Through the SEA Fund, the city envisions that the Boulder is a place where youth and community members are equipped with the knowledge, support, and resources they need to strengthen wellbeing and avoid substance related harm. The city works collaboratively with grantees to strengthen the local prevention system through outreach, coordination, collaboration, and evaluation of progress toward these strategic outcomes:
- Prevent and reduce youth misuse of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco/nicotine or other drugs.
- Shift in community perceptions of risk associated with substance misuse, including the impact of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco/nicotine or other drugs on youth
SEA Fund Applications Now Open
Applications for the 2027-2028 Substance Education and Awareness Fund are now open.
The Request for Proposals (RFP) seeks applications from qualified entities to address the SEA Fund outcomes; prevent and reduce youth misuse of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco/nicotine or other drugs and shift in community perceptions of risk associated with substance misuse, including the impact of alcohol, cannabis, tobacco/nicotine or other drugs on youth.
The RFP is for program services for City of Boulder residents performed from Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2027, with the opportunity for renewal for a second year of funding Jan. 1 through Dec. 31, 2028.
Background
The City of Boulder, in collaboration with Boulder County Community Services, has since 2017 supported substance use prevention programming to benefit city youth and other community members. Funding for SEA program grants comes from a portion of annual revenue from the city’s Recreational Marijuana and Electronic Smoking Device taxes.
The SEA Fund offers grants to non-profit agencies to meaningfully incorporate, expand and elevate program work in substance use and abuse prevention; develop skills in program management, data collection and evaluation; apply health equity principles and practices; increase youth-based and youth-led strategies; and leverage partnerships for greater community wide impacts. In addition to grant funding, SEA Fund partners have opportunities for professional development that will increase expertise in implementation science, prevention competency and program sustainability.
In a five-year grant cycle from 2022 – 2026, the city awarded approximately $488,886 per year to 14 community-based substance misuse prevention programs. SEA Fund provided seed funding for the Institute for Strengthening Families, a website with English and Spanish resources on substance use prevention, for youth and their parents and guardians. It also built capacity for substance use prevention and peer support, by fully subsidizing the costs of training and certification for two state processes: Certified Prevention Specialist II; and Peer and Family Support Specialist.
In 2025, SEA Fund investment evaluation data showed that youth who participated in programs receiving SEA Fund grants experience benefits that can reduce the risks of substance use and abuse. For example, 84% of youth said that they have a trusted adult in their life, 78% of youth perceived great or moderate risk for using nicotine, 73% for marijuana and 71% for alcohol.
