CFYF Won't Re-Up Drug Free Communities Grant

DAYTON—After weighing the pros and cons of reapplying for an additional five years of the Drug Free Communities Grant, the Coalition for Youth and Families decided not to do so at this time.

“Basically, the extra requirements of the grant are so huge, and we don’t have enough people who have the time to dedicate to the application,” said Peggy Guiterrez, the grant coordinator, about the decision not to apply. “We also don’t have the technical assistance we had when we wrote the original five years ago.

“The instructions to write the document are 117 pages long, and the applications require 13 additional attachments and several other assurances. None of this includes the actual application narrative, action plan or budget narrative, which is 35 to 40 pages of written document,” Guiterrez added.

Guiterrez pointed out that there are 400 applications for the grant, and only 71 are funded.

“We don’t have the resources or manpower to get the work done. They opened the application on January 15, and it is due on March 15,” said Guiterrez. “This doesn’t mean we won’t reapply; just not this year.”

The Drug Free Communities Grant has supported training for community groups, such as SHEO (Students Helping Each Other), with the focus on preventing underage drinking, marijuana use and substance abuse. That work has taken place through leadership retreats and conferences, media campaigns, billboards and newspaper communications, and weekly ads, Guiterrez said.

Guiterrez said the CFYF will look at developing a plan to move forward when the group meets again on Feb. 16.