Alcohol and Drug Abuse Trust Fund Instructional Guidelines

Funding period October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027

I. Introduction/Background

The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Trust Fund is generated from court fees in accordance with Sections 938.13 and 893.165 of the Florida Statutes and is intended to support licensed non-profit substance use providers with non-recurring special projects.
This solicitation is administered by Pinellas County Human Services. The Substance and Alcohol Abuse Advisory Board (SAAB) will review all applications and make award recommendations for final approval by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners.

Applicants must meet criteria set forth in this solicitation. The funding period for this application is October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027 (FY27). The anticipated allocation for FY27 is $35,000.00.

Pinellas County Substance Abuse Advisory Board Members include:

II. Funding Priorities

Applicants must be nonprofit organizations that provide alcohol and/or drug abuse treatment and/or prevention programs and have at least one client-accessible office or service location within Pinellas County. To be eligible for an award, the organization must be licensed as a substance abuse treatment provider under Chapter 397 of the Florida Statutes and must provide a copy of their license with the application.
Award funds must be used for one-time-only, non-recurring expenditures such as equipment, special projects, training, renovations, and formalized prevention activities. Awards cannot be used for food and beverage reimbursements.

III. Opportunity Overview

A. Amount Available

Total funding for FY27 is $35,000.00. The Alcohol and Drug Abuse Trust Fund is generated from court fees in accordance with Sections 938.13 and 893.165 of the Florida Statutes.
Grant awards will range from $1,000.00 to $10,000.00 for the project period (October 1, 2026 – September 30, 2027).

B. Project Period Timeframe

October 1st, 2026 – September 30th, 2027.

C. Important Dates and Deadlines

Please note that all meetings and sessions outlined in the timeline below are open to the public. This includes the SAAB Review and Recommendation Meeting and the Board of County Commissioners Recommendation Approval. Attendance is encouraged for those interested in gaining insight into the process and staying informed about key updates.

The submission deadline for all applications is June 17 at 2:00PM (NO EXCEPTIONS). Please allow time for submission and technological challenges, as late applications will not be accepted.

Technical Assistance Contact

Amanda Craft
Human Services Department
Pinellas County
440 Court Street, 2nd Floor Clearwater, FL 33756
(727) 464-8452
acraft@pinellas.gov

When submitting questions please include Alcohol and Drug Abuse Trust Fund in the subject of the email.

IV. Application Overview

1. Online InstructionsOrganizations and agencies may only submit one project proposal. Submission of multiple project applications by a single organization will not be accepted.
2. Budget Narrative: Be aware that the application field will not allow you to copy and paste a table or spreadsheet into the application. Include any additional Budget Narrative to explain the breakdown of how you arrived at that dollar amount.
   1. To accommodate tables and spreadsheets you may submit a detailed budget as an attachment in the Budget section, it does allow you to attach multiple files. This is where you would attach bids and estimates.
   2. The SAAB would prefer if multiple bids /estimates are submitted as support for purchases/ projects if possible. If needing to use a particular vendor, please explain.
3. Be sure to complete all fields and be as thorough as possible.

A. Eligibility

• Applicant organizations must be a 501c3 non-profit provider incorporated in the State of Florida for at least one (1) year prior to required submission deadline. Each applicant organization must be licensed as a substance abuse treatment provider under Chapter 397 of the Florida Statutes and have at least one client-accessible office or service location within Pinellas County. A copy of the current license must be provided with the application.
• The applicant organization shall not discriminate against any applicant for employment or employee with respect to hire, tenure, terms, conditions or privileges of employment or any matter directly or indirectly related to employment or against any client because of age, sex, race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, disability, marital status, or sexual orientation.
• The applicant organization must not discriminate against any person on the basis of age, sex, race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation in admission, treatment, or participation in its programs, services, and activities.
• Programs proposed by faith-based organizations must have a secular purpose, neither advance nor inhibit religion, and must not require worship or religious instruction activities as a condition of participation. Services provided by faith organizations must be available to all Pinellas County residents, not solely for congregation members.
• The applicant organization must agree to the terms and conditions contained in the Pinellas County Human Services Funding Agreement. NO EXCEPTIONS to the terms and conditions of the agreement will be permitted.
• Please Note: Awards cannot be used for food and beverage reimbursements.

