Durham County Youth Services Grant Program — FY2026–2027 is a competitive grant opportunity from Durham County Government, North Carolina, to support programs benefiting young people aged 4–24. The County’s controlling 17-page Request for Proposals (RFP), dated October 16, 2026, and its official October 21 announcement confirm the application deadline: Monday, November 16, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. Submit electronically through the County’s specified JotForm grant application; late or other-method submissions are ineligible.
Individual grant awards: from $40,000 to $50,000 per successful applicant. The County has allocated $500,000 total to the program and anticipates approximately 10–12 awards, subject to review and approval. The $500,000 figure is a countywide funding pool, not an individual award. Selected grantees may receive a lower amount than requested and be asked to revise their scope/budget. Grants fund 12 months of project activity, with tentative performance dates February 2027–January 2028, and the RFP states there will be no continuation funding.
Eligible applicants: organizations with an active IRS 501(c)(3) nonprofit status, or community groups applying through a 501(c)(3) fiscal sponsor that will receive, administer and oversee the award. Projects must take place in, and directly benefit, Durham County, North Carolina. An application must focus on youth ages 4–24. Government agencies, school districts, universities, businesses and individuals cannot apply as the prime grantee under this RFP, although eligible nonprofits may collaborate with partners; one nonprofit sponsor must handle financial oversight. Fiscal sponsors may make supervised authorized subgrants.
Three eligible program areas under this single competitive RFP: (1) Youth social-emotional and mental health services, including trauma-informed supports, adverse childhood experience prevention/response, substance-abuse-related supports, domestic-violence survivor supports, and suicide prevention; (2) Youth enrichment and recreation, including afterschool/summer activities, arts and sports that increase access; and (3) Youth academic supports, including tutoring, STEM, academic enrichment and skill development. Applicants select a primary category for review even if the project spans categories; a multicategory proposal does not earn extra scoring credit. These are categories under one county solicitation, not three separate application cycles.
Budget and restrictions: eligible, reasonable, well-documented activities can include direct personnel/fringe, necessary technology, materials, program-contractual services/subawards, and justified participant support such as transportation. Overhead spending may not exceed 15% of the award as the RFP defines it; facility expenditures exceeding the overhead limit require separate specific justification and county review. The RFP does not set a fixed personnel-percentage cap, but reviewers consider personnel-heavy budgets for sustainability. Salary increases need new/increased responsibilities and written justification. Corporate debt and mortgage payments, contingencies, donations/contributions, entertainment, fines/penalties, financial interest and legislative expenses are prohibited. Programs must be secular and comply with nondiscrimination and conflict-of-interest rules. The RFP does not state a required cash-matching percentage.
Payment and oversight: Durham County conducts a post-selection risk assessment and determines whether payments are advances or reimbursements, along with any special conditions. Awardees need appropriate insurance, project performance measures, compliance records and periodic financial/program reporting. Grant recipients must retain relevant records for three full years after the performance period. Failure to satisfy monitoring or reporting obligations may result in delayed disbursement, grant termination or repayment.
Application content: provide the organization’s legal identity, contact and eligibility certification, latest Form 990 or IRS 501(c)(3) letter if exempt from Form 990 filing; select the program category; describe community need, proposed activities, youth reach, research/evidence basis, partnerships and youth engagement; demonstrate relevant experience, project readiness, anticipated outcomes and performance metrics; and complete the County’s standardized budget and justification plus sustainability narrative. County review weights project design, youth engagement, feasibility, budget and measurement. RFP questions are due November 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time, with optional virtual information sessions November 4 and 5.
Official sources reviewed October 24, 2026: Durham County 17-page controlling Youth Services Grant RFP, County Grants Administration and application information, and official October 21 launch announcement. Applications must be filed through the official JotForm by November 16, 2026, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time. This is applicant financial assistance, not vendor procurement, and is not Rural Health Transformation Program funding.