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Circles of Care for American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) - FY 2025

Agency: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
CFDA: 93.243
Federal FON: SM-25-016
Office: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Center for Mental Health Services
Multipart Grant: No
Next Due: 03/17/2025 (Application)
Solicitation Date: 01/14/2025
   
Match Required: No
Actual Funds: $2,800,000 (Estimated)
Number of Awards: 8 (Estimated)
Summary:

The purpose of this program is to support eligible American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) organizations to plan and design a family-driven, community-based, and culturally and linguistically competent system of care (SOC). Award recipients will be expected to organize a spectrum of community-based services and supports for AI/AN children who are experiencing, or are at risk of, mental health challenges. The system of care must cultivate meaningful community partnerships and address cultural and linguistic needs to help children better thrive at home, in school, and in life.

Funds must be used primarily to support capacity development, including the following required activities:

  • Identification and convening of an advisory group, such as a board, workgroup, or task force
  • Conduct of an assessment of community strengths
  • Development and implementation a community-based SOC plan
  • Conduct of a gathering of Native Americans (GONA) to promote spiritual and cultural development and youth social connectedness
  • Conduct of network development and collaboration activities with stakeholders, including formalized interagency commitments, for coordination of services
  • Provision of orientation and ongoing training on the SOC framework by engaging various sectors of the community, such as schools; colleges and universities, and other educational institutions; faith-based organizations; behavioral health and other health care providers; housing supports; the justice system; local businesses; and public health and health care systems, departments, and institutions
  • Development of policies, corresponding funding streams, and other strategies that will address how the SOC approach can be implemented and sustained

Applicants may also propose to use funds to implement community engagement activities, particularly in AI/AN communities. Examples of eligible community engagement activities include skirt-making, sweat lodges, and drum-making to help address mental health challenges of children and youth.

The SOC plan must propose a community-based SOC approach for children and youth mental health and wellness services, prevention and treatment of substance use, and supports to be provided in the community. The SOC plan should propose a variety of ongoing consensus-building activities with continuous feedback from the community. The proposed approach should be holistic, community-based, culturally competent, family-driven, and youth-guided across multiple agencies.

Award recipients must participate in virtual award meetings that are planned to be held by the funding agency.

Eligibility Notes:

Eligible applicants are:

  • Federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) tribes
  • Tribal organizations
  • Urban Indian organizations (UIOs)
  • Consortia of tribes or tribal organizations
  • Tribal colleges and universities, as identified by the American Indian Education Consortium

For consortia of tribes or tribal organizations, each participating entity must indicate its approval. In addition, a single tribe in the consortium must serve as the legal applicant, the recipient of the award, and the entity legally responsible for satisfying the award requirements.

If an organization is submitting more than one application, the project title must be different for each application.

Applicants that were previously funded under the following Circles of Care solicitations are not eligible to apply:

  • SM-14-0023
  • SM-17-002, known in eCivis Grants Network as the Circles of Care VII: Planning and Developing Infrastructure to Improve the Mental Health and Wellness of Children, Youth, and Families in American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) Communities program
  • SM-20-010, known as the Planning and Developing Infrastructure to Promote the Mental Health of Children, Youth, and Families in American Indian/Alaska Natives (AI/AN) Communities (Circles of Care) program
  • SM-23-022, known as the Planning and Developing Infrastructure to Promote the Mental Health of Children, Youth, and Families in American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) Communities (Circles of Care) program

Refer to pages 21-22 of the NOFA file for a list of previous Circles of Care recipients that are ineligible to apply for this program.

Previous award recipients include:

  • Ponca Tribe of Oklahoma (Ponca City, OK)
  • Sacred Path Indigenous Wellness Center (San Dimas, CA)
  • Asa'Carsarmiut Tribal Council (Mountain Village, AK)
  • Turtle Mountain Tribe (Belcourt, ND)
  • Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska (Niobrara, NE)

Refer to the Award file for additional information regarding previous award recipients.

Eligible Applicants:
Consortia
Native American Tribe
Tribal Organizations/Institutions
Application Notes:

Applications must be received by 11:59 p.m. ET on March 17, 2025.

Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov. Refer to pages 11-12 of the Guide file for additional information on submission options.

Applications must include:

  • SF 424
  • SF 424A
  • Project/performance site location(s) form
  • Project abstract summary (1 page max)
  • Project narrative (10 pages max):
    • Population to be served and need statement  (approximately 2 pages)
    • Proposed implementation approach (approximately 5 pages)
    • Organizational experience and staffing (approximately 2 pages)
    • Data collection and performance measurement (approximately 1 page)
  • Budget narrative
  • SF 424B
  • SF LLL (if applicable)
  • HHS 690 form
  • Grants.gov lobbying form
  • Other active federal awards (if applicable)
  • Attachments:
    • Letters of commitment (if applicable)
    • Data collection instruments/interview protocols
    • Sample consent forms
    • Project timeline (2 pages max)
    • Biographical sketches and position descriptions (2 pages max per sketch; 1 page max per position description)
    • Confidentiality and SAMHSA participant protection/human subjects
    • Negotiated indirect cost rate agreement (NICRA)

Applications must be single-spaced with 12-point Times New Roman font and at least one-inch margins. A 10-point Times New Roman font may be used for charts or tables. Black font must be used throughout. All files must be uploaded in Adobe .pdf format. The file name of application documents must be formatted according to the instructions detailed on pages 9-11 of the NOFA file.

The following are required in order to submit an application:

  • Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) number
  • SAM (System for Award Management) registration

Applicants may obtain a UEI number and verify or renew SAM registration status at www.ecivis.com/sam.

Applicants must also register with eRA Commons at www.ecivis.com/eracommons.

Community-based, non-governmental service providers located in states without a SPOC must submit a Public Health System Impact Statement (PHSIS) to the head(s) of appropriate state and local health agencies by the application deadline. Refer to pages 48-49 of the Guide file for additional information.

Applications will be evaluated according to the following criteria:

  • Population to be served and need statement (20 points)
  • Proposed implementation approach (35 points)
  • Organizational experience and staffing (30 points)
  • Data collection and performance measurement (15 points)

Refer to page 16 of the NOFA file for information regarding additional application evaluation criteria.

Refer to the NOFA and Guide files for additional application information.

Match Required: No
Actual Funds: $2,800,000 (Estimated)
Number of Awards: 8 (Estimated)
Match Notes:

Matching funds are not required for this program.  

Funding Notes:

An estimated $2.8 million is expected to be available to support approximately eight awards of up to $350,000 per year through this program.

Awards are expected to be issued no later than September 29, 2025.

The project period is expected to begin on September 30, 2025, and will last up to three years. Annual continuation awards will depend on the availability of funds, progress in meeting project goals and objectives, timely submission of required data and reports, and compliance with all terms and conditions of award.

Food expenses may be allowable if such costs are included as a key part of a gathering of Native Americans (GONA).

Funds may not be used for:

  • Purchasing, prescribing, or providing marijuana or treatment using marijuana
  • Purchasing, procuring, or distributing pipes or cylindrical objects intended to be used to smoke or inhale illegal scheduled substances
  • Paying for promotional items
  • Paying for the purchase or construction of any building or structure to house any part of the program
  • Providing inpatient treatment or hospital-based detoxification services
  • Paying for housing other than recovery housing, which includes application fees and security deposits
  • Making direct payments to individuals to enter treatment or continue to participate in prevention or treatment services
  • Purchasing firearms
  • Purchasing sterile needles or syringes for the hypodermic injection of any illegal drug
  • Supplanting current funding of existing activities

Refer to pages 32-33 of the Guide file for additional information regarding funding restrictions.

For FY 2023, a total of $5.7 million was distributed via nine awards ranging from $346,653 to $700,000 through this program. Refer to the Award file for details.

Contacts:

Primary Contact:

Brooke Sims
Public Health Advisor
(240) 276-1861
Brooke.Sims@samhsa.hhs.gov

Fiscal/Budget Questions Contact

Program Staff
(240) 276-1940
NOFO_Budget_Inquiries@samhsa.hhs.gov

Review Process and Application Status Questions Contact:

Angela Houde
Review Administrator
(240) 276-1091
Angela.Houde@samhsa.hhs.gov

Agency Address
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
5600 Fishers Lane
Rockville, MD 20857

Contact Notes:

Questions should be directed to the appropriate program contact.

Applications must be submitted online at www.ecivis.com/grants.gov.

The agency address provided is for reference purposes only.

Files:
NOFA File: US7273_NOFA_FY2025.pdf (434.8 Kb)
Guide File: US7273_Guide_FY2025.pdf (455.7 Kb)
Other Pre-Award File: US7273_BudgetTemplate_FY2025.pdf (1.2 Mb)
Other Pre-Award File: US7273_HHS690_FY2025.pdf (164.9 Kb)
Award File: US7273_Award_FY2025.pdf (815.9 Kb)
File Notes:

The NOFA file contains the full solicitation for this program. The Guide file contains detailed application instructions. The BudgetTemplate file contains a template applicants are highly recommended to use to complete the budget justification and narrative. The HHS690 file contains a required form for submission. The Award file contains information on previous award recipients.

Grant Keywords
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Grant Categories
Health, Prevention/Treatment
Human Services