B. Fatal Criteria

1. Agency is not licensed as a substance abuse treatment provider under Chapter 397 of the Florida Statutes.
2. Agency has not been incorporated in the State of Florida for a minimum of one (1) year prior to required submission deadline.
3.  Application is late (system will not allow incomplete or late submissions).
4. Agency is not in good standing with Pinellas County at the time of submission. 
   1. Compliance with Active Agreements: The vendor must be in compliance with all current Pinellas County agreements and must not have had any contracts terminated for cause within the past five (5) years. 
      9. Note: Vendors on a Quality Improvement Pathway with Pinellas County Human Services (Performance Improvement Plan (PIP) or Corrective Action Plan (CAP) are not automatically disqualified, however, presence of the Plan must the documented in the application. 
         1. A copy of a Human Services CAP, and applicable status report(s), will be provided to the Review Committee.  
   2. Purchasing Status: The vendor must not appear on the Pinellas County Purchasing Suspended Vendor List. 
   3. Federal Eligibility: The vendor must not be currently debarred or excluded from federal contracting, as listed on the System for Award Management (SAM.gov). 
5.  Agency does not submit a project budget with estimates/bids.
6. Agency does not agree to the standard terms and conditions or reporting requirements.

C. Submission Guidelines

1. Applications will be accepted through an electronic submission process found here.
2. The application system will open on May 20^th, 2026, and will close on June 17^th,2026 at 2:00 pm.
3. Organizations must utilize the online application through the Neighborly System. Please allow ample time for submission and technological challenges, as late applications will not be accepted. For questions regarding your application, please contact: Amanda Craft at acraft@pinellas.gov.
4. The application system will automatically close and late applications will be automatically rejected. Please allow time to reach out for any submission technical issues prior to the deadline.
5. Please note: All materials and supporting documentation included with the application are subject to Florida’s public records law and requirements. Do not include sensitive or potentially identifiable program participant information in this section.

D. Lobbying

1. Lobbying shall be prohibited on all county competitive selection processes and purchasing contract awards pursuant to this division, including, but not limited to, requests for proposals, requests for quotations, requests for qualifications, bids, or the award of purchasing contracts of any type. The purpose of this prohibition is to protect the integrity of the procurement process by shielding it from undue influences prior to the contract award, or the competitive selection process is otherwise concluded. However, nothing herein shall prohibit a prospective bidder/proposer/protestor from contacting the purchasing department or the county attorney’s office to address situations such as clarification and/or pose questions related to the procurement process.
2. Lobbying of evaluation committee members, county government employees, elected/appointed officials, or advisory board members regarding requests for proposals, requests for quotations, requests for qualifications, bids, or purchasing contracts, by the bidder/proposer, any member of the bidder’s/proposer’s staff, any agent or representative of the bidder/proposer, or any person employed by any legal entity affiliated with or representing a bidder/proposer/protestor, is strictly prohibited from the date of the advertisement, or on a date otherwise established by the board, until either an award is final, or the competitive selection process is otherwise concluded. Any lobbying activities in violation of this section by or on behalf of a bidder/proposer shall result in the disqualification or rejection of the proposal, quotation, statement of qualification, bid or contract. 
3. For purposes of this provision, “lobbying” shall mean influencing or attempting to influence action or non-action, and/or attempting to obtain the goodwill of persons specified herein relating to the selection, ranking, or contract award in connection with any request for proposal, request for quotation, request for qualification, bid or purchasing contract through direct or indirect oral or written communication. The final award of a purchasing contract shall be the effective date of the purchasing contract. 
4. Any evaluation committee member, county government employee, elected/appointed official, or advisory board member who has been lobbied shall immediately report the lobbying activity to the director. 
5. Pinellas County Code §2-189. – Lobbying, 2025 

V. Content and Form of Application Submission

A. General Information

Applicants must complete an online application the link will be provided at www.pinellascounty.org/humanservices. If this is the applicants first time using the online application, applicants will be required to set up a free account.

