Grant Opportunities
NRRA has compiled a list of grant opportunities for municipalities, transfer stations, and other recycling groups. Grant opportunities are divided between nation and state grants.
Click on the title to jump to the corresponding grant section.
Please check back for additional grant information, as this page is updated regularly. Open grant periods are highlighted in yellow. (Updated: 10/02/2024)
USDA Community Facility Loan and Grant Program
This program provides affordable funding to develop essential community facilities in rural areas. Loan and grants can be used for a wide variety of essential community needs, including solid waste infrastructure. This could include recycling equipment such as balers, scales, storage containers and glass crushers. It could also include safety equipment, signage, and bathroom facilities at transfer stations. Other possible uses include the purchase of computers and cameras for transfer station use. The Community Facility Grant program provides matching grants up to $50,000 to communities based on population and median household income. This grant is for communities of 20,000 residents or less, with priority given to small communities with a population of 5,500 or less and low-income communities having a median household income below 80% of the state nonmetropolitan median household income.
Applications accepted year round!
USDA Solid Waste Management Grant
This program reduces or eliminates pollution of water resources by providing funding for organizations that provide technical assistance or training to improve the planning and management of solid waste sites.
What is an eligible area?
- Rural areas and towns with a population of 10,000 or less -- check eligible addresses
- Special consideration may be given for projects serving:
- An area with fewer than 5,500 or fewer than 2,500 people;
- Regional, multi-state or national areas; or
- Lower-income populations.
What may the funds be used for?
- Evaluate current landfill conditions to identify threats to water resources.
- Provide technical assistance or training to enhance the operation and maintenance of active landfills.
- Provide technical assistance or training to help communities reduce the amount of solid waste coming into a landfill.
- Provide technical assistance or training to prepare for closure and future use of a landfill site.
These grants cannot be used to:
- Duplicate current services, replace or substitute support or services already provided by a consultant during project development
- Pay for capital assets, real estate or vehicles.
- Pay for construction, operation or maintenance.
- Improve or renovate office space or repair or maintain private property.
Application window is open from October 1 - December 31 each year.
USDA Compost and Food Waste Reduction Cooperative Agreements
Composting and Food Waste Reduction (CFWR) cooperative agreements assist local and municipal governments with projects that develop and test strategies for planning and implementing municipal compost plans and food waste reduction plans. Implementation activities will increase access to compost for agricultural producers, improve soil quality and encourages innovative, scalable waste management plans that reduce and divert food waste from landfills.
Project Funding: ranging from $75,000-$400,000.
Resources: FAQs, application instruction webinar, information about every grant that has been funded since the program started in 2020: https://www.usda.gov/topics/urban/coop-agreements
Grant period currently closed.
EPA Region 1 Healthy Communities
The Healthy Communities Grant Program is EPA New England's main competitive grant program to work directly with communities to reduce environmental risks to protect and improve human health and the quality of life. EPA plans to award approximately 15 cooperative agreements for amounts up to $40,000.
The Healthy Communities Grant Program will identify and fund projects that:
- Target resources to benefit communities at risk (environmental justice areas of potential concern and/or sensitive populations [e.g., children, elderly, tribes, urban and rural residents, and others at increased risk]).
- Assess, understand, and reduce environmental and human health risks.
- Increase collaboration through partnerships and community-based projects.
- Build institutional and community capacity to understand and solve environmental and human health problems.
- Achieve measurable environmental and human health benefits.
Eligible applicants include state and local governments, public nonprofit institutions or organizations, private nonprofit institutions or organizations, quasi-public nonprofit institutions or organizations, federally recognized Tribal governments, K-12 schools or school districts, and nonprofit organizations (e.g., grassroots and/or community-based organizations). Eligible projects under this program must be located in and/or directly benefit one or more of the Target Investment Areas and identify how the proposed project will achieve measurable environmental and/or public health results in one or more of the Target Program Areas.
In 2024, Target Investment Areas include:
- Areas near New England Ports that are being Redeveloped to Support Offshore Wind and Related Industries;
- Environmental Justice Areas of Potential Concern;
- Geographic Priority Areas or Sectors in Northern & Southern New England; and
- Sensitive Populations (such as babies, children, and the elderly)
Target Program Areas include:
- Capacity Building on Environmental and/or Public Health Issues;
- Clean, Green and Healthy Schools;
- Energy Efficiency;
- Healthy Indoor Environments;
- Healthy Outdoor Environments
- Pollution Prevention; and
- Sustainable Materials Management.
Application window open until November 1, 2024.
The Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program will provide approximately $58 million in awards ranging from $500,000 to $5 million each. Funded projects will improve post-consumer materials management and infrastructure, including collection, transport, systems, and processes related to post-use materials that can be recovered, reused, recycled, repaired, refurbished, or composted.
Projects funded through the funding opportunity will:
- Implement the “building a circular economy for all strategy series.”
- Improve local post-consumer materials management programs, including municipal recycling.
- Make improvements to local waste management systems.
Applications may include (but are not limited to) projects that fund:
- Programs that provide or increase access to innovative solutions or programs that provide or increase access to prevention, reuse, and recycling in areas that currently do not have access; including development of or upgrades to drop-off and transfer stations (including but not limited to a hub-and-spoke model in rural communities), etc.
- The purchase of recycling equipment, including but not limited to sorting equipment, waste metering, trucks, processing facilities, etc.
- Construction of and/or upgrades to composting facilities or anaerobic digesters to increase capacity for food and organics recycling.
- Development of or upgrades to curbside collection programs or drop-off stations for organics.
- Development of and/or upgrades to reuse infrastructure (e.g., online reuse platforms, community repair spaces, technology and equipment to improve materials management reuse options, food donation, upcycling, staging areas for material reuse/donation, reuse warehouses, reuse centers, and electronic waste and computer recycling and refurbishing)
Eligible entities include counties, cities, towns, parishes, and similar units of governments that have executive and legislative functions to be political subdivisions of states and territories.
Submit your Notice of Intent (optional but recommended) by November 15, 2024, with the full application due by December 20, 2024.
EPA's Environmental and Climate Justice Community Change (Community Change Grants) provides funding for financial and technical assistance to carry out environmental and climate justice activities to benefit underserved and overburdened communities through projects that reduce pollution, increase community climate resilience, and build community capacity to address environmental and climate justice challenges. These place-based investments will be focused on community-driven initiatives to be responsive to community and stakeholder input. They are designed to deliver on the transformative potential of the Inflation Reduction Act for communities most adversely and disproportionately impacted by climate change, legacy pollution, and historical disinvestments. Awards will be between $10-20 million for multi-faceted projects addressing a range of pollution, climate change, and other priority issues. A limited number of smaller awards between $1-3 million will be awarded for projects focused on facilitating the engagement of disadvantages communities in governmental processes.
Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis with initial award selections beginning in March 2024. The final application deadline is November 21, 2024.
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). Awards range from $40,000 to $250,000 with a 5% match requirement.
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.
Grant period currently closed.
Waste-to-Energy (WTE) Technical Assistance for Local Governments
This grant funds technical assistance to address knowledge gaps, specific challenges, decision-making considerations, planning, and project implementation strategies related to WTE. The WTE resources considered include organic waste such as food waste, wastewater sludge, animal manure, and fats, oils, and greases. All U.S. municipalities and counties in the lower 48 states, Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories, as well as tribal governments, are eligible for WTE technical assistance at no cost. Entities representing multiple municipalities are also eligible as well as airport authorities and municipal utilities authorities.
NOTE: A community does not have to have an existing or planned waste resource or energy recovery project to be eligible. Communities in the strategic planning phase when it comes to these waste streams are eligible and encouraged to apply.
Grant period currently closed.
Foam Recycling Coalition Grant Program
Public and private entities in the U.S. and/or Canada that engage in any of the following activities are eligible to apply for the FRC grant:
- Operate a material recovery facility
- Manage residential curbside recycling programs
- Manage drop-off or convenience site recycling programs
If there is a foam ban currently in existence in your community, you are not eligible to apply.
Qualified entrants must commit to collecting, processing and marketing foam polystyrene for 3 years. Additional qualifications apply.
Glass Recycling Foundation Grant Program
The Glass Recycling Foundation’s grant program is intended to increase glass recovery and diversion from landfills, and to connect glass generators with end-markets.
Eligible grantees include:
Nonprofit entities
Municipal, county, city, and state governments
Glass Collectors, Material Recovery Facilities, Beneficiators, and Manufacturers
Eligible projects must be located in the U.S.
Eligible projects are:
- Demonstration/Pilot Projects: Should address specific gaps in the glass recycling supply chain and provide alternative strategies strengthening glass end markets.
- Education Projects: The projects need to present a clear message and strategy for educating the public about the environmental and community benefits of recycling glass and improving the quality of diverted materials from residents.
Grant applications are currently closed. Please email info@glassrecyclingfoundation.org for more information.
The Economic Development Administration (EDA) is soliciting applications from applicants to provide investments that support construction, non-construction, planning, technical assistance, and revolving loan fund projects. Grants and cooperative agreements are designed to leverage existing regional assets and support the implementation of economic development strategies that advance new ideas and creative approaches to advance economic prosperity in distressed communities.
EDA supports bottom-up strategies that build on regional assets to spur economic growth and resiliency. EDA intends to advance general economic development in accordance with EDA’s investment priorities, but also to pursue projects that, where practicable, incorporate specific priorities related to equity, workforce development, and climate change resiliency so that investments can benefit everyone for decades to come.
Applications accepted on a rolling basis.
The Recycling Partnership Grants for Community Recycling Programs
The Recycling Partnership works with communities and recycling facilities, including materials recovery facilities, processors, and secondary processors, across the U.S. to improve access, collections, operations, and processing through a variety of grant and technical assistance opportunities. Choose the type of recycling program your community has for more information on available grants.
RESIDENTIAL CURBSIDE RECYCLING CARTS GRANTS
Through The Recycling Partnership’s Residential Curbside Recycling Cart Grant, communities are provided grant funding, technical assistance, as well as the design of education and outreach materials to help advance recycling and improve recycling access and capacity for U.S. residents. Communities considering any of the following three system improvements are encouraged to apply:
- Implementing a new cart-based curbside recycling program
- Converting existing bin or bag-based program to carts
- Expanding service area to improve access and equity
o advance recycling and increase equity at multifamily properties to develop new and improve existing recycling programs
The Recycling Partnership has grant funding available to support the development and expansion of residential drop-off recycling programs, especially for projects investing in infrastructure and/or equipment that are expected to result in substantial increases in the amount of recycling tonnage collected and/or to the number of households with access to recycling.
Closed Loop Partners Funding (loans)
Closed Loop Partners develop, implement, and scale circular solutions. They offer flexible and risk-tolerant capital through a number of different funding vehicles and capital structures, taking a long-term perspective on building resilient circular supply chains. (These are loans, not grants.) Closed Loop Partners has built an ecosystem that connects entrepreneurs, industry experts, global consumer goods and technology companies, retailers, foundations, financial institutions and municipalities. Borrowers get exposure to this network, cultivating synergies and facilitating potential partnerships that can help scale businesses, for example through feedstock or off-take relationships, among other things. Choose the funding program that may best fit your community's needs:
CLOSED LOOP LOCAL RECYCLING FUND
In partnership with PepsiCo Beverages North America, we invest in new local recycling systems and technologies to improve recycling access for more communities across the U.S.
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.
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.
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Municipal Recycling & Storage Equipment Grants
Grantor: New Hampshire the Beautiful
New Hampshire communities are eligible to apply for funding to assist with the purchase of recycling equipment. Grant applications are considered on an individual basis and funding may be up to 20% of the purchase price of the equipment. While we will not help with the purchase of land, studies or buildings, we do help fund the purchase of balers, crushers, roll-off containers and other equipment that will help a community achieve higher diversion rates.
Recycling Equipment grant applications are accepted on a rolling schedule, with current applications being considered every two months and up to 9 months given to allow communities to purchase and install suitable equipment. Grants are paid as a reimbursement to communities after they have purchased the equipment.
Waste Oil Grant
Grantor: NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES)
NHDES issues gift grants (meaning they are not matching grants) for the purpose of encouraging the establishment, improvement and operation of used oil collection centers that serve residents who change their own oil (Do-It-Yourselfers). The used oil that is collected at these centers is then properly recycled at licensed used oil recycling facilities.
Towns, cities, counties, solid waste districts, other government entities and nonprofit organizations that focus on waste management and recycling issues are eligible to receive used oil collection gift grant funds. The grant funds are also available to private businesses that are registered motor vehicle inspection stations. Most grants are for a specified amount, up to $2,500. A center that serves two or more towns may qualify for up to $5,000.
Grant funds may be used to establish, improve or operate a used oil collection center, as well as to transport used oil off-site to a licensed used oil recycler.
Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Grant
Grantor: NH Department of Environmental Services (NHDES)
The NHDES HHW Program provides grant funds to municipalities that support more than 60 annual HHW collection events across the state. To help communities and their municipal solid waste facilities manage homeowner generated hazardous wastes, the State of New Hampshire administers a Household Hazardous Waste grant program. HHW Collection Grants are awarded to eligible municipalities at a designated per capita rate for the communities served. HHW collection projects have requirements that must be completed to be eligible for the grant monies; details can be found in the grant application package.
