2026 Opioid Settlement Funding Grants

Due to the extensive damage and loss of life caused by the opioid crisis that was brought on by the unethical and over-prescribing of opioid medications, the state of Tennessee will be receiving over $1 billion over 18 years in settlement funds from several large corporations. Lewis County has been allocated a portion of these funds, which will be received in annual payments. The County has established the Lewis County Opioid Fund Administrator to work with the University of Tennessee (UT) Institute for Public Service SMART Initiative Team to oversee the application process and the spending of these funds to ensure they are used to remediate the opioid crisis and save lives. The Administrator will invite community organizations to apply for these funds annually with the main objective of saving lives.

Availability of Funds

The selection process for funding will utilize a competitive process, and the number of awards will be dependent on the amount of funds available for annual allocation. The amount of funds available and dates of application submissions and awards will differ annually. The amount of funds available for the 2026 funding cycle will be ~$33,905, and proposals will be accepted between November 20, 2025 and December 19, 2025.

Up to 20% of the available funds can be held back at the discretion of the Lewis County Administrator each funding cycle for urgent needs that may arise between annual funding periods. If the holdback funds are not allocated prior to the next funding cycle, they will be included in the total amount available for distribution.

Required Documents for Application Submission

Proposals are due by December 19, 2025, and must be submitted to the Lewis County Mayor’s Office by emailing Michaelena Kelley at coo@lewiscountytn.gov with the following required documents:

• Application for funding (with completed budget template, budget narrative, and workplan)

• Current annual operating budget

• State certification, licensure, or accreditation if applicable

• Letters of support from any project partners or collaborators if applicable

For More Information

Please contact Lewis County Government Administrative Director and Opioid Abatement Fund Administrator, Michaelena Kelley at 931.796.3378 Ext 2052 or email coo@lewiscountytn.gov.

Notice of award is expected to occur by January 16, 2026. Following the notice of award, the organizations will be contacted to discuss the contract process and specific metrics that must be reported back to the county. The funding period will be 11 months in duration beginning February 1, 2026, unless an alternative project start date is agreed upon by the awardee and Lewis County Opioid Fund Administrator.