Gwinnett opens HOPE grant applications, seeks qualified organizations to address opioid crisis

GWINNETT COUNTY, GA— Gwinnett County is accepting applications for its new Healing from Opioid Addiction through Prevention Education(HOPE) grant program.

The Gwinnett HOPE program will distribute approximately $1.9M of Georgia Opioid Settlement funds over three years to support community-based programs that address opioid prevention, treatment, recovery and harm reduction.

Last year, the Gwinnett County Opioid Abatement Advisory Committee held a series of town halls to gather feedback from residents, health professionals and local leaders to help guide their recommendations to the Board of Commissioners. Now, to kick off the application process, the County is seeking innovative, evidence-based programs to prevent opioid misuse, strengthen recovery systems, reduce overdose deaths and improve long-term health outcomes for residents.

“The opioid crisis has impacted families and communities across Gwinnett, and these settlement dollars give us an opportunity to invest directly in solutions that can save lives,” said Gwinnett County Chairwoman Nicole Love Hendrickson. “We listened to residents, service providers, and health professionals about where the needs are greatest. Through the HOPE program, we’re putting those dollars to work by strengthening prevention, expanding access to treatment and recovery, and supporting community partners who are helping families on a path to recovery.”

Funding will be awarded to applicants through a review process and applications will be evaluated using established criteria that align with the goals and priorities of the grant. Applicants must identify one or more priority areas that their proposed project will address: Treatment Services, Prevention Services, Recovery Support Services and Harm Reduction. Funding will also be broken down into three tiers designed to support projects at different stages of implementation.

Together, the priority areas and funding tiers create a strategic framework that enables Gwinnett County to respond to immediate community needs, strengthen the capacity of service providers and foster lasting systems that improve outcomes for individuals, families and communities affected by opioid use disorder, officials said in a news release.

Applications are available from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30 on the County’s grant application portal. An information session will be held on Nov. 10 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. to provide more information about the grant and answer any questions. For more information, visit GwinnettCounty.com/HOPE.