Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ACYF SR 0012
The General Departmental Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (GDSRAE) funding opportunity (HHS 2026 ACF ACYF SR 0012) is a discretionary federal grant program run by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) and the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB). It provides funding for projects under the broader Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Program. The central purpose is to support organizations that will deliver sexual risk avoidance education designed to teach participants how to voluntarily refrain from non-marital sexual activity, with the larger intent of reducing teen pregnancy, preventing sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and steering youth away from other high-risk behaviors.
The program is specifically aimed at youth who live in communities with high teen birth rates and/or youth who are considered at greatest risk of contracting STIs. In practice, that means applicants should be prepared to define their target population clearly, explain why the selected service area is high-need, and show how their outreach and programming will reach the intended participants rather than relying on broad, general prevention messaging. The program frames its expected outcomes around equipping young people with practical tools to make healthier decisions, with an emphasis on prevention and personal decision-making skills.
Applicants are expected to propose program plans that meet several key content and quality requirements. First, information delivered through the program must be medically accurate and grounded in reputable references, including peer-reviewed publications and materials from recognized education, scientific, governmental, or health organizations. Second, applicants must use sexual risk avoidance curricula and/or strategies that follow an evidence-based approach, meaning they should integrate research findings with real-world implementation in a way that fits the intended audience and the outcomes the project is trying to achieve. Third, funded projects are expected to teach topics that go beyond sexual decision-making alone, including self-regulation, healthy relationship skills, goal setting, and the idea of success sequencing for poverty prevention. Programs must also address resisting sexual coercion and dating violence, and may address other related youth risk behaviors such as underage drinking or illicit drug use. A notable expectation is that programs cover these issues without normalizing teen sexual activity, consistent with the program model’s focus on risk avoidance.
In terms of funding logistics, the opportunity lists an award ceiling of $450,000 and anticipates making about 43 awards. The application deadline is August 17, 2026, and the opportunity was created on July 16, 2026. The assistance listing (CFDA) number is 93.060, and the activity category is Income Security and Social Services, reflecting the program’s placement within youth and family-focused prevention services.
Eligibility is broad across public and private sectors, which is typical for discretionary HHS grant programs. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. Faith-based and community organizations are explicitly eligible as long as they meet the stated eligibility requirements. At the same time, the announcement is clear about exclusions: individuals (including sole proprietorships) and foreign entities are not eligible and would be disqualified from merit review and funding consideration.
Overall, GDSRAE is designed for applicants that can demonstrate both a strong community need and a credible implementation plan for structured sexual risk avoidance education, with medically accurate instruction, evidence-informed programming, and a broader youth development focus that includes healthy relationships, violence prevention, and other protective factors tied to long-term well-being.Apply for HHS 2026 ACF ACYF SR 0012
- The Administration for Children Families - ACYF/FYSB in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "General Departmental Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (GDSRAE)" and is now available to receive applicants.
- Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.060.
- This funding opportunity was created on 2026-07-16.
- Applicants must submit their applications by 2026-08-17. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
- Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $450,000.00 in funding.
- The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 43 candidate(s).
- Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Nonprofits that do not have a 501 (c) (3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education, For-profit organizations other than small businesses, Small businesses.
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GDSRAE (HHS 2026 ACF ACYF SR 0012) Grant FAQs
What is the GDSRAE funding opportunity?
The General Departmental Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (GDSRAE) funding opportunity (HHS 2026 ACF ACYF SR 0012) is a discretionary federal grant program under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). It is administered by the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), within the Administration on Children, Youth and Families (ACYF) and the Family and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB). The funding supports projects under the broader Sexual Risk Avoidance Education (SRAE) Program.
What is the main purpose of this grant program?
The purpose is to fund organizations that will deliver sexual risk avoidance education designed to teach participants how to voluntarily refrain from non-marital sexual activity. The larger intent is to help reduce teen pregnancy, prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and steer youth away from other high-risk behaviors by strengthening decision-making and protective skills.
Who is the program intended to serve?
The program is aimed at youth who live in communities with high teen birth rates and/or youth considered at greatest risk of contracting STIs. Applicants are expected to clearly define their target population and explain why the chosen service area represents a high-need community.
