Sustainable Materials Management

Walmart Local Community Grants

Our local community grants are awarded through an open application process and provide funding directly from Walmart and Sam’s Club facilities to local organizations in the U.S.

Eligible Recipients:

Organizations applying must meet one of following criteria:

  • An organization holding a current tax-exempt status as a public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, listed on the IRS Master File and conducting activities within the United States, classified as a public charity under Section 509(a)(1), (2) or (3) (Types I or II); and CyberGrants FrontDoor verified.
  • A recognized government entity: state, county or city agency, including law enforcement or fire departments, that are requesting funds exclusively for public purposes and CyberGrants FrontDoor verified.
  • A K-12 public or nonprofit private school, charter school, community/junior college, state/private college or university; or a church or other faith-based organization with a proposed project that benefits the community at large, such as food pantries, soup kitchens and clothing closets and CyberGrants FrontDoor verified.
  • NOTE: Non-charities, including organizations recognized as 501(c)(4)s, (c)(6)s, and (c)(19)s
    like homeowner’s associations, civic leagues, or volunteer fire companies, are not eligible at this time.

Eligible Projects:

There are eight (8) areas of funding for which an organization can apply. Please review the areas listed below to ensure your organization’s goals fall within one of these areas.

  • Community and Economic Development: Improving local communities for the benefit of low-income individuals and families in the local service area
  • Diversity and Inclusion: Fostering the building of relationships and understanding among diverse groups in the local service area
  • Education: Providing afterschool enrichment, tutoring or vocational training for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
  • Environmental Sustainability: Preventing waste, increasing recycling, or supporting other programs that work to improve the environment in the local service area
  • Health and Human Service: Providing medical screening, treatment, social services, or shelters for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
  • Hunger Relief and Healthy Eating: Providing Federal or charitable meals/snacks for low-income individuals and families in the local service area
  • Public Safety: Supporting public safety programs through training programs or equipment in the local service area
  • Quality of Life: Improving access to recreation, arts or cultural experiences for low-income individuals and families in the local service area

Funding Source:
The Walmart Foundation, Inc.

Funding Amount:
Local Community grants range from a minimum of $250 to a maximum of $5,000.

Deadline:
Grant applications for calendar year 2023 will be accepted on a quarterly basis. Deadlines for submissions are as follows:
Quarter 1: Feb 1 – April 15
Quarter 2: May 1 – July 15
Quarter 3: August 1 – October 15
Quarter 4: November 1 – December 31

Applications may be submitted at any time during each quarter funding cycle. All applications will be reviewed prior to the next funding cycle.

More Information:
https://walmart.org/how-we-give/local-community-grants

A&WMA Richard I. Stessel Waste Management Award

The Richard I. Stessel Waste Management Award, established by the Board of Directors on June 29, 1989 and named for Stessel in 2012, is for an individual or organization related to the field of waste management,

Eligible Recipients:

  • Individuals
  • Organizations

Only A&WMA members can be nominated for the Gruber, Scherr, and Honorary Member (as well as Fellows and Outstanding Young Professionals) awards, but anyone can be nominated for the Chambers, Griswold, Mellon, Ripperton, and Stessel awards. Nominations for these awards may be made by anyone, including sitting A&WMA Board members. However, sitting A&WMA Board members and award committee members cannot submit letters of support or be nominated for these awards.

Eligible Projects:

  1. Outstanding achievements in the science and art of waste management (the accomplishment on the part of the recipient is technological in nature and widely recognized by persons in the field)
  2. Outstanding achievement in the management, prevention and regulation of wastes (the recipient may be an employee in government, industry, education or research, whose accomplishments have led to minimizing the impact of waste in the environment)
  3. Distinguished achievement as an educator in the field of waste management.

Funding Source:
Air & Waste Management Association (A&WMA)

Funding Amount:
TBA

Deadline:
December 1, 2022

Contact:
Lisa Moses, Air & Waste Management Association
Phone: +1-412-232-3444
Fax: +1-412-232-3450 (if faxing, please notify of this by email due to staff working remotely)
E-mail: Lmoses@awma.org

More Information:
https://www.awma.org/content.asp?admin=Y&contentid=212

Keep America Beautiful (KAB) Great American Cleanup Program

Keep America Beautiful is celebrating the Great American Cleanup’s 25th year in 2023, between March 21 to June 22. As the country continues to deal with the pandemic, it is as important as ever to help end litter across our great nation. This means that we should all make sure that waste (including PPE) gets placed in the trash and we all recycle based on local capabilities.

Regarding litter collection, Great American Cleanup event organizers have been provided clear guidance to ensure that volunteer health is our first priority. All cleanups should adhere to guidelines from local, state, and federal public health officials so timely and accurate information can guide safe and appropriate activities in each location.

Eligible Recipients:

The Great American Cleanup prompts individuals to take greater responsibility for their local environment by conducting grassroots community service projects that engage volunteers, local businesses, and civic leaders. A successful Great American Cleanup project must fulfill the needs of the local community; that’s why we work with local community and business leaders, as well as other key stakeholders to gain knowledge about the community’s needs and carefully select and execute appropriate projects.

Eligible Projects:

During the Great American Cleanup, Keep America Beautiful affiliates, partner organizations, corporate partners and millions of volunteers:

  • Remove litter and debris from roadsides, highways, shorelines, and waterways for safer, cleaner communities
  • Plant trees, flowers, and gardens to strengthen our community’s green infrastructure
  • Clean and restore nature trails, recreation areas, and playgrounds to encourage play and physical activity
  • Recycle aluminum cans, plastic bottles, electronics, paper products, tires, clothing, and even junk cars to give garbage another life
  • Rebuild public spaces in communities struck by natural disasters to renew social connections and
  • Restore urban, suburban, and rural business districts and thoroughfares to spur economic impact

The Great American Cleanup, Keep America Beautiful’s signature community improvement national program, encourages everyone to participate in creating a country in which every community is a clean, green, and beautiful place to live.

Funding Source:
The Great American Cleanup National Sponsors

Funding Amount:
Free litter cleanup kits available while supplies last

More Information:
https://kab.org/programs/great-american-cleanup/event/

EREF Grants Program

The sustainability movement has reached the business models of nearly every industry in the United States, and many companies, municipalities and states have set aggressive sustainability goals that include how waste streams are being managed. The EREF Board of Directors has set an initiative to ensure the research we fund reflects EREF’s long-term strategic plan to address all areas of integrated solid waste management, with a strong focus towards research that increased sustainable solid waste management practices.

Eligible Recipients:

  • Non-U.S. Institutions: There are no restrictions in regards to geographic location. Any U.S. or non-U.S. institutions are eligible to apply.
  • Non-Academic Institutions: Proposals will be accepted from non-academic institutions provided the principal investigators are qualified to conduct the research.

Eligible Projects:

Pre-proposal topics must relate to sustainable solid waste management practices and pertain to the following topic areas:

  • Waste minimization
  • Recycling
  • Waste conversion to energy, biofuels, chemicals or other useful products. This includes, but is not limited to, the following technologies:
    • Waste-to-energy
    • Anaerobic digestion
    • Composting
    • Other thermal or biological conversion technologies
  • Strategies to promote diversion to higher and better uses (e.g. organics diversion, market analysis, optimized material management, logistics, etc.)
  • Landfilling

Desirable aspects of the above topics, in addition to or as part of hypothesis driven applied research, also include: economic or cost/benefit analyses, feasibility studies for untested technologies or management strategies, life cycle analysis or inventory, and analyses of policies that relate to the above.

Funding Source:
Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF)

Funding Amount:
Projects and research previously funded by the Foundation can be viewed on its website at erefdn.org. Previously awarded grants have ranged from $15,000 to over $500,000 with the average grant amount in recent years being $160,000. Typical project durations are about 2 years. It should be noted that proposed research in excess of $300,000 or longer than 3 years should contain sufficient details that justify the need for the higher than average amount requested and longer project duration.

Deadlines:

  • EREF has two deadlines per year for pre-proposals: December 1 and May 1
  • NOTE: Due to recent updates in the RFP the deadline for May 2023 has been updated to May 8.

Contact:
To allow sufficient time for response, all questions must be received 48 hours before pre-proposal submissions begin. Please submit questions to proposals@erefdn.org.

More Information:
https://erefdn.org/research-grants-projects/how-to-apply-for-grant/

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 & NYSP2I Grants for NYS Colleges & Universities

NYSAR3’s College Council grants, supported by the NYS Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I), are offered to New York State Universities and colleges who are members of the College Council. This year, NYSAR3 and NYSP2I are pleased to offer up to $10,000 for projects focused on source reduction, reuse or recycling. Each member institution is eligible to apply for project funding up to $5,000. Project proposals that can creatively incorporate pollution prevention along with reduction, reuse or recycling, will be given preference during evaluation.

Eligible Recipients:
New York State Universities and Colleges

Eligible Projects:
Project proposals that can creatively incorporate pollution prevention along with reduction, reuse or recycling, will be given preference during evaluation.

Funding Source:
NYS Association for Reduction, Reuse & Recycling (NYSAR3) and NYS Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I)

Funding Amount:
Each member institution is eligible to apply for project funding up to $5,000.

Deadline:
The grant submission period runs from 2/16 to 4/22/22. 2023 Grant Applications are now closed

Contact:
NYSAR3/NYSP2I
College Council Grant Coordinator
Melissa Cadwell
macadwel@syr.edu

More Information:
https://www.nysar3.org/page/grant-program-for-ny-colleges-28.html

NYSP2I Food Waste Reduction & Diversion Reimbursement Program

The Food Waste Reduction and Diversion Reimbursement Program is an innovative partnership between New York State and Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) focused on incentivizing the reduction of food waste in the state. The program provides reimbursement to New York State businesses or not-for-profits that generate, haul or recycle large amounts of food waste to offset the cost of select technologies and equipment that promise to reduce or divert that food waste from landfill or incineration.

Eligible Recipients:

  • NYS not-for-profit organizations established under Sections 501(c), 501(e), 501(f), 501(k), 501(n) or 521(a) of the Federal Tax Code
  • For-profit businesses that are registered to conduct business in New York pursuant to New York Business Corporation Law section 1304, and are large food waste generators, haulers or recyclers (greater than 1 ton/week)

Eligible Projects:

  • Will result in an increase of food waste diversion from landfill or incineration through the use of equipment or technologies.
    Note: Purchases that improve existing food waste diversion methods but do not result in increased amount of food waste diverted are not eligible.
  • Are led by New York State businesses, not-for-profits, or municipalities that produce, haul, or recycle greater than one ton of food waste per week
  • Implemented between June 1, 2017 and April 1, 2023

Funding Source:
NYS Pollution Prevention Institute & New York State Department of Economic Development

Funding Amount:
Reimbursement will cover:

  • The purchase and installation of eligible equipment and technologies
  • Up to 44% of eligible project costs, in most cases not to exceed $100,000

Deadline:
The application period is now closed. Please note that this is a rolling application.

Contact:
Once complete, please email your application to: Ava Labuzetta, Sr Pollution Prevention Engineer allp2i@rit.edu

More Information:
https://www.rit.edu/affiliate/nysp2i/collaborations

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

NYSP2I Community Grants Program

The New York State Pollution Prevention Institute (NYSP2I) was established to give businesses, nonprofits, municipalities, and communities across the Empire State the resources and expertise they need to realize the benefits of sustainability.

Eligible Recipients:

NYSP2I Community Grants are a funding opportunity for community organizations and local government agencies based and operating in New York State.

Eligible Projects: 

Preference will be given to projects that:

  • Utilize partnerships and collaborations with other organizations
  • Demonstrate a broad community impact
  • Address populations and communities affected by, experiencing, or susceptible to environmental harms and risk
  • Are replicable and transferrable to other organizations
  • Are located in Environmental Justice (EJ) communities

Funding Source:
Funding allocation through NYSP2I is made possible through New York State’s Environmental Protection Fund (EPF) as administered by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC).

Funding Amount:
TBD

Deadline:
The application period for the 2023-2024 Community Grants Program is now closed.

Contact:
NYSP2I
111 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623
nysp2i@rit.edu
(585) 475-2512

More Information:
https://www.rit.edu/affiliate/nysp2i/funding