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Opioid Abatement Authority staff outline application deadlines, portal fixes and funding guidance
Summary
At a virtual Q&A, Opioid Abatement Authority staff reviewed new and renewal application deadlines, explained how to report portal errors, clarified that opioid funds must focus on opioids (while allowing co‑occurring disorder treatment under the Code of Virginia), and said roughly $15–$16 million is available statewide for competitive awards.
Charlie Lcom, director of operations for the Opioid Abatement Authority, opened a final scheduled Q&A and technical‑support webinar for city and county applicants and reviewed upcoming submission dates and post‑award procedures.
Lcom said new FY27 applications must be submitted through the grants portal by 11:59 p.m. on March 16 and renewal applications are due April 1, 2026, by 11:59 p.m. He noted that direct distribution reports are required for each locality participating in a grant and can be submitted either as part of an individual application or as a standalone report; staff posted a revised direct distribution template and guidance intended to make reporting easier.
The webinar showed a portal error that can appear when applicants resume an application from the dashboard. Staff asked applicants who encounter the problem to email the OA support inbox with the application number so the issue can be tracked. A staff speaker said the Authority has instructed the portal vendor to prioritize the problem.
Staff also warned applicants that some project narrative responses have intermittently failed to save and requested that anyone who sees that behavior report the application number and the specific question so staff can correct it.
On program eligibility, staff told Prince William County representatives that awards must be directed toward opioid‑related work but that Code of Virginia language allows funding for co‑occurring substance use disorders and mental‑health conditions when they are connected to opioid prevention or treatment. "If they have an opioid use disorder, then that's what you're treating," Lcom said, and added that treating co‑occurring disorders can be part of preventing opioid use disorder. Staff offered to review draft applications in advance.
Carly, a staff member answering a portal‑related question, said direct distribution reports for fiscal agents and cooperative partners are due by 11:59 p.m. on April 16 via the grants portal; applicants do not need to file a separate standalone report if an attached report within an application is up to date.
When asked about carryforward of unspent FY26 funds, staff told a participant that a renewal application is required to carry funds forward and that the grants committee has authorized projects to run through June 30 of the current performance year; final reconciliations will occur through the annual report process.
On project size and budget, staff said there is no statutory per‑project cap but that individual distributions are limited to amounts available at the time of application shown in the lookup tool. Staff estimated roughly $15–$16 million is available statewide for competitive funds and said some unrestricted funds may be recommended for short‑term projects; they encouraged applicants with very large capital requests to consult staff or local liaisons about multi‑year or phased approaches.
The webinar closed with reminders that applicants who cannot submit because of portal errors will not be penalized, that staff will work with jurisdictions to adjust deadlines if issues are widespread, and that applicants should use local government liaisons or OA staff for help. Lcom also noted upcoming grants‑committee meetings in May to review recommendations.