What does the opportunity mean by a "high-need" community?
Based on the opportunity description, high-need refers to communities with high teen birth rates and/or communities where youth are at greatest risk of contracting STIs. Applicants should be prepared to justify their service area selection using this framing and to explain how their project will reach the intended youth.
Does the program expect targeted outreach, or can applicants use broad prevention messaging?
The opportunity emphasizes reaching intended participants rather than relying on broad, general prevention messaging. That means applicants should describe a clear plan for how outreach and programming will actually connect with the defined target population.
What are the core expectations for program content?
Applicants are expected to propose program plans that meet key content and quality requirements, including: medically accurate information; evidence-based sexual risk avoidance curricula and/or strategies; and instruction that also covers youth development topics such as self-regulation, healthy relationship skills, goal setting, and success sequencing for poverty prevention.
What does "medically accurate" mean in this opportunity?
Information delivered must be medically accurate and grounded in reputable references. The opportunity specifically points to peer-reviewed publications and materials from recognized education, scientific, governmental, or health organizations as examples of acceptable reference sources.
Does the program require evidence-based curricula or strategies?
Yes. Funded projects are expected to use sexual risk avoidance curricula and/or strategies that follow an evidence-based approach. The opportunity describes this as integrating research findings with real-world implementation in a way that fits the intended audience and the outcomes the project is trying to achieve.
Are programs expected to cover topics beyond sexual decision-making?
Yes. The opportunity expects content beyond sexual decision-making alone, including self-regulation, healthy relationship skills, goal setting, and success sequencing for poverty prevention.
Are applicants required to address sexual coercion and dating violence?
Yes. Programs must address resisting sexual coercion and dating violence as part of the expected content areas.
Can programs address other youth risk behaviors in addition to sexual risk avoidance?
Yes. The opportunity notes that programs may address other related youth risk behaviors such as underage drinking or illicit drug use, alongside the required sexual risk avoidance education framework.
Does the grant have specific expectations about how teen sexual activity is discussed?
Yes. A notable expectation is that programs cover relevant issues (including related risk behaviors and violence prevention) without normalizing teen sexual activity, consistent with the program model’s focus on risk avoidance.
What is the award ceiling for this opportunity?
The opportunity lists an award ceiling of $450,000.
How many awards does the agency expect to make?
The opportunity anticipates making about 43 awards.
When is the application deadline?
The application deadline is August 17, 2026.
When was this opportunity posted/created?
The opportunity was created on July 16, 2026.
What is the assistance listing (CFDA) number?
The assistance listing number for this program is 93.060.
What is the activity category for this funding opportunity?
The activity category is Income Security and Social Services, reflecting the program’s placement within youth and family-focused prevention services.
Who can apply for the GDSRAE grant?
Eligibility is broad across public and private sectors. Eligible applicants include: state governments; county governments; city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and private institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; nonprofit organizations with or without 501(c)(3) status (excluding institutions of higher education in those nonprofit categories); for-profit organizations other than small businesses; and small businesses. Faith-based and community organizations are explicitly eligible if they meet the stated requirements.
Are faith-based organizations eligible to apply?
Yes. Faith-based organizations are explicitly eligible as long as they meet the stated eligibility requirements described in the opportunity.
Are individuals or sole proprietors eligible to apply?
No. The announcement is clear that individuals (including sole proprietorships) are not eligible and would be disqualified from merit review and funding consideration.
Are foreign entities eligible to apply?
No. Foreign entities are not eligible and would be disqualified from merit review and funding consideration.
What are reviewers likely to look for in a strong application, based on the opportunity description?
Based on the information provided, a competitive application would be expected to: demonstrate strong community need (high teen birth rates and/or elevated STI risk among youth); clearly define and justify the target population and service area; show targeted outreach plans that reach intended participants; present a credible implementation plan for structured sexual risk avoidance education; ensure medically accurate content supported by reputable references; use evidence-based curricula/strategies aligned to the audience; and include broader youth development components such as self-regulation, healthy relationships, goal setting, success sequencing, and resisting sexual coercion and dating violence, while avoiding normalization of teen sexual activity.
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