Merced County is launching a round of Innovative Grants to support local community-based, faith-based, educational, and nonprofit organizations actively addressing the opioid epidemic.
Donor Name: Merced County
State: California
County: Merced County (CA)
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 03/02/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 2 Years
Details:
These grants are designed to foster prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction strategies that are both effective and innovative.
Merced County is launching a round of Innovative Grants to support local community-based, faith-based, educational, and nonprofit organizations actively addressing the opioid epidemic. These grants are designed to foster prevention, treatment, recovery, and harm reduction strategies that are both effective and innovative.
The opioid crisis is one of the most pressing health and safety challenges facing Merced County. Like many communities across the state, Merced County has experienced rising opioid-related overdoses and deaths, with vulnerable and underserved populations often suffering disproportionately. Through this grant opportunity, Merced County seeks to invest in organizations that are delivering impactful, evidence-based, and community-informed responses to the opioid epidemic.
Focus Areas
Funding is available as a one-time award. It is not a sustainable source of funding for ongoing programming or projects.
- Prevention – Public education, youth engagement, stigma reduction, safe prescribing practices
- Harm Reduction – Naloxone access, syringe exchange, outreach to unhoused individuals, peer navigation
- Treatment – Medication-assisted treatment (MAT), access to substance use disorder services, culturally competent care
- Recovery – Sober housing, peer-led recovery supports, job training, community reentry support.
Priorities
Priority Consideration Will Be Given to:
- Expansion of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment infrastructure
- Harm reduction and naloxone distribution
- Services for homeless populations and underserved communities
- Diversion programs for individuals with SUD
- Youth education and prevention efforts
- Other funding considerations:
- Naloxone or other FDA-approved drug to reverse opioid overdoses
- Medication assisted treatment (“MAT”) distribution and other opioid-related treatment
- Pregnant and postpartum women
- Expanding Treatment for Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome
- Expansion of Warm Hand-Off Programs and Recovery Services
- Treatment for Incarcerated Population
- Prevention Programs
- Expanding Syringe Service Programs.
Funding Information
- Total Funding Available: $500,000
- Award Range: $25,000 – $100,000 per award
Grant Period
Project Duration: not to exceed 14 months
Eligibility Criteria
- Be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, fiscally sponsored project, faith-based organizations or community-based organization
- Be a city or town that has not previously declined participation with Opioid Settlement Funds.
- An educational institution within Merced County
- Submit applications for projects that benefit Merced County residents
- Focus on opioid prevention, harm reduction, treatment, or recovery
- Collaborative applications (involving two or more organizations) are encouraged and may be eligible for higher award amounts
- Applicant will be subject to background check.
For more information, visit Merced County.
