Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) Grant Program

Short title: STOP Act

What is the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act (STOP Act) Grant Program?

Underage drinking is one of our nation’s most significant public health concerns. It has been associated with negative consequences for youth, including impaired brain function, decreased academic performance, injury, an increased risk of developing an alcohol use disorder later in life, and alcohol-related death. Alcohol remains the most widely used substance among America’s youth, with a higher proportion of young people consuming alcohol than tobacco or other drugs. (Report to Congress on the Prevention and Reduction of Underage Drinking, 2023)

This public health challenge prompted Congress in 2006 to enact the STOP Act, establishing the Programs to Reduce Underage Drinking grant program (also known as STOP Act Grant Program) along with SAMHSA’s national media campaign, “Talk. They Hear You.”

STOP Act grantees establish and implement community-driven plans to reduce underage drinking by:

• Addressing norms regarding alcohol use among youth.
  Example: STOP Act grantees are changing the perceived norms around and social acceptability of alcohol by reducing marketing of alcohol and discouraging youth’s access to alcohol.
• Reducing opportunities for underage drinking.
  Example: Leading interventions to decrease alcohol availability by regulating alcohol outlet density, maintaining the legal purchase age of 21, and limiting the hours and days that establishments can sell alcohol.
• Creating change in underage drinking enforcement efforts.
  Example: Strengthening restrictions and regulations on alcohol use in public places and at community events. This can also include increasing compliance checks at retail establishments to ensure they follow the law and don’t sell alcohol to minors.
• Addressing penalties for underage use.
  Example: Localities passing ordinances limiting what alcohol products retailers can sell and where and when they can sell them, checking that retailers have the correct license or permit to sell alcohol products, and ensuring retailers maintain consistent enforcement of the new local ordinance.
• Reducing negative consequences associated with underage drinking.
  Example: Implementing measures that lead to reductions in local alcohol-related violence and crime, sexually transmitted infections, motor vehicle crashes and fatalities, and sexual assaults.

Who does STOP Act grants serve?

Youth, young adults, families, and communities.

Who is eligible to apply for STOP Act grants?

Eligible applicants are domestic public and private nonprofit entities that are current or former Drug Free Community (PDF | 231 KB) recipients, which include:

• Federally recognized American Indian/Alaska Native tribes, tribal organizations, urban Indian organizations, and consortia of tribes or tribal organizations.
• Public or private universities and colleges.
• Community- and faith-based organizations.
• Government agencies.

Program Highlights

• To date, the total number of individuals reached (i.e., the number of people exposed to the message or campaign) is 15,149,847 across the country.
• To date, the total number of individuals served (i.e., the number of people directly impacted by this Grant program) is 744,549 nationwide.
• This grant program has contributed to the continued Downward Trend (PDF | 2.3 MB) in Past-Year Alcohol Use for 8th, 10th, and 12th Grade Students from 2004-2023 nationwide.

A map of the United States and territories with the title, “Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act - STOP Act Grant Program” A detailed description of the image is available (PDF | 52 KB)

How can I apply?

• Read FY 2025 notice of funding opportunity for the Sober Truth on Preventing Underage Drinking Act Grants.
• Want to know when this and other SAMHSA funding opportunities will be releases in 2025? View the Fiscal Year 2025 Funding Opportunity Forecast and Subscribe to Grant Funding Announcement Emails.

Related Resources

• The Consequences of Underage Drinking
• Answering Your Child's Tough Questions
• School & Educator Resources
• Talk. They Hear You. Student Assistance Resources Guide
• Talk. They Hear You: What Educators Can Do to Help Prevent Underage Drinking and Other Drug Use Fact Sheet
• Interagency Coordinating Committee on the Prevention on Underage Drinking
• Turning Data into Action: A User’s Guide to the Report to Congress on the Prevention and Reduction of Underage Drinking