, fostering community engagement and reducing stigma associated with SUD.
• Treatment strategies include a variety of outpatient services that ensure access to care through both in-person and tele-health options. This encompasses support for SUD and psychiatric/mental health needs, particularly for subpopulations such as Medicaid recipients and residents of Clear Creek and Gilpin counties. Transitionary care is also emphasized, facilitating the move from incarceration back into the community. Additionally, access to Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) and other forms of medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is prioritized across different care continuums. Inpatient treatment options include residential facilities and supportive housing that integrates treatment services.
• Recovery initiatives focus on providing recovery housing that includes peer support services, as well as community-based response programs and clinics that enhance recovery support. The goal is to grow peer-to-peer support networks and services. Transportation services are also a critical component, offering round-trip transportation within and between counties to facilitate access to recovery resources.
• Harm Reduction strategies involve a comprehensive suite of harm reduction services, ensuring that individuals have access to necessary resources and support.
• Planning and Coordination efforts are directed towards workforce development, which includes continuing education modules for SUD and mental health services. This encompasses recruitment, hiring, and retention strategies for clinicians, peers, and harm reduction specialists, as well as training in areas such as MAT, MOUD, mental health, and trauma-informed care. The GROC management structure includes a Program Manager responsible for overseeing evaluations of funded programs and the overall council efforts, along with contingency funds to address emergency needs as they arise.

Below outlines GROC’s 2025-2026 spending plan and priorities. Please consult with the GROC Program Manager, Dr. Chelsea Shore, if your application meets a various approved purpose but does not meet the below criteria before submitting your application.

Prevention: $1,544,212.71

• Youth prevention, including school substance use disorder (SUD) and Mental Health (MH) education and prevention.
• Community-wide prevention, including prevention and education for all age groups,      community engagement, and initiatives to reduce stigma.

Treatment: $3,551,689.22 

• Outpatient Service Access, including in-person and tele-health outpatient treatment      options; substance use disorder (SUD); psychiatric/mental health support; and subpopulations. Subpopulations include individuals who use Medicaid and residents of Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties. Council members established these subpopulations during the strategic planning and prioritization process. 
• Transitionary care from incarceration to community.
• Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)      access across continuums and payer sources.
• Inpatient treatment; including residential and supportive housing with treatment.                                              

Recovery: $3,242,868.69 

• Recovery Housing that includes peer support services.
• Recovery support services. This includes community-based response programs and      clinics, and growing peer-to-peer supports and services.
• Transportation,  including inter- and intra-county roundtrip transportation. 

Harm Reduction: $1,544,212.71

• Comprehensive Harm Reduction with a full suite of Harm Reduction Services.                                 

Planning & Coordination: $1,389,791.22

• Workforce Development includes ongoing professional education for those providing substance use disorder (SUD) and Mental Health (MH) Services.
• It also covers recruitment, hiring, and retention efforts to build and maintain a skilled workforce, which includes clinicians, peer support specialists, and harm reductionists.
• It additionally entails training areas such as Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), and trauma-informed care.         

Please see below to review the core materials of this funding opportunity:

• Application checklist
• Section I. Funding Opportunity Description
• Section II. Award Information
• Section III. Eligibility Information
• Section IV. Application and Submission Information
  • IV.1 Mandatory Applicant Information
  • IV.2 Target population (750 word limit)
  • IV.3 Timeline
  • IV.4 Budget (template upload)
  • IV.5 Personnel Qualifications/BioSketch (template upload)
  • IV.6 Evaluation Plan
  • IV.7 Additional Attachments (optional)
    • IV.7.1 List of partnering organizations or personnel
    • IV.7.2 Letters of support or acknowledgement (LOS/LOA)
    • IV.7.3 Previous evaluation results
• Section V. Rubric for RFAs

The Application Form contains a complete checklist of the required materials for this funding opportunity.

Applications must be received electronically by no later than 11:59 p.m. MT on Monday March 31, 2025. Faxed, emailed, or mailed applications will not be accepted. Applications must be submitted through CivicPlus

All submitted applications will receive a confirmation of receipt within 2 business days, excluding State holidays. If the Applicant has not received a confirmation within 2 business days, please email cshore@co.jefferson.co.us as this means your application has not been received.

Late applications will not be accepted. It is the responsibility of the Applicant to ensure their application is received via the CivicPlus portal, as listed in these instructions, on or before the due date. It is incumbent upon Applicants to monitor the GROC webpage, carefully and regularly, for any notices or modifications to this funding opportunity.

All questions regarding this funding opportunity should be submitted via the Q&A Form. The question period closes on March 28, 2025. Applicants should monitor this webpage for any updates to this funding opportunity.

Please use the link below to view answers to submitted questions.

https://forms.monday.com/forms/7e0b11cb7959ed4ab757864ab94d592a?r=use1

Please note: To preserve the integrity of the review process, the Program Manager will not answer, nor advise on, questions related to the merits/strengths of a proposed application; they can only comment on application completeness. The Program Manager will only reiterate what is contained in the materials on the GROC webpage and, where necessary, offer additional clarifications.

The GROC reserve the right to revise the dates in this schedule. All Webinars will be recorded and posted below.

Register for Webinar Series TBA

Register for Office Hours TBA

ACTIVITY (DATE)

• Funding Opportunity Announcement (Tuesday, Jan. 28)
• Pre-Application Webinar (Thursday, Jan. 30)
• Webinar: Mandatory Application Information, Disclaimers of Transparency, Project Title, & Funding Areas (Tuesday, Feb. 4)
• Office Hours 1 (Thursday, Feb. 6)
• Webinar: Background, Description of project, Objectives (Tuesday, Feb. 11)
• Office Hours 2 (Thursday, Feb. 13)
• Webinar: Target population(s) & Timelines (Tuesday, Feb. 18)
• Office Hours 3 (Thursday, Feb. 20)
• Webinar: Budgets (Tuesday, Feb. 25)
• Office Hours 4 (Thursday, Feb 27)
• Webinar: Personnel Qualifications & BioSketches (Tuesday, March 4)
• Office Hours 5 (Thursday, March 6)
• Webinar: Evaluation Plans (Tuesday, March 11)
• Office Hours 6 (Thursday, March 13)
• Webinar: Final Application Review in CivicPlus (Tuesday, March 18)
• Office Hours 7 (Thursday, March 20)
• Webinar: Renewals (Tuesday, March 25)
• Office  Hours 8 (Thursday, March 27)
• Applications Due (11:59p MT on Monday, March 31)
• Review Period (April 1 – June 9)
• Awards Announced (June 23)