HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) has announced that it is now accepting applications for its alcohol education grants. The PLCB’s initiative aims to fund programs that discourage underage drinking, promote responsible alcohol consumption among those of legal drinking age, and reduce the incidence of dangerous drinking behaviors.
The call for grant applications, which opened last week, is open to a wide range of potential beneficiaries. Eligible applicants include Pennsylvania school districts, institutions of higher learning, community organizations, municipal police departments, municipal officials or representatives, and both nonprofit and for-profit organizations. The grant application process is competitive, with each eligible applicant able to receive a maximum award of $25,000 per year and a cumulative award not exceeding $50,000 per two-year grant cycle.
The current grant cycle will run from July 2024 through June 2026. The deadline for applications is 5 p.m. on Friday, March 15. Interested applicants can find the application link and submission guidelines on the grants page of the PLCB website. All submitted applications will be evaluated by the PLCB’s Bureau of Alcohol Education, with awards being subject to the availability of funds.
Since the inception of the grant program in 1999, the PLCB has awarded $21.1 million in alcohol education grants. Funded initiatives have ranged from increased underage police patrols and enhanced law enforcement initiatives to MADD’s Power of Parents campaigns, college alcohol assessment surveys, and peer education and training programs. However, each organization, school, municipality, or institution of higher education is limited to one grant application.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, excessive drinking is responsible for more than 4,300 deaths among underage youth each year. Moreover, alcohol is the most commonly used and abused drug among youth in the U.S., more than tobacco and illicit drugs, and teenagers drink more than 90% of their alcohol in the form of binge drinks.
Through these grants, organizations across the state will have the resources they need to implement effective, innovative programs that can make a significant impact in their communities.
For the latest news on everything happening in Chester County and the surrounding area, be sure to follow MyChesCo on Google News and MSN.