The Opioid Abatement Fund Council (OAFC) seeks to combat opioid overdoses in Texas by awarding funds to implement a statewide program that will distribute the opioid overdose reversal medication naloxone where it is needed most, and provide related training, including airway clearance techniques. The Texas Legislature created the OAFC in 2021 to ensure funds collected through lawsuits against pharmaceutical companies are used fairly and efficiently to combat the opioid crisis in Texas. The OAFC is made up of 13 appointed experts and the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (CPA) as the non-voting presiding officer.

Grant Amount: Up to $25 million
Up to $25 million is available for this grant opportunity: approximately $18.75 million for the purchase of naloxone and providing related training, with nearly $3.13 million for administrative costs and another $3.13 million for interventions in targeted counties. The expected term of the grant agreement is an initial two years, with three possible two-year renewal periods for a total project length of eight years. The grant recipient will receive funds on a reimbursement basis.

Eligibility
Texas governmental entities, nonprofit organizations and any entity registered with the Texas Secretary of State and eligible to conduct business in Texas are eligible to apply. Funding will be awarded to one applicant to implement the program statewide, but applicants may use qualified subcontractors or subgrantees.

Companies that paid funds or currently are involved in opioid abatement lawsuits are disqualified from applying. Applicants and subcontractors must also not be subject to the general disqualifications, such as being included on the CPA debarred vendor’s list or having a conflict of interest with the OAFC. Grant applicants may submit a written request for CPA’s preliminary review of any potential conflict of interest by March 18, 2024, to OAFC.nofa@cpa.texas.gov.

Application and Award Process
Applicants must complete an application form, including fully developed and detailed proposals and budgets, through the OAFC’s grant management system by May 7, 2024. The internet browser that works best with the grant management system is Google Chrome. A mobile app is also available.

Applications will go through a multi-stage selection process, including a risk review and evaluation by an independent peer review panel. After the review process is complete, the OAFC will vote on the final grant award.

The grant recipient will be required to submit timely detailed status reports that cover the grant recipient’s and any subgrantee’s performance, expenditures and any additional information requested by the OAFC. CPA may also conduct site visits during the project and after project completion to monitor progress and assess the effectiveness of the program.