Recycling

The Recycling Partnership Polypropylene Recycling Grant Program

The purpose of the Polypropylene Recycling Grant Program is to facilitate Material Recovery Facility (MRF) processing, sortation and marketing of polypropylene packaging to ensure the widest possible access to polypropylene recycling in community recycling collection programs in the United States. This program focuses on equipment and process investments that establish polypropylene as an automatically MRF-accepted material. Those investments must lead to inclusion of polypropylene as an accepted material in collection programs supplying the MRF, either as a separate grade or as part of a mixed grade of plastics (e.g., a #3 – 7 resin grade). The projects must result in the successful ongoing return of polypropylene to manufacturing use.

Eligible Recipients:

Publicly, privately and non-profit owned and operated MRFs in the United States are eligible for
funding under this grant program. Local recycling collection programs, post-MRF processors of polypropylene or mixed resin grades, or any other parties not directly involved in MRF processing are not eligible for funding.

Eligible Projects:

Grant funding is available for equipment or process investments that establish permanent and
sustainable MRF acceptance and recycling of polypropylene packaging.

Funding Source:
The Recycling Partnership

Funding Amount:
Funding is available through competitive responses to this Request for Proposals under the auspices of the Polypropylene Coalition. Ultimate decisions on proposal funding is subject to allocation of Coalition contributions to grant-making and to the goals and objectives of the Coalition.

Deadline:

Grant applications under this program will be accepted on an ongoing basis, and there is
no due date for proposals.

Contact:
Rich Simon
rsimon@recyclingpartnership.org

More Information:
https://recyclingpartnership.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/The-Recycling-Partnerships-Polypropylene-MRF-Grant-RFP-Final.pdf

Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund

The Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund accepts applications on a rolling basis and provides flexible financing for circular economy infrastructure, technologies and companies that advance the recovery and recycling of plastics in the U.S. and Canada.

Eligible Recipients:

TBA

Eligible Projects:

Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Project must be based in the U.S. or Canada
  • Greenhouse gas emissions reduced/avoided
  • Mass of materials impacted (e.g., diverted from disposal, recovered for recycling, incorporated into new products, etc.)
  • Applicant’s ability to repay (for debt financing)
  • Replicability and scalability of the project or model
  • Amount of increase in access to or participation in recycling
  • Ability for the applicant and/or project to leverage additional sources of capital

Funding Source:
Closed Loop Partners

Funding Amount:
We provide catalytic financing to municipalities, private companies and non-profit organizations. As an impact-first investor, we offer a diverse range of financing alternatives. Our financial product offering includes:

  • Debt-based
    • Bridge loans
    • Secured loans
    • Unsecured loans
    • Revolving credit facilities
    • Asset based loans
    • Venture debt
  • Hybrid
    • Mezzanine debt
  • Equity, as a follow-on to a lead equity investor
  • Average investment period: 3 to 5 years (excluding bridge loans)
  • Minimum investment size: $1 million

Funding Deadline:
Applications accepted on a rolling basis

Contact:
Apply on website

More Information:
https://www.closedlooppartners.com/closed-loop-circular-plastics-fund-apply-for-funding/

Closed Loop Infrastructure Fund

The Closed Loop Infrastructure Fund accepts applications for U.S.-based projects on a rolling basis and provides below-market rate loans to municipalities and companies to improve recycling infrastructure.

Eligible Recipients:

TBA

Eligible Projects:

Applications are evaluated based on the following criteria:

  • Project must be based in the U.S.
  • Greenhouse gas emissions reduced/avoided
  • Materials diversion from disposal
  • Applicant’s ability to repay
  • Replicability and scalability of the project or model
  • Amount of increase in access to or participation in recycling
  • Amount of increase in the recovery and/or reuse of post-consumer commodities (i.e., plastics, paper, glass, or metal)
  • Economic benefit(s) to the community(ies) served by the project or company
  • Ability for the applicant and/or project to leverage additional sources of capital

Funding Source:
Closed Loop Partners

Funding Amount:

  • We provide zero interest loans to municipalities and below market rate loans to private companies.
  • Typical loan size is $3-$5M over a 3-10 year term, with each loan secured by collateral.
  • We invest in best-in-class operators who are leaders in their industry in the United States.

Funding Deadline:
Applications accepted on a rolling basis

Contact:
Apply on website

More Information:
https://www.closedlooppartners.com/funds/apply-for-funding/closed-loop-infrastructure-fund/

The Recycling Partnership Recycling Inclusion Fund

What does a world look like where all people feel like valued members within their communities? How can we as a global, national, and local industry do our part to apply shared experiences, knowledge, and resources to catalyze a sustainable life for everyone?

The Recycling Inclusion Fund directs grant dollars toward investment in recycling infrastructure and education equity, a training and leadership program geared towards communities of color, and research into the challenges that hinder a more equitable circular economy. 

Eligible Recipients:

TBA

Eligible Projects:

  • Research: To identify the state of recycling access and participation, barriers, and needs in BIPOC communities across the U.S.
    • Impact: Improved program efficiency to increase material capture; empowered residents so that they can actively participate in recycling.
  • Access and Education: To reach and empower BIPOC populations with recycling access and education resources that meet their needs.
    • Impact: Expanded range of household populations reached; increased household capture; achievement of equitable access for all.
  • Leadership Training Programs: To create leadership opportunities in the sustainability sector for recent BIPOC college graduates through the “Fellowship Through Partnership” Program, offering experience and training.
    • Impact: Establishment of a diverse talent pipeline with exposure to the full recycling value chain; incorporation of diverse perspectives to deliver strong solutions.

Funding Source:
3M, Arconic Foundation, Coca Cola Foundation, Cox Enterprises, Kroger’s Zero Hunger Zero Waste Foundation, Procter & Gamble, and TAZO 

Funding Amount:
TBA

Funding Deadline:
TBA

Contact:
E-mail Jessica at jlevine@recyclingpartnership.org

More Information:
https://recyclingpartnership.org/new-recycling-inclusion-fund/

KAB UNIFY & BEAUTIFY COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM

Keep America Beautiful®, (KAB) the nation’s leading community improvement nonprofit organization, will soon be announcing the next round of KAB Community Grant Program awards. These grants support communities and our 700-member affiliate network in preventing littering, promoting recycling, and building clean, green, and beautiful neighborhoods.
Through a coalition of corporate sponsors, Keep America Beautiful seeks innovative grant applications for programs that will unify communities as they address their community improvement needs.
Keep America Beautiful encourages applicants to use this grant opportunity to leverage local resources and encourage volunteers to sign up and take action in their community.

Eligible Recipients:
The COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM is designed to support the Keep America Beautiful (KAB) Affiliate network, other nonprofit organizations, and community groups to implement programs or projects designed to build clean, green, and beautiful places for all to thrive and enjoy.

Eligible Projects:

Keep America Beautiful is committed to fostering community diversity, unity, and environmental sustainability. Funding is available independently or collectively to:

  • promote public space recycling collection
  • build strong neighborhoods within and along Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards
  • beautification through tree planting,
  • and prevent littering by addressing cigarette litter and collecting litter from the nation’s waterways.

Funding Amount:
Applicants are encouraged, but not required, to develop a comprehensive PROGRAM approach, rather than project-specific activities by leveraging the funding available through the various grant applications. After completing basic information common to all the applications, applicants will be given the option to apply for one or several of the community improvement grant offerings.

Funding Deadline:
THE KAB COMMUNITY GRANT PROGRAM APPLICATION PERIOD OPENS IN THE FALL.

Contact:

Jason Smith, jsmith@kab.org

More Information:
https://kab.org/grants/

NYSAR3 Green School Grant Program

NYSAR3 established a grant program for public and private K-12 schools for implementation or expansion of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling, and composting programs.

Eligible Recipients:

All public and private, K-12, schools in New York State are eligible to apply for funding. Applicants and programs must:

  • Be a public or private school, Grades K-12, located in New York State
  • Include a goal to increase awareness or minimize waste through waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and/or composting
  • Agree to share program information and data with NYSAR3

Eligible Projects:
The Board strongly encourages all applicants to reach out to their Town/County/Authority Recycling Coordinator (list found on http://www.nysar3.org) for help in developing programs and developing strategic partnerships with local businesses, parent organizations, other institutions, etc. to help maintain waste reduction, reuse and recycling programs at schools. Projects must be centered around the 3R’s (reduce, reuse, recycle) and composting.

Funding Source:
NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse & Recycling (NYSAR3)

Funding Amount:
Up to $1,000 per school.

Deadline:
Awards will be made annually on a competitive basis. This round of 2023 applications has been awarded.

Contact:
NYSAR3
1971 Western Ave, #1180, Albany, NY 12203
nysar3greenschoolsgrants@gmail.com

More Information:
https://www.nysar3.org/page/green-school-grant-program-16.html

NYSDEC Grants for Recycling Coordination & Education Projects

DEC is authorized to provide State assistance for Recycling Coordinator salaries and for public education programs conducted by municipalities. This funding helps expand local recycling programs and increase participation.

Eligible Recipients:
The following entities within New York State are eligible to apply for these grants:

  • Counties, Cities, Towns or Villages
  • Local Public Authorities
  • Local Public Benefit Corporations (organizations established by State Law)
  • School Districts, Supervisory Districts & Improvement Districts
  • Native American Tribes or Nations residing in New York State

Eligible Projects:

Eligible projects for state assistance under this program include planning, educational and promotional activities to increase public awareness of and participation in waste reduction and recycling. Municipalities may request funding toward costs for recycling coordination, publications, education and outreach for recycling and waste reduction.

Funding Source:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Funding Amount:
A project application will be reviewed and may be approved, disapproved or modified by DEC. If acceptable, applications will be approved for state assistance for up to 50 percent of eligible costs, not to exceed two million dollars.

Deadline:
The application acceptance period is: August, September and October of each year.

Contact:

Primary Help Desk:
For assistance with registration, prequalification, applications, contracts, payments, etc.

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Phone: (518) 474-5595

Email: grantsgateway@its.ny.gov

After Hours Support:
For assistance with account lockouts, lost user IDs, or basic information.

Hours: Monday-Friday, 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Phone: (800) 820-1890

Email: helpdesk@agatesoftware.com

Policy/Registration Questions:
Email: grantsreform@budget.ny.gov

More Information:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/105613.html

NYSDEC Grants for Recycling Capital Projects

NYSDEC is authorized to provide State assistance for projects that enhance municipal recycling infrastructure through

  • construction materials recycling facilities
  • construction of composting facilities
  • purchasing of recyclables processing equipment
  • purchasing of recycling containers, and
  • purchasing of new recyclables collection vehicles

Eligible Recipients:

  • Counties, Cities, Towns or Villages
  • Local Public Authorities
  • Local Public Benefit Corporations (organizations established by State Law)
  • School Districts, Supervisory Districts & Improvement Districts
  • Native American Tribes or Nations residing in New York State

Funding Source:
NYS Department of Environmental Conservation

Funding Amount:
Funding is provided on a 50% reimbursement rate for eligible costs.

Deadline:
Proposals for projects are accepted on an ongoing first-come-first-served basis. The current Grant Opportunity is open from July 1, 2021 – May 1, 2025.

Contact:

Grants Gateway Help Desk
Primary Help Desk:
For assistance with registration, prequalification, applications, contracts, payments, etc.

Hours: Monday-Friday, 8:00 am – 4:00 pm

Phone: (518) 474-5595

Email: grantsgateway@its.ny.gov

After Hours Support:
For assistance with account lockouts, lost user IDs, or basic information.

Hours: Monday-Friday, 4:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Phone: (800) 820-1890

Email: helpdesk@agatesoftware.com

Policy/Registration Questions:
Email: grantsreform@budget.ny.gov

More Information:
https://www.dec.ny.gov/chemical/4776.html

EPA Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) Grant Program

The EPA is seeking applications proposing projects that inform the public about new or existing residential or community recycling programs; provide information about the recycled materials that are accepted as part of a residential or community recycling program that provides for the separate collection of residential solid waste from recycled material; and increases collection rates and decreases contamination in residential and community recycling programs. Projects will improve consumer recycling education with the goal of achieving separate collection of recycled material across the nation, maximizing the efficient reuse of materials, and identifying strategies that otherwise result in an increase in volume of recyclable materials. The EPA also recognizes and encourages applications that demonstrate evidence-based messaging and strategies associated with effective communication campaigns designed to increase prevention, reuse, repair, remanufacture, recycling, anaerobic digestion, and composting in communities and/or decrease contamination in the recycling stream. This approach to community-informed messaging goes beyond education only by emphasizing researching the audience, building trust, and reducing audience barriers while emphasizing benefits for desired action.

Eligible Recipients:

An entity that is eligible to receive a grant under the grant program is—

  • a U.S. State, including the District of Columbia;
  • Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands, and any agency or instrumentality thereof exclusive of local governments
  • a unit of local government as defined in the Local government provision of 2 CFR 200.1;
  • an Indian Tribe (as defined in section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304));
  • a Native Hawaiian organization (as defined in section 6207 of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 7517));
  • the Department of Hawaiian Home Lands;
  • the Office of Hawaiian Affairs;
  • a nonprofit organization; or
  • a public-private partnership.

Eligible Projects:

Goal 1: Tackle the Climate Crisis;

  • Objective 1.1: Reduce Emissions that Cause Climate Change
  • Objective 1.3: Advance International and Subnational Climate Efforts

Goal 2: Take Decisive Action to Advance Environmental Justice and Civil Rights;

  • Objective 2.1: Promote Environmental Justice and Civil Rights at the Federal, Tribal, State, and Local Levels
  • Objective 2.2: Embed Environmental Justice and Civil Rights into EPA’s Programs, Policies, and Activities

Goal 6: Safeguard and Revitalize Communities

  • Objective 6.1: Clean Up and Restore Land for Productive Uses and Healthy Communities
  • Objective 6.2: Reduce Waste and Prevent Environmental Contamination

Funding Source:

EPA

Funding Amount:

It is anticipated that approximately $30,000,000 will be awarded under this announcement, depending on the availability of funds, quantity and quality of applications received, and other applicable considerations.

Funding Deadline:

Application packages must be submitted electronically to the EPA through Grants.gov (www.grants.gov) no later than February 15, 2023, at 11:59 p.m. (EST) in order to be considered for funding.

Contact:

Jessica Oursler
U.S. EPA, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery (MC 5306P)
1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW,
Washington, DC

RecyclingEd@epa.gov

More Information: https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=344491

EPA State and Territories Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants

The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law provides $275,000,000 total from Fiscal Year 2022 to Fiscal Year 2026 for grants authorized under the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act. EPA will make available $30,000,000 in Fiscal Year 2023 for states and territories to improve post-consumer materials management programs through planning, data collection, and the implementation of plans.

Eligible Recipients:

The entities eligible to apply for this funding opportunity are:

  • U.S. States, including Washington, D.C.
  • U.S. Territories (Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands).

Eligible Projects:

Funding can be used for three categories of activities:

  • Develop or update plans to advance post-consumer materials management. Plans can be for Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 256 solid waste management plans or other planning documents (e.g., circular economy plans).
  • Develop, strengthen, and/or implement comprehensive data collection efforts that demonstrate progress toward the National Recycling Goal and Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal. Data collection and measurement efforts should be designed to improve the state’s ability to track progress towards national and state recycling and/or circular economy goals. Data collection efforts could include state-wide or other targeted waste characterization studies.
  • Support the state-led implementation of plans to advance post-consumer materials management.

Funding Source:

EPA

Funding Amount:

EPA anticipates awarding up a total of $30,000,000 in fiscal year 2023.

Funding Deadline:

Participating states and territories have submitted a Notice of Intent to Participate (NOIP) to the EPA. EPA released the program guidance in grants.gov (pdf) (440 K) on December 15, 2022.

The first draft of workplans are due to the EPA by February 3, 2023.

Contact:

Dale Carpenter Carpenter.Dale@epa.gov

More Information: https://www.epa.gov/rcra/grants-states-and-territories