Hutchinson

Reno County opens 2027 opioid settlement grant applications; proposals due Nov. 25

Community groups without 501(c)(3) status can apply through a fiscal sponsor

Rica Simpson, Cronkite

29 Oct 2026 • 2 min read

A Reno County car sits in a parking lot in Hutchinson, Kan. on Aug. 30, 2026. (Matthew Petillo/Citizen Journal)

Reno County nonprofits, government units and community groups have until 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 25, to seek 2027 opioid settlement money for substance-use prevention, treatment and recovery programs through the Reno County/Hutchinson Fights Addiction Fund. The county announced Monday, Oct. 26, that the Opioid Settlement Funds Advisory Oversight Committee is accepting proposals, giving applicants about four weeks.

The announcement encourages innovative projects and evidence-based programs.

Three kinds of applicants qualify:

organizations with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status that serve Reno County
special purpose units of government proposing innovative projects
community groups without 501(c)(3) status that partner with a fiscal sponsor, meaning a qualifying tax-exempt organization

The county will not consider applications from individuals or from organizations that do not meet those requirements. Applicants must also conduct business without discrimination based on race, gender, marital status, sexual orientation, age, disability, religion, creed or ethnicity.

The fund distributes money from national opioid settlements. According to prior local news coverage, Reno County and the City of Hutchinson have already awarded more than $600,000 from those settlements to address substance use.

The Reno County Health Department convenes the committee, which reviews applications and has funded local prevention, treatment and recovery programs in previous years. The announcement does not say how much money is available for 2027.

After the review, finalists may be asked to sit for in-person interviews, and selected organizations must sign grant documents before funds are awarded. Questions about the application process go to Candace Davidson at 620-259-8463.

This article was written using our proprietary AI system, Cronkite. The final decision to publish this article was made by a human. For more info, read our AI policy.

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