Otter Tail County opens opioid prevention grant applications

Otter Tail County opened a second round of opioid settlement grant applications June 1, putting prevention dollars from pharmaceutical settlements into the hands of local organizations. This round is focused on projects that prevent opioid use in a rural county where counseling, recovery support and other services can be harder to reach than in larger cities.

The money is not part of the general tax levy. It comes from the national legal settlements tied to the opioid epidemic, including the 2021 agreement Minnesota joined with pharmaceutical distributors and opioid manufacturers. Minnesota counties and cities are expected to receive more than $300 million from those settlements, and Otter Tail County places its opioid funds within its Health and Wellbeing and Community Health work.

Otter Tail County expected a total of $3.1 million over 18 years, with the first round of awards capped at $400,000. Under that earlier structure, organizations could seek up to $50,000 per year for two years. The second round continues that competitive grant model.

The county is inviting nonprofits, public agencies, health care providers, schools and community groups to apply for prevention projects. These projects can include education, outreach, youth programming and other strategies designed to keep opioid use from taking root in the first place. The 2026 request-for-applications guidelines require applicants to identify specific project-related outcomes tied to the Opioid Settlement Fund goals.

The Otter Tail County Opioid Settlement Advisory Council's vision is improving quality of life and promoting health and safety in Otter Tail County. Its mission is to share resources and support health prevention strategies for opioid and other substance misuse through community collaboration.