The Comer Family Foundation provides grants to support syringe services programs and community-based harm reduction programs that aim to improve the health and wellness of people who use drugs. These programs offer free safer use supplies, educational resources, and wraparound community services designed to reduce opioid overdoses and prevent the transmission of HIV and viral hepatitis. The foundation prioritizes funding for organizations that follow harm reduction principles and have demonstrated a commitment to providing access to syringe services and other harm reduction strategies.

Applications for grants are accepted biannually, with deadlines on May 1 and November 1 of each calendar year. The grant is available to organizations operating within the 50 U.S. states, the District of Columbia, Native American reservations, tribal lands, and Puerto Rico. Eligible applicants must be organizations classified as tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and not considered private foundations under section 509(a). Tribal governments and organizations requiring a fiscal sponsor are also eligible. Additional eligibility criteria include having an annual budget under $600,000 and having operated a syringe service or harm reduction program for at least one full year.

The foundation prioritizes funding for organizations led by individuals who use drugs, those led by Black, Indigenous, and other people of color or other groups disproportionately impacted by drug criminalization, and organizations operating in areas with limited funding for harm reduction services. Additionally, organizations that serve regions with high rates of HIV and hepatitis C, limited harm reduction programs within a 100-mile radius, or those engaged in statewide or national harm reduction initiatives may receive preference. Other funding priorities include strategic partnerships and organizations providing innovative harm reduction services on a broader scale.

The grant provides general operating funds, including the purchase of harm reduction supplies. Funding is awarded for single-year grants, with grant amounts typically ranging from $2,500 to $20,000. Applications must be submitted online through the Comer Family Foundation’s grant portal, and new applicants must create a user profile to access the system. Required application documents include a project budget, an equity representation matrix, a copy of the IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter (or a fiscal sponsorship agreement if applicable), a list of board members with their affiliations, and optional letters of support.

The grant application review process takes approximately 30 days after submission. The Board of Directors evaluates applications twice a year, and applicants may be asked to provide additional information, participate in a meeting, site visit, or phone interview. Awards for applications submitted in May are distributed in July, and those submitted in November are awarded in January. For further questions, applicants may contact the foundation via email.