Opioid Settlement Impact and Recovery Grants

The application for this program is currently closed

In January 2022, Rhode Island joined the national opioid settlement with three major opioid distributors, leading to over $90 million in funding for state and local efforts to address Rhode Island’s opioid crisis. Together with settlements secured by Attorney General Neronha, Rhode Island’s opioid litigation recoveries will total more than $200 million over time.

The Settlement Agreement states that all the funds will be directed to opioid abatement – including expanding access to opioid use disorder prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery.

The Rhode Island Foundation partnered with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) in May, 2023, to award $3,250,000 of Settlement funds to 15 nonprofits to address opioid use, treatment and prevention.

Through our continued partnership with EOHHS, this year, the Opioid Settlement Impact and Recovery Grants program will award $1,700,000 – fully funded with Settlement dollars – in three categories:

Trauma Supports

$1,000,000 is available to support programming for trauma supports for Rhode Island first responders, including support for peer harm reduction and recovery specialists. We know that with the recent sharp rise in the number of overdoses in Rhode Island – and especially the large numbers of fatal and non-fatal overdoses – people who work on the front lines of the crisis are experiencing post-traumatic stress symptoms. Based on feedback from community partners and emergency medical services professionals, the most effective approach to addressing trauma associated with being a first responder would be to fund trauma supports outside of their place of work. Day-to-day trauma experienced by first responders is a risk that leads to burn-out and other mental health symptoms. We also know that, due to stigma, most first responders are less likely to seek typical clinical treatment.

Therefore, we are seeking to fund innovative trauma-informed programs for first responders (including emergency medical personnel, law enforcement, and peer responders). Programs should be designed to address these traumas outside of their respective workplaces to allow first responders to have a safe space to address workplace traumas, with the goal of preventing mental health crises and helping first responders more easily return to work.

Family Supports

$450,000 is available to support programming by organizations made up of or serving families of people who use drugs, people in recovery, or people who have passed away because of an overdose.

According to SAMHSA, “while there is no one-size-fits-all solution for helping a family member who is drinking too much, using drugs, or dealing with a mental illness, research shows that family support can play a major role in helping a loved one with mental and substance use disorders.”

Therefore, we are seeking to fund creative supportive or empowering programs carried out by organizations made up of or supporting families of people affected by the overdose crisis. You may find ideas and resources on the SAMHSA webpage: https://www.samhsa.gov/brss-tacs/recovery-support-tools/parents-families.

Basic Needs Support

$250,000 is available for organizations that support individuals and families who are impacted by substance use/opioid use or at risk of an overdose by providing funding for “care packages,” such as bedding, furnishings, clothing, transportation (Uber, bus passes), food, legal fees, etc.

We anticipate making between two and six grants in each area described above. Grants will be for one year, with the possibility of a no-cost extension if agreed to by the Rhode Island Foundation and EOHHS.

Wondering if you should apply? Here are some things to consider.

Eligibility

Individual nonprofit or collaborations of 501(c) organizations located in and serving the state of Rhode Island.
Organizations with a demonstrated track record of opioid prevention, harm reduction, treatment, or recovery activity.
Faith-based organizations for secular programs or projects.
Organizations that are committed to promoting equity and eliminating disparities – especially racial and ethnic disparities - as evidenced by their mission statements, publicly stated program priorities, data collection practices, etc.
In addition, to meet the State’s focus on equity and eliminating disparities, organizations led by members of Rhode Island’s BIPOC community, LGBTQ+ Rhode Islanders, Veteran Rhode Islanders, Rhode Islanders with disabilities, and others who are disproportionately impacted by overdose are especially welcome to apply.
The Rhode Island Foundation believes that our community can best be served by charitable organizations that both reflect and serve the diversity of our community. We do not award grants to applicants or for programs that have a policy that discriminates against any person or group in any way that is either unlawful or inconsistent with the mission or values of the Foundation.
Finally, this program does not fund individuals, scholarships or research, capital or endowment efforts, or fundraising events.

Deadline to apply Notifications Overall Focus on Equity

In addition to the priorities listed above, we request that applicants pay close attention to the following statement from EOHHS, our partner in this grant program:

EOHHS acknowledges the history of institutional and structural racism and its impact on health. We are committed to improving the quality of life for all Rhode Island residents while eliminating the inequities that threaten the lives of low-income and communities of color who are disproportionately affected by substance use, chronic diseases, and their risk factors. Applicants to this Opioid Settlement-funded grant program shall describe in detail how your organization acknowledges and addresses institutional and structural racism, and how your project aims to improve the health of Rhode Island’s BIPOC and LGBTQ+ communities, as well as people with disabilities and veterans – and how it seeks to eliminate these disparities through programming and policies.

Additionally, aligned with EOHHS’ commitment to equity and as required by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) standards.

EOHHS has identified the following priority populations of focus for our equity considerations:

- Members of High Density Communities

- Members of BIPOC Communities

- People w/ Incarceration History

- Members of the LGBTQ+ Community

- People with Disabilities

- People or Families Experiencing Homelessness

- Transition-Aged Youth

Potential grantees may also consult the Equity Plan within the Rhode Island Behavioral Health System of Care Plan for Children and Youth.

Given these priorities, applications should consider the following throughout their application:

Strategy for eliminating health disparities and approaching equity
Approach to ensuring compliance with CLAS and ADA requirements
Performance measures for your proposed project that focus on reducing known disparities
Budget expenditures required to ensure CLAS and ADA Compliance

Alignment with Rhode Island Opioid Settlement Guiding Principles Allowable Uses for Funding Reporting Requirements (if awarded)

Grantees will be required to submit written updates on progress on a quarterly basis, for EOHHS’ use in reporting on the opioid settlement progress. A written final report will also be required.

Please note that grantees will be required to participate monthly with EOHHS staff to discuss programmatic progress. In addition, grantees will be required to participate in Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee meetings, when applicable, to present their program’s progress.

Application Materials

Application
To apply for the Trauma Supports and/or the Family Supports grants, click here.

To apply for the Basic Needs Support grant, click here.

See opportunity-specific criteria included above.

Please click here to preview a sample Trauma Supports and Family Supports grant application; please click here to preview a Basic Needs Support grant application.

Proposal Budget
Please complete the budget form and upload it to your application.

Organizational Budget
Please include your organization's budget for the current fiscal year with year-to-date actuals (not required for public schools and hospitals).

Financials
Please include your organization's most recent audited financials or 990 if available, or your most recent board-approved financial statement (not required for public schools or local municipalities).

Board List
Please attach a copy of your organization's board list.

IRS 501(c) Tax Determination Letter (not a tax-exempt certificate)
Required only if your organization has never applied to the Rhode Island Foundation for funding. If an organization is serving as the fiscal agent for this project, please submit the IRS 501(c) tax determination letter for the fiscal agent.

For correspondence and documents generated by a source that is not electronic/digital, like the tax determination letter, create an electronic/digital file by scanning the document into the computer. It is suggested that you store these documents either on your computer or on a digital/electronic alternative to which you have access, to assist in answering any additional questions related to your request.

To assure that the correct documents are being uploaded, please make note of the folder or location of the files that will be submitted to the Rhode Island Foundation.