The Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program is the Nation’s leading effort to mobilize communities to prevent youth substance use. Created in 1997, the DFC Program provides grants to community coalitions to strengthen the infrastructure among local partners to create and sustain a reduction in local youth substance use.
Recognizing that local problems need local solutions, DFC-funded coalitions engage multiple sectors of the community and employ a variety of environmental strategies to address local substance use problems. DFCs involve local communities in finding solutions and also helps youth at risk for substance use recognize the majority of our Nation’s youth choose not to use substances. As demonstrated by independent evaluations, the DFC Support Program significantly reduces substance use amongst the target population.
DFC Coalitions are made up of community leaders representing twelve sectors that organize to meet the local prevention needs of the youth and families in their communities. These twelve sectors are:
- Youth
- Parents
- Businesses
- Media
- School
- Youth-serving organizations
- Law enforcement
- Religious/fraternal organizations
- Civic and volunteer organizations
- Healthcare professionals
- State, Local, and Tribal governments
- Other organizations involved in reducing illicit substance use
By funding these coalitions, the DFC Support program ensures communities adopt a balanced and comprehensive approach to reducing substance abuse in their neighborhoods. For more information about the DFCs’ work and successes, click here.
For FY 2020, ONDCP is awarding over 700 grants to community coalitions across the country.
In the coming months, ONDCP will announce additional continuation DFC grant awards and a new cohort of DFC grant award recipients.
FY 2020 grant award recipients are identified below:
