Source Reduction

EPA Region 2 Sustainable Materials Management Grants

This notice announces the availability of funds and solicits applications that support the EPA Sustainable Materials Management Program, for the benefit of States or communities within EPA Region 2 (New York, New Jersey, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands and eight Indian Nations). Sustainable Materials Management (SMM) is a systemic approach to using and reusing materials more productively over their entire life cycles. It represents a change in how our society thinks about the use of natural resources and environmental protection. By looking at a product’s entire life cycle, we can find new opportunities to reduce environmental impacts, conserve resources and reduce costs. Specifically, this RFA addresses the following programmatic priorities: Sustainable Management of Food, and Sustainable Packaging.

Eligible Recipients:
Consistent with CFDA No. 66.808, the following entities are eligible to compete under this solicitation: States, local, Tribal, interstate, and intrastate government agencies and instrumentalities, and non-profit organizations that are not 501(c)(4) organizations that lobby, including non-profit educational institutions and non-profit hospitals. Individuals and for-profit organizations are not eligible.

Eligible Projects:

  1. Sustainable Food Management (SFM) – SFM focusses on reducing food loss and waste and diverting food from the landfill according to EPA’s Food Waste Reduction Hierarchy, found at: https://www.epa.gov/sustainable-management-food/food-recovery- hierarchy. Source Reduction, otherwise known as waste prevention, is at the top of the hierarchy, followed by donation, industrial applications, and composting. This solicitation is open to projects focusing on source reduction strategies; i.e., this RFA solicits applications focused on preventing waste before it is generated. Even after source reduction strategies are applied, there is nearly always some unavoidable food waste. Including food donation and composting as project components to deal with this unavoidable remainder is acceptable, so long as source reduction is the primary focus of the project.
  2. Sustainable Packaging – Together, food and packaging/containers account for almost 45% of the materials landfilled in the United States. Common trash from consumer goods comprises the majority of what eventually becomes marine debris, polluting waterways and oceans. Plastics in the aquatic environment are of great concern because of their persistence and effects on the environment, wildlife, and human health. Sustainable packaging projects should focus on developing methods to reduce packaging waste and thereby decrease the quantity of materials directed toward the landfill. Simply increasing recycling rates of packaging waste is not an acceptable focus for this RFA. Fundable projects should strive to create lasting change in the community.

Funding Source:
United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Funding Amount:
The total estimated funding expected to be available for all awards in this competitive opportunity is $200,000. EPA expects to make between 1-3 awards depending upon the quality of applications submitted.

Application Deadline:
The closing date and time for the receipt of applications is September 15, 2023, by 11:59 pm, Eastern Time (ET) in order to be considered for funding. Application packages must be submitted electronically to Grants.gov on or before this date and time in order to be considered for funding.

Contact:
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2
Attn: Dale Carpenter
290 Broadway, 22nd floor
New York, NY 10007-1866
(212) 637-4110
Carpenter.Dale@epa.gov

More Information:
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=349550

EPA Source Reduction Assistance (SRA) Grant Program

EPA funds Source Reduction Assistance (SRA) grants to support research, investigation, experiments, surveys, study, demonstration, education and training using source reduction approaches (also known as P2 or pollution prevention).

EPA is particularly interested in projects that promote practical source reduction practices, tools, and training on P2 approaches to measurably improve human and environmental health by reducing the use of hazardous substances, reducing toxic pollutants, reducing resource use (e.g., water and energy) and reducing expenditures and liability costs to businesses, non-profit organizations and/or communities.

Eligible Recipients:

States, local, interstate, and intrastate government agencies and instrumentalities, federally recognized tribes, inter-tribal consortia and non-profit organizations formed under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (not 501(c)(4) organizations that lobby).

Eligible Projects:
Suggested project types include but are not limited to: prevention of greenhouse gas emissions; hazardous materials source reduction; innovative approaches to conservation of materials and resources; and environmental justice through P2 actions.

Funding Source:
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Funding Amount:
$1,135,000 in federal funds awards ranging from $40,000 to $250,000.

Funding Deadline:
Offered every two years

Contact:
For general information, please contact Christina Bitten, Phone: 404-562-8569, Email: bitten.christina@epa.gov

More Information:
https://www.epa.gov/p2/source-reduction-assistance-grants

Source Reduction Assistance in Communities Grants (EPA Region 2)

EPA Region 2 is announcing a grant competition to fund “Source Reduction Assistance in Communities” assistance agreements that support research, investigation, study, demonstration, outreach, education, and training using source reduction approaches (also known as “pollution prevention” and herein referred to as “P2”). P2 means reducing or eliminating pollutants from entering any waste stream or otherwise released into the environment prior to recycling, treatment, or disposal.

Eligible Recipients:

Eligible applicants include States, the commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, any territory or possession of the United States, local governments, city or township governments, independent school district governments, state controlled institutions of higher education, non-profit organizations, (other than institutions of higher education) private institutions of higher education, community-based grass roots organizations, and federally-recognized tribes and intertribal consortia.

Eligible Projects:

EPA is particularly interested in receiving applications that offer hands-on practical P2 tools, information and/or innovative P2 approaches to measurably improve public health and the surrounding environment, by reducing the use of hazardous substances, reducing toxic pollutants, supporting efficiencies in reducing resource use (e.g., water and energy), and reducing business expenditures and liability costs.

Funding Source:
EPA

Funding Amount:
Based on the Congressional appropriation received in Fiscal Year (FY) 2022 and anticipated in FY 2023 for the P2 Program, EPA Region 2 plans to award a total of approximately $228,000 in grant funding.

Funding Deadline:
To be considered for funding, applications must be received no later than the date and time of the submission deadline of Monday, November 14, 2022, by 11:59 PM, Eastern Time (ET). Applicants must apply electronically through Grants.gov.

Contact:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 2
Attn: Dale Carpenter
290 Broadway, 25th floor
New York, NY 10007-1866
(212) 637-4110

carpenter.dale@epa.gov

More Information:
https://www.grants.gov/web/grants/view-opportunity.html?oppId=343571