OJJDP Mentoring Programs (FY2026 Mentoring for Youth Impacted by Opioids and Other Substance Use)
OJJDP funds mentoring through a set of annual solicitations; the FY2026 portfolio includes Multistate Mentoring Programs and Mentoring for Youth Impacted by Opioids and Other Substance Use. The substance use NOFO pays for one-to-one, group, peer or hybrid mentoring for youth who use substances or are affected by a family member's use, with up to 20% of funds available for related direct services. Every application is scored on the standard OJP five-part structure with project design and organizational capability carrying 65% of the score.
Program facts
- Agency
- Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice
- Assistance Listing
- 16.726
- Statutory authority
- Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2026, Pub. L. No. 119-74, 140 Stat. 5, 34 (Juvenile Mentoring Program appropriation)
- Award ceiling
- Up to $650,000 for Category 1 local sites; up to $2,000,000 for Category 2 statewide and regional projects
- Awards
- The FY2026 opioid and substance use mentoring NOFO planned about 15 awards (10 local, 5 statewide or regional) from up to $16.5 million; the separate FY2026 Multistate Mentoring NOFO funded awards of $1 million to $4 million
- Period of performance
- 36 months, starting January 1, 2027 for the FY2026 cohort
- Cost share
- None required
- Cycle
- OJJDP mentoring NOFOs typically post between late summer and fall; the FY2026 substance use mentoring NOFO posted October 9, 2026, with the SF-424 due November 16 and the JustGrants application due November 23, 2026
Program goals
- Deliver structured, high-quality mentoring to youth directly affected by opioid and other substance use
- Pair mentoring with prevention, treatment, recovery and family supports through a treatment partner
- Train mentors to recognize signs and symptoms of substance use
- Expand mentoring capacity statewide or regionally in areas with high substance use
Scoring rubric
Description of the need5
Local data on youth substance use and its impact on the target population, and a clear link to the NOFO purpose.
Project goals and objectives15
Broad goals and measurable objectives that line up with the NOFO's goals for youth mentoring.
Project design and implementation35
The mentoring model, match counts and duration, mentor screening and pre-match training hours, timeline, staffing, deliverables and the role of the treatment partner and any subrecipients.
Capabilities and competencies30
Three or more years of uninterrupted mentoring delivery, relevant prior projects, key staff experience and the capacity to collect and report performance data.
Budget15
Reasonable, allocable costs with computations, non-mentoring direct services at or below 20%, and no youth incentives, food or entertainment costs.
Weights are from the FY2026 Mentoring for Youth Impacted by Opioids and Other Substance Use NOFO (O-OJJDP-2026-172743). Other OJJDP mentoring solicitations use the same five-part OJP structure; confirm weights in each posting.
Eligibility
- Category 1: county, city and township governments, federally recognized Tribes, school districts, public and private institutions of higher education, and nonprofits with or without 501(c)(3) status
- Category 2 adds state governments, national organizations with active affiliates in at least 45 states, and statewide mentoring organizations
- At least three consecutive years of uninterrupted structured youth mentoring immediately before applying, and a structured model currently operating
- A formal MOU with a licensed or accredited substance use treatment organization serving the project area
- Organizations whose primary mission is substance use treatment are not eligible as lead applicant
Required attachments
- SF-424 in Grants.gov (Step 1)
- Proposal abstract (2,000 characters) in JustGrants
- Proposal Questionnaire responses for each scored section (1 to 2 paragraphs per question)
- Budget Detail Worksheet (web-based form)
- Executed or draft MOU with a licensed or accredited substance use treatment organization, with a cover note if unsigned
- Mentoring program model form (match type, number of matches, pre-match training hours, expected match length)
- Indirect cost rate agreement, Tribal authorizing resolution and executive compensation disclosure, if applicable
Formatting rules
- FY2026 used a JustGrants Proposal Questionnaire instead of a long narrative: answer each question in 1 to 2 paragraphs
- Abstract capped at 2,000 characters with no personally identifying information
- Budget must be entered in the web-based Budget Detail Worksheet
Why applications lose points
- Less than three uninterrupted years of structured mentoring, or a model that is not currently running
- No MOU with a licensed or accredited treatment provider, or a lead applicant whose core mission is treatment
- Budgets that include youth incentives, gift cards, food or outings, which the NOFO disallows
- Vague match targets with no explanation of how numbers fit the 36-month period
- Questionnaire answers that restate the NOFO instead of describing your program
How ELIXIR CONSUMERS helps with OJJDP Mentoring
- 1.Pulls match counts, average match length and mentor training hours from your program database exports to fill the model form
- 2.Drafts each questionnaire answer at the right length and cites your three-year service history from annual reports in the vault
- 3.Generates an MOU draft for the treatment partner that states licensure and the referral pathway the NOFO asks for
- 4.Checks the budget for disallowed incentive and food costs and the 20% cap on non-mentoring services
More public safety breakdowns
- BJA JAG Local Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program, Local Formula SolicitationALN 16.738
- BJA SCA Reentry BJA Second Chance Act Community-based Reentry ProgramALN 16.812
- COPS CHP COPS Hiring Program (CHP)ALN 16.068
- FEMA AFG Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) ProgramALN 97.044
Questions, answered
Can we apply to more than one OJJDP mentoring NOFO?
Yes, if each application proposes a different project. Partners must be named as subrecipients, not co-applicants.
Do we need a signed MOU to apply?
A draft or unsigned MOU is acceptable if you explain why it is unsigned. Funding is held under a special condition until a fully executed agreement is on file.
Can mentors be paid?
Staff and stipended mentor coordinators can be budgeted, but monetary incentives to youth for completing the program are not allowable under the FY2026 NOFO.
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