Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Grants Open to Schools and Colleges
Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Grants Open to Schools, CareerTechs and Colleges
Oklahoma public schools, technology centers and state higher education institutions can begin applying today for a new round of opioid abatement funding, with grants ranging from $105,000 to $900,000 over three years. Attorney General Gentner Drummond is urging eligible institutions to participate, saying schools are often among the first places where the effects of opioid misuse among young Oklahomans become visible.
Applications for the Oklahoma opioid abatement grants will remain open through November 30, with funding available for prevention, treatment and harm-reduction strategies approved by the state's Opioid Abatement Board. Collaborative applications involving multiple eligible institutions can qualify for awards exceeding the standard individual limits.
Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Grants Offer Up to $900,000 Over Three Years
The new application period expands the state's opioid settlement funding efforts directly into Oklahoma's education system.
Individual awards will range from $105,000 to $900,000 over a three-year period, with the amount determined by the applicant's type and the population it serves.
Eligible applicants include Oklahoma public school districts, technology center school districts and state institutions of higher education.
Multiple institutions can also submit collaborative proposals. Those applications may qualify for additional funding because they can serve larger populations or coordinate opioid prevention and response efforts across communities.
"Schools are often the first line of defense in protecting young Oklahomans from the dangers of opioids," Drummond said. "This funding puts real resources in the hands of educators who see these challenges up close every day."
Drummond also encouraged institutions not to abandon an application because of concerns about the process.
"No school should let the application process stand in the way, and our office is ready to help every step of the way," he said.
Complete eligibility requirements and application materials are available through the Attorney General's official Opioid Abatement Grant program.
The money does not come from Oklahoma's general state budget. The Opioid Abatement Board distributes funds derived from legal settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors and other companies involved in the opioid industry.
Prevention, Naloxone and Family Programs Among Funding Priorities
The Opioid Abatement Board uses eight priority strategies to determine which programs should receive funding.
Those priorities include school-based prevention efforts, distribution of naloxone, family skills programs and other evidence-based approaches intended to prevent opioid misuse, reduce overdose deaths and help communities respond to substance use disorders.
Naloxone is a medication capable of rapidly reversing an opioid overdose by blocking opioid effects in the body. Wider availability has become a central component of overdose prevention efforts nationally and in Oklahoma.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health's naloxone resources provide information about overdose recognition, naloxone use and access to the medication.
For schools, opioid prevention can involve more than responding to an overdose on campus.
Grant-supported programs can potentially address student education, early intervention, family support, staff training and connections to behavioral health or substance use treatment, depending on the proposal and whether it meets the board's approved strategies.
The three-year structure is intended to give recipients enough time to establish programs rather than relying on a single short-term expenditure.
Applications must be submitted by November 30.
The Opioid Abatement Board plans to review proposals between December 1 and February 28, 2027, with funding decisions expected to be announced in March or April 2027.
Board Recently Awarded More Than $12 Million Across Oklahoma
The education grant round follows another significant distribution of opioid settlement money this summer.
During a special meeting in August, the Opioid Abatement Board awarded more than $12 million to 24 cities, counties and other political subdivisions.
Recipients included the cities of Ada, Bristow, Duncan, Grove, Lawton, Oklahoma City, Stillwater and Tulsa.
County recipients included Carter, Latimer, Okfuskee, Oklahoma, Okmulgee, Pontotoc, Pottawatomie, Tulsa, Wagoner and Woodward counties.
Other recipients included the Grand Gateway Economic Development Association, Norman Regional Hospital Authority and South Western Oklahoma Development Authority.
Several communities also pursued funding together.
Joint awards included applications from Haskell and LeFlore counties; McCurtain, Choctaw and Pushmataha counties; and Rogers County and the City of Claremore.
The Oklahoma Opioid Abatement Board was established to oversee distribution of qualifying opioid settlement funds and ensure the money is directed toward approved abatement strategies rather than unrelated government spending.
That distinction is important because Oklahoma, like states across the country, has received settlement money through litigation involving companies accused of contributing to the opioid crisis. Settlement agreements generally require much of that funding to be used specifically for opioid remediation.
Opening the latest round to schools, CareerTech centers and public colleges gives Oklahoma another avenue for directing those dollars toward younger residents and families before opioid misuse progresses to addiction or overdose.
Institutions interested in applying now have roughly two months to develop proposals before the November 30 deadline.
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