Seed & Grow Grants
Grantor: New England Grassroots Environmental Fund
The Seed grant program is geared towards groups launching new projects or starting to significantly change the direction of an existing project. Most often, groups have been working on the project less than a year and usually don't yet have much direct experience with implementing the idea.
The Grow grant program is geared towards groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grow grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.
Both grant programs are available to municipalities and local groups (like recycling committees, non-profits, or other volunteer-based groups). Priority is given to groups that are volunteer-driven or have no more than 2 full-time paid staff (80 hrs/week) and groups that have an approximate annual operating budget under $100,000.
Catalyst Program (Formerly the State Economic & Infrastructure Development Investment Program)
Grantor: Northern Border Regional Commission
Established by Congress in 2008, the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) is a partnership between the federal government and the States of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. The mission of the NBRC is to fund economic development and infrastructure projects throughout designated counties in its four-state service area. In NH, the NBRC Service Area includes Belknap, Carroll, Cheshire, Coos, Grafton, and Sullivan counties.
Basic public infrastructure shall mean those services that are generally necessary to conduct business and operate, and include waste, water, and energy - specifically, solid waste to include, recycling, composting, disposal, and waste-to-energy via incineration. Investment funds may be used for contractors, construction and pre-construction costs such as engineering, and indirect costs for work performed by the recipient staff. Bid, performance or payment bonds are also eligible costs.
VERMONT
Solid Waste Implementation Plan Grant
Grantor: Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, Department of Environmental Conservation
Solid waste management and related projects. Priority is given to projects that directly relate to the State's Solid Waste Plan. Solid waste management entities (Districts, alliances and municipalities) are eligible to apply for this grant.
Seed & Grow Grants
Grantor: New England Grassroots Environmental Fund
The Seed grant program is geared towards groups launching new projects or starting to significantly change the direction of an existing project. Most often, groups have been working on the project less than a year and usually don't yet have much direct experience with implementing the idea.
The Grow grant program is geared towards groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grow grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.
Both grant programs are available to municipalities and local groups (like recycling committees, non-profits, or other volunteer-based groups). Priority is given to groups that are volunteer-driven or have no more than 2 full-time paid staff (80 hrs/week) and groups that have an approximate annual operating budget under $100,000.
Catalyst Program (Formerly the State Economic & Infrastructure Development Investment Program)
Grantor: Northern Border Regional Commission
Established by Congress in 2008, the Northern Border Regional Commission (NBRC) is a partnership between the federal government and the States of Maine, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont. The mission of the NBRC is to fund economic development and infrastructure projects throughout designated counties in its four-state service area.
Basic public infrastructure shall mean those services that are generally necessary to conduct business and operate, and include waste, water, and energy - specifically, solid waste to include, recycling, composting, disposal, and waste-to-energy via incineration. Investment funds may be used for contractors, construction and pre-construction costs such as engineering, and indirect costs for work performed by the recipient staff. Bid, performance or payment bonds are also eligible costs.
Educational Grant Program
Grantor: Southern Windsor/Windham Counties Solid Waste Management District (SWMD)
The Southern Windsor/Windham Co. SWMD has created an educational grant program to encourage solid waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting in District schools.
Waste Reduction & Management Support for Towns
Grantor: Addison County Solid Waste Management District (ACSWMD)
This grant is for member municipalities of the ACSWMD. Grants for municipalities include: the start-up of new municipal recycling/composting/reuse projects; capital improvements to or expansion of existing municipal recycling/composting/reuse facilities; feasibility studies on how to comply with the diversion mandates of Vermont's Act 148; purchase of equipment, bins, or containers needed to comply with the diversion mandates of Act 148.
Waste Reduction & Management Support for Schools
Grantor: Addison County Solid Waste Management District (ACSWMD)
K-12 public and non-profit schools that are within the Addison County Solid Waste District are eligible for grants from ACSWMD, with a 25% match required from the school. Grants for schools include: the start-up of new school recycling/composting/reuse projects; capital improvements to or expansion of existing school recycling/composting/reuse facilities; feasibility studies on how to comply with the diversion mandates of Vermont's Act 148; the purchase of equipment, bins, or containers needed to comply with the diversion mandates of Act 148.
Organizational Waste Reduction and Reuse Program (OWRRP)
Grantor: Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District (CVSWMD)
The Organizational Waste Reduction & Reuse Program aspires to play a part in promoting innovative and sustainable solutions to problems in our current waste system. The OWRRP supports businesses, community and youth groups, institutions, and non-profits that take the initiative to stimulate and expand opportunities to practice waste reduction, reuse and additional recycling. The OWRRP provides seed money for waste reduction and reuse education, business development, technical assistance, and community projects throughout the District.
School Zero Waste Grant Program
Grantor: Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District (CVSWMD)
This program provides member public schools of the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District with grants of up to $2500.00, per school/fiscal year, to provide financial support to implement programs and initiatives, large and small, to reduce solid waste and achieve sustainability goals. The CVSWMD School Zero Waste Grant Program is only available to public schools that are located in one of our member municipalities
Municipal Services Program Grant (MSP)
Grantor: Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District (CVSWMD)
The MSP grant program is intended to provide resources and financial support to meet the diverse needs of member municipalities to develop infrastructure for solid waste management local facilities and to promote community-based solutions to Act 148 requirements. See Grant Guidelines for information about application deadlines and project dates.
Emergency Municipal Solid Waste Response Program Grant
Grantor: Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District (CVSWMD)
The EMSWRP grant program is intended to provide financial support to member communities that need to take action to clean up, mitigate, and prevent unanticipated solid waste problems caused by nature or by illegal activity. These funds should be used to address an immediate need and -if possible- prevent its re-occurrence.
Community Cleanup Fund
Grantor: Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD)
Each CSWD member community government is allocated an annual grant, based on the size of their population, for community cleanup and waste reduction or prevention projects. These projects involve the cleanup of solid waste at public or private property where the project is deemed beneficial to the community at large. Funds may be used for reimbursement of disposal, labor, container rental, and/or transportation costs associated with solid waste removal, prevention or reduction events.
Recycling & Composting Container Grants
Grantor: Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD)
These container grants are intended to increase diversion of mandatory recyclables and compostables from the landfill, and help CSWD members comply with their legal responsibilities. All Chittenden County businesses, institutions, municipalities and nonprofit organizations are eligible, provided the containers will be used for the stated purpose of the grants. Businesses and municipalities that collect or transport municipal solid waste of any kind are not eligible for this funding.
Waste Reduction Project Grants
Grantor: Chittenden Solid Waste District (CSWD)
CSWD Waste Reduction Project Grants are intended to fund projects that reduce or eliminate solid waste at its source, promote sustainable reuse of existing materials, promote recycling of materials not currently being captured, or increase diversion of mandatory recyclables and compostables from the landfill. All Chittenden County businesses, institutions, municipalities, community groups and nonprofit organizations are eligible.
Community Clean-Up Grant
Grantor: Lamoille Regional Solid Waste Management District (LRSWMD)
LRSWMD is offering a funding opportunity for District member towns. The Community Clean Up grant is being offered in the amount up to $500 to offset disposal costs associated with illegal dumping in member towns. Grant funds may only be used by member communities and its residents to address disposal costs associated with illegal dumping. Grant funds may NOT be used to pay regular trash and recycling fees of on-going operations within the community or to subsidize the salary of municipal employees for participating in a grant funded project or to pay for Green Up Day activities. Grant funds are allocated to cover fees at an LRSWMD facility.
MASSACHUSETTS
Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grant
Grantor: MA Department of Environmental Protection
Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grants provide awards of up to $10,000 to for-profit and non-profit organizations, regional authorities, eligible municipalities, and schools/colleges, for short term waste reduction projects (≤1 year). To qualify, projects must focus on reducing waste generation and prolonging the lifespan of products via donation, rescue, reuse and/or repair in Massachusetts. Composting and recycling projects are ineligible.
There are two application deadlines in 2024: May 15 and November 15 by 5pm EST. A link to the online application will be posted on the MassDEP Micro-Grant webpage on April 1 and October 1, respectively.
Recycling and Reuse Business Development Grant
Grantor: MA Department of Environmental Protection
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) has posted a grant application to support collection and processing of specified target materials through the Recycling and Reuse Business Development Grant (RBDG) Program. This grant program is focused on expanding the infrastructure for collection, reuse, recycling, and other defined processing for specified target materials. These grants are intended to help foster sustainable markets for the targeted materials and products, thereby adding value to municipal and business recycling and reuse efforts. Grants (up to $400K) are available for the Processing of Target Materials, including reusable materials (furniture, building materials, bulky items) and Construction & Demolition Materials (wood, gypsum wallboard or asphalt shingles).
Seed & Grow Grants
Grantor: New England Grassroots Environmental Fund
The Seed grant program is geared towards groups launching new projects or starting to significantly change the direction of an existing project. Most often, groups have been working on the project less than a year and usually don't yet have much direct experience with implementing the idea.
The