Understanding End-of-Year Federal Funding Notices

Some federal agencies, like the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), may have recently sent out notices to campuses about potential funding shortages for programs like the Garrett Lee Smith (GLS) Campus Suicide Prevention Grant program. This is likely a standard, end-of-fiscal-year situation.

The Federal Funding Process

Federal agencies typically operate on a fiscal year that ends on September 30. Unless Congress passes a new budget or a temporary continuing resolution, these agencies and the programs they administer will run out of money. This is a common occurrence and is often the reason you hear about potential government shutdowns in September. Agencies must prepare for this possibility, which can involve informing grantees that funding isn’t guaranteed past this date.

While this may seem alarming, it’s highly probable that a continuing resolution will be approved by October 1. This would extend the previous year’s funding, ensuring that the GLS Campus program funding remains in place for an additional period.

Future Funding Outlook

Both the House and Senate are working on a new budget for the upcoming fiscal year. The Senate has already proposed a bill that would fund the GLS program at a level similar to the current year ($8.49 million versus $8.5 million). This proposal also includes a provision directing SAMHSA to waive matching fund requirements for minority-serving institutions and community colleges, which would expand access to mental health services.

Historically, the Senate’s proposal is often the one that is more closely followed in the final bill, making it very likely that the GLS program will be funded. Even in the event of a government shutdown, funding is almost always restored once a resolution is reached, at which point the campuses would receive their money.

Questions? Concerns? Please reach out to the ACHA Advocacy Committee at advocacy@acha.org or through our feedback form.