Drug Court and Technical Training Grant | ONDCP DRUGCOURT 2020

Opportunity Information: Apply for ONDCP DRUGCOURT 2020

The Drug Court and Technical Training Grant (Funding Opportunity Number: ONDCP DRUGCOURT 2020) is a discretionary federal grant offered by the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) within the Executive Office of the President. It is designed to fund one national-level effort to provide drug court training and technical assistance that helps jurisdictions strengthen alternatives to incarceration for people with substance use disorders, with a strong emphasis on evidence-based practices. The program sits within the law, justice, and legal services category (CFDA 95.005) and is aimed at improving how criminal justice systems respond to addiction by expanding practical, research-backed approaches that increase public safety and support long-term recovery.

Funding is expected to support a single award, with an award ceiling of $4,500,000. ONDCP is looking for an applicant that can operate as a credible, experienced training and technical assistance provider and can consistently engage recognized expert practitioners across key disciplines. The intent is not simply to host a few trainings, but to create a structured, scalable program that builds capacity for states and localities and results in more consistent, higher-quality practice across drug courts and related diversion programs.

Eligible applicants are primarily nonprofit organizations that have IRS 501(c)(3) status (and are not institutions of higher education, per the listing of eligible applicants), although the narrative also indicates ONDCP invites applications from nonprofits broadly including faith-based, community, and tribal organizations, as well as institutions of higher learning (including tribal institutions). Applicants must show demonstrated expertise in leading state and local governments in criminal justice system reform and must be able to secure participation from expert practitioners. ONDCP also allows joint applications: two or more eligible entities may apply together as long as one organization is clearly identified as the primary applicant for official communication, award administration, and project management, and the submission includes clear proof of partner commitment (for example, memorandums of understanding, letters of support, or statements of work). Co-applicants are expected to have real, documented capability in training and technical assistance specifically tied to criminal justice reform and substance use disorders, not just general interest or adjacent experience.

Applications must be submitted through Grants.gov, and applicants need to be registered there before they can apply. The deadline is July 13, 2020, and the application must be fully submitted and receive a successful validation message in Grants.gov by 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. The opportunity highlights practical submission guidance: first-time Grants.gov registration can take weeks, so ONDCP urges early registration and recommends submitting at least 72 hours before the deadline to allow time to address system rejections or validation issues. Applicants experiencing technical problems are directed to the Grants.gov Customer Support Hotline (800-518-4726 or 606-545-5035), available 24/7 except federal holidays, and prospective applicants are encouraged to sign up for Grants.gov email notifications in case the announcement is updated or canceled.

Programmatically, the grant funds training and technical assistance (TTA) that supports states, state courts, local courts, and units of local government that already operate drug courts or are exploring establishing them. The larger policy framing is that improving public safety includes helping people involved in the criminal justice system address addiction and related needs through evidence-based rehabilitation and support, rather than relying primarily on incarceration. ONDCP’s approach centers on reducing drug use and its consequences by promoting interventions that are supported by research, and applying those interventions consistently in criminal justice settings.

ONDCP lays out four core purposes that the funded project must address. First, it must educate and train practitioners and develop materials that improve adherence to best practices in drug court and related diversion settings. Second, it must help reduce justice system costs and recidivism, meaning the training is expected to contribute to fewer repeat offenses and more efficient use of public resources. Third, it must improve access to services and service delivery, which includes strengthening pathways to treatment and recovery supports and improving coordination among courts, supervision agencies, healthcare providers, and community-based services. Fourth, it must reduce disproportionality of punishment in the criminal justice system, signaling that the work should consider fairness and equity outcomes and not just operational efficiency.

The scope of work is intended to be hands-on and wide-reaching. The recipient is expected to draw on expert practitioners from addiction science, criminal justice, healthcare, and drug court operations. The delivery model must include in-person training, online training, and jurisdiction-specific technical assistance, and it must reach a range of communities across state, local, and tribal levels, reflecting varied demographics and local conditions. ONDCP also expects the grantee to integrate ONDCP policy priorities into all training curricula, technical assistance activities, and educational materials, rather than treating policy priorities as an add-on.

Substantively, ONDCP calls for a comprehensive approach to opioid use disorder in particular, including overdose prevention and naloxone administration training, and efforts that expand access to medication-assisted treatment (often referred to as medication for opioid use disorder). The program also emphasizes diversion programming that is evidence-based and built around comprehensive case management, effective treatment for substance use disorders, recovery supports, and other necessary services that help participants stabilize and succeed. Another explicit priority is improving consistency of practice among drug courts, implying that ONDCP wants more uniform implementation of proven standards across jurisdictions, reducing the variability that can undermine outcomes.

Finally, the opportunity makes data collection and analysis a required component, not optional. The grantee is expected to collect and analyze data from participating jurisdictions on alternatives to incarceration in order to assess the effectiveness of the trainings and on-site technical assistance. In other words, the project must show it can measure whether its TTA is actually improving practice and outcomes, not just track attendance or produce materials. ONDCP states that all parts of the application should reflect these objectives and subject matter areas, so proposals are expected to be tightly aligned with the listed priorities, delivery methods, and evaluation expectations.

• The Office of National Drug Control Policy in the law, justice and legal services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Drug Court and Technical Training Grant" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 95.005.
• This funding opportunity was created on May 11, 2020.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 13, 2020. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $4,500,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education.

Apply for ONDCP DRUGCOURT 2020

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