1. Please complete all the fields. Some questions in the application are limited to a character count.
2. Please provide accurate contact information and the full legal name for your organization, as well as any fictitious names (“doing business as, or DBA”). If funded, legal agreements will be executed using this information.
3. Please submit one application as the primary applicant. Agencies can be collaborative partners in other submissions but can only submit one application as the primary. If more than one application is submitted by an agency as the primary applicant, only the most recent submission will be considered for award.
4. Please be sure to include all required attachments and check to ensure attachments have been uploaded properly. Missing or illegible attachments may be grounds for disqualification.

B. Application Sections

1. Is the applicant a non-profit organization licensed as a substance abuse treatment provider under Chapter 397 of the Florida Statutes and have at least one client-accessible office or service location within Pinellas County?
2. Section A: Agency Information: Provide the following details to ensure accurate identification and compliance with established eligibility requirements.
   LEGAL AGENCY INFORMATION (FOR CONTRACT)
   A.1. Organization Name
   A.2. DBA (if applicable)
   A.3. Legal Address
   PROJECT INFORMATION
   A.4. Project Title
   A5. Summary – provide a brief summary of the project and how funding would be utilized (900 character limit)
   A.6. Physical Program Address
   A.7. Program Manager First Name
   A.8. Program Manager Last Name
   A.9. Program Manager Title
   A.10. Program Manager Email
   A.11. Program Manager Phone Number
   A.12. Total Amount Requested
   A.13. Taxpayer/Employer ID
   A.14. Unique Entity Identifier (UEI- Federal SAM.GOV Number) Optional
   A.15. Date of incorporation in Florida
   APPLICATION CONTACT INFORMATION
   A.16. First Name
   A.17. Last Name
   A.18. Contact Person/Title
   A.19. Contact Email
   A.20. Telephone
   A.21. Executive Officer First Name
   A.22. Executive Officer Last Name
   A.23. Executive Officer Title
   A.24. Executive Officer Email
   A.25. Executive Officer Phone Number
   A.26. If your organization is currently on, or has been on within the last year, a performance improvement plan (such as a Corrective Action Plan), initiated by a publicly funded organization, please explain the cause and the result. If not applicable enter N/A. No points will be assessed for this question.
3. Section B: Organizational Profile
   B.1. Describe the mission and purpose of the organization.
4. Section C: Community Needs
   C.1 Clearly identify the problem to be addressed through the program that is requesting project funding. Provide supporting statistics or data specific to Pinellas County such as needs assessments, interviews, waiting lists, surveys, trends and/or analyses. (Describe the program that needs the item, not the item)
5. Section D: Project Description
   D.1. Describe the Project, what problem it is solving, and how it will improve services being provided by the organization.
   D.2. How will funds be used to fix the problem?
6. Section E: Budget
   E.1. Total Project Budget
   E.2. Amount of County Funding Request
   Note: A Project Budget Narrative upload with estimates/bids is required
7. Section F: Required Documents
   Each of the following documents must be submitted at the time of application, except for the E-Verify form, which will be required prior to the release of any awarded funds. If a required document is not applicable or cannot be provided, an explanation must be entered in the designated text field within the application. Failure to upload or explain missing documents may result in disqualification.
   • Proof of incorporation or registration in the State of Florida
   • Proof of 501(c)(3) status
   • W-9 with legal name which matches that of applicant name
   • Current DCF 397 State Licenses or Registrations
   • Human Trafficking Affidavit
   • Foreign Countries of Concern Affidavit
   • E-Verify (Click here to download the E-Verify form) Note: This form is not required at the time of application but must be completed prior to the funding award period if the application is approved.

VI. Review Process

All applicants will be subject to a three-tiered review process.

1. All applicants will be subject to a responsiveness and completeness review by Human Services to ensure applicants have met the minimum required submission guidelines.
2. All applicants who are deemed complete will undergo a fiscal review by Human Services Business Services to ensure applicant agencies and budgets are fiscally sound and appropriate for the proposed project.
3. Applicants meeting the first two requirements and are licensed as a substance abuse treatment provider under Chapter 397 of the Florida Statutes, will then move to the SAAB review committee for scoring.

A. Responsiveness and Completeness Review

Human Services will screen all applications to identify those that do not meet the criteria outlined below:

1. The applicant meets all established eligibility requirements. If applicable, any Quality Improvement Pathways (such as Corrective Action Plans or Performance Improvement Plans) initiated by Pinellas County will be reviewed. The presence of such pathways will be noted in review documents, and a copy will be provided to the SAAB review committee, which may influence scoring.
2. The application is complete and includes the required components (no blank, incorrect, illegible, or missing attachments).
3. The Program Goals and Outcomes Template is complete, includes actual metrics, and is linked to the services proposed in the application.

All applications that meet the submission guidelines above will be submitted for Fiscal Review.

B. Fiscal Review

Human Services will screen all applications for the most recent financial audit, Internal Control Questionnaire, and/or IRS Form 990 to ensure that the agency follows Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and is financially solvent with no significant unresolved audit concerns. This will not result in a disqualification but will be provided to the review committee and may impact scoring.

C. Substance and Alcohol Advisory Board (SAAB) Scoring

1. The Substance and Alcohol Abuse Advisory Board will review all applications and make award recommendations for final approval by the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners.
   1. To preserve the integrity of the procurement process, Human Services’ staff and members of Review Committees shall not respond to requests for information, or communicate with applicants, regarding an applications merits or status outside of the Question & Answer Period.
   2. Inquiries received outside of the Question-and-Answer period shall be held until final approval of the BCC of the award recommendations.   
   3. Inquiries on application merits and/or scoring will be addressed following final approval by the BCC.
2. Please see attached Scoring Matrix here which will be used by reviewers to score applications.
3. All recommended proposals are subject to negotiation and approval of the BCC.

D. Terms and Conditions

1. Attend the SAAB meetings and present written and oral reports as required.
2. Organizations are required to review and agree to contract Terms and Conditions upon submission of an application. NO EXCEPTIONS to the terms and conditions of the agreement will be permitted. The County reserves the right to update these terms and conditions from time to time and as needed to meet the needs of the County.
3. Awards provide for a 12-month funding cycle subject to BCC approval and funding availability.
4. A high score on an application will not necessarily guarantee funding. Other criteria may be utilized to justify funding award decisions.
5. Efforts will be made to ensure awards are made for the entire requested amount. In the event, limited funding remains at the end of deliberations, and another full award cannot be made, a partial award may be made at the discretion of the SAAB, subject to approval by the BCC. Should partial funding be awarded, organizations may be requested to modify their proposed scope to align service levels and outcome expectations with the amount awarded. If the organization cannot adjust to the amount allocated the award may be forfeited. Any misrepresentation and/or failure to carry out the programs as set forth in the contract may result in immediate termination of the Agreement.

E. Anticipated or Projected Resources

Resources which are identified to support the program will remain the responsibility of the applicant. If an agency’s resources are reduced or prove to be unattainable, the County will not be obligated to replace anticipated or projected resources. The applicant’s failure to obtain or otherwise replace such resources to sustain the program may constitute a breach of contract and forfeiture of funding, and may result in, among other things, termination of the Agreement.

F. Utilization of Funding

Organizations are expected to have programs operational within implementation period identified in the proposal and stated in the contract, unless otherwise approved as a time-limited program. Failure to sufficiently spend down awarded funding may result in a forfeiture of a portion of funding unless alternative draw-down arrangements are agreed to by the County in advance.

G. Disclaimer

Pinellas County Government reserves the right to: 1) cancel the application process; 2) accept or reject any or all applications received; 3) waive any non-substantive deficiency or irregularity, waive or remedy any technical or immaterial errors; 4) request any necessary clarifications of proposal data without changing the terms of the proposal; 5) negotiate with any qualified applicant; 6) award a contract in what it believes to be the best interest of the County; 7) cancel the request, in part or its entirety, if it is deemed to be in the best interest of the County; 8) reject the program of any applicant that has previously failed to perform properly; 9) reject the program of any applicant who has failed to complete a contract within the specified timeframe; 10) reject the program of any applicant that is not in a position to fulfill a resulting contractual obligation.

For a PDF copy of the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Trust Fund Instructional Guidelines, click here.