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Building Communities of Recovery (BCOR)

NOFO (TI-24-003) 

Frequently Asked Questions 

https://www.samhsa.gov/grants/grant-announcements/ti-24-003

Eligibility 

1. Who is eligible to apply? 

Eligible applicants are Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs), defined as 

independent, non-profit organizations wholly or principally governed by people in 

recovery from substance use disorder (SUD) and/or co-occurring substance use 

and mental disorders (COD) who reflect the community being served.

All non-profit entities must submit documentation of their non-profit status in 

Attachment 8. 

In Attachment 9, the applicant organization must document its eligibility as an 

RCO by providing a letter from the Board of Directors certifying that it has met 

the criteria of a RCO for a minimum of two years.

2. Can individuals apply for and receive funding through the BCOR Grant 

program? 

No, individuals cannot apply to this grant. Individuals can find 

resources for treatment or assistance at SAMHSA’s Behavioral 

Health Treatment Services Locator (https://www.findtreatment.gov)

or by contacting SAMHSA’s National Helpline at 1-800- 662-HELP 

(4357). 

3. Can an organization that is currently in the process of securing nonprofit 

status apply to this program? 

An organization must have documentation of their nonprofit status when 

submitting the application. Acceptable evidence of non-profit status can be 

found on pages 22 and 23 of the NOFO. The documentation must be included 

in Attachment 8 of the application. 
4. Can FY2022 and FY2023 BCOR grantees apply to this NOFO? 

Recipients that received initial funding in FY2022 and FY2023 are not eligible to 

apply. Recipients who received their initial funding prior to FY2022 are eligible to 

apply.

5. Can another organization apply on behalf of an RCO?

No, another organization cannot apply on behalf of an RCO; the applicant on 

record must be an RCO and provide the supporting documents requested per 

Attachments 8 and 9. 

Key Personnel 

6. What are the minimum qualifications and the level of effort for the Project 

Director? 

The Project Director is responsible for oversight of the project and staff with lived 

experience in SUD and/or COD recovery who reflect the needs and population of 

the community(ies) to be served.

There are two key personnel for this program: the Project Director and the 

Project Coordinator. The combined level of effort (LOE) for the two positions 

must, at a minimum, equal 100 percent.

Required/Allowable Activities 

7. Do projects need to conduct all the required activities or select from those 

listed in the NOFO? 

Yes, projects must implement all required activities listed in Section 1.3 of the 

NOFO (pg. 8). 

8. If we cannot provide an activity ourselves, can we subcontract with another 

provider to implement the activity? 

Yes, grant activities can be completed in partnership with a subcontractor. The

grant recipient will be legally responsible for all required activities and oversight 

of the grant and will serve as SAMHSA's point of contact for the grant. 

9. When are recipients expected to start delivery of services?

Recipients are expected to begin the delivery of services by the fourth month of 

the award.
Data Collection/Reporting 

10.How often will the recipient collect Government Performance and Results 

Act (GPRA) data? 

Data will be collected at three points: intake to SAMHSA-funded services, six

months post-intake, and discharge from the SAMHSA funded services.

Financial

11.Is there a cost-sharing and matching requirement for this grant? 

Yes, this program requires cost-sharing/match. You must provide matching funds 

(directly or through donations from public or private entities) from non-federal 

contributions that are not less than $15 for each $85 of federal funds provided in 

the award.

12.Can the non-federal share be in cash or in-kind?

Yes, cash or third-party in-kind contributions may be accepted as part of the 

recipient’s cost-sharing. 

Application Submission (See the FY24 Application Guide for additional information) 

13.Where can I get information on preparing a grant application?

The FY 2024 NOFO Application Guide provides detailed instructions on 

preparing and submitting your application. Please review each section of the 

Application Guide for important information on the grant application process, 

including the registration requirements, required attachments, and budget.

14.How to submit an application?

After completing all required registration and application requirements, you must 

electronically submit the application using eRA ASSIST or Grants.gov 

Workspace.

15. When is the application deadline? 

Applications must be submitted to and validated successfully no later than 11:59 

PM Eastern Standard Time on April 29th, 2024. Applications submitted after 

the due date will not be reviewed. 

SAMHSA recommends that you allow enough time before the deadline to submit 

your application and to correct errors identified in the validation process. It is 

highly recommended that you submit your application 24–72 hours before the 
submission deadline to allow for enough time to correct errors and resubmit the 

application. (See page 11 and page 17 of the FY24 Application Guide)

Other Application Questions 

16. How do I know if my organization qualifies for the additional ten (10) points 

stated in the NOFO?

Ten (10) points will be given to applicants in states and territories that have not 

previously received BCOR funding with proposed projects that address the 

needs of underserved communities and/or rural populations greatly impacted by 

SUD and COD.

Applicants must meet both requirements to qualify and receive the additional 

ten (10) points: 1) Be from a state/territory that has not previously received 

BCOR funding AND 2) the proposed project must address the needs of 

underserved and/or rural populations greatly impacted by SUD and COD. 

17. Is there a list or a definition of underserved communities? 

Underserved communities are defined in Section 2 of Executive Order 13985. 

18. Where can I find the list of states and territories that have NOT previously

received BCOR funding?

A table with the states and territories that have NOT previously received BCOR 

funding can be found on page 18 of the NOFO. 

19.If my organization does not meet the criteria for the additional ten (10) 

points in Section A, can we still apply?

Yes, if the organization meets the eligibility criteria and can perform the required 

activities of the grant, they are encouraged to apply. 

Program Contact: 

Jihane Ambroise, MPH

Phone: 240-276-1018

Email: jihane.ambroise@samhsa.hhs.gov