The application deadline was July 30, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. The city’s grant portal lists Sept. 10, 2026, as the expected date for announcing award decisions, although the schedule could change.

What happens next

No new applications can be submitted for this cohort. The city’s OSF Review Committee will score applications using criteria that include program design, measurable outcomes, organizational capacity, partnerships, mission alignment and budget alignment. The city also reserves the right to reject applications or adjust award amounts based on funding availability.

The $500,000 is an available grant pool, not a final distribution. The city has not announced the recipients, individual award amounts or the specific activities that will be funded in this cohort.

Applicants could request up to $50,000 per application per cycle, with a maximum of $100,000 per organization per year. Eligible work includes evidence-based prevention, treatment, recovery and harm-reduction programs serving Fort Wayne residents. The eligibility requirements describe what may be considered; they do not mean every submitted proposal has been approved or that every applicant will receive funding.

How this round differs from earlier awards

The pending $500,000 cohort is separate from earlier 2026 opioid settlement awards. The city reported $471,761 in awards to 12 organizations in March.

Fort Wayne also distributed $40,000 through a separate mini-grant program for four local groups. Those four $10,000 mini-grants are not part of the new $500,000 application pool.

The city says $1.473 million has already been distributed under Mayor Sharon Tucker’s administration. That figure refers to prior distributions and should not be treated as the amount awarded in the pending cohort.

What residents can watch for

The next concrete public milestone is the city’s expected Sept. 10 announcement. Residents evaluating the program should look for the final recipient list, award amounts and descriptions of the funded work.

The grant portal says funded organizations must submit monthly financial reports and quarterly program reports, including the number of people served, outcomes achieved and program narratives. Those records, along with the award announcement, will provide the clearest way to track how settlement funds are being used.

Fort Wayne’s grant portal also says applications become public records under Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act. The availability and timing of individual application materials will depend on the applicable records process; the city has not said that every application will be immediately posted.

Sources

• Fort Wayne National Opioid Settlement Grants portal
• Fort Wayne mayor’s announcement of the third grant cohort
• WPTA/21Alive report on the Fort Wayne grant cycle

Juniper Tree opened its Owingsville recovery facility in February 2026. CEO Jeff Caudill told WKYT that settlement support could help pay for transportation, employee salaries and assistance for people preparing to live outside treatment. The report did not identify an approved award to Juniper Tree.

How Owingsville has used the money

Owingsville leaders told WKYT that the city had spent part of its allocation on the Thrive 51 recovery group, an anonymous tip line for people dealing with opioid abuse and improved police radios. The city also planned to use part of the funding to staff an opioid-prevention officer.

Those uses are not all at the same stage. The support for Thrive 51, the tip line and police radios was described as spending that had occurred. The opioid-prevention officer was described as a planned use rather than completed spending.

Applying the reported 30% figure to the $150,000 allocation produces an approximate calculation of $45,000 used and $105,000 remaining. That is not an audited balance and may not reflect later receipts, expenditures or reporting adjustments. Residents can use the Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission spending dashboard to review public reporting as it becomes available.

What Juniper Tree is requesting

Juniper Tree Recovery lists its outpatient recovery center at 199 Williams Ave. in Owingsville. Caudill said funding could help with transportation, employee salaries and efforts to help people prepare for life after treatment.

WKYT reported that the facility is primarily supported through Medicaid and Medicare reimbursements. Caudill said reimbursement limits and expected changes to Medicaid funding could make opioid-settlement money important to the facility’s operations.

Who decides whether funding is available

The immediate question is whether an authorized local government will determine that Juniper Tree’s request fits the rules for opioid-remediation spending and approve an award. Juniper Tree planned to meet with local leaders to determine whether it qualifies.

WKYT also reported that the facility serves people from across the region, not only Owingsville residents. That raises separate questions about whether other counties’ settlement funds could be involved. The report did not identify a formal award or approval for Juniper Tree.

The Kentucky Association of Counties says settlement spending must comply with approved opioid-remediation uses under state law and the national settlement agreement. Those uses include care, treatment and other programs designed to address opioid misuse, opioid-related disorders or effects of the opioid epidemic.

For Owingsville residents, the accountability questions are how much of the city’s allocation has actually been spent and whether officials approve any eligible request for the remaining funds. The state dashboard and future city records should provide the clearest updates on spending, balances and any action involving Juniper Tree.

Sources

• WKYT report on Owingsville's opioid-settlement spending and Juniper Tree's request
• Kentucky Opioid Abatement Advisory Commission spending dashboard
• Kentucky Association of Counties opioid-settlement guidance
• Juniper Tree Recovery Owingsville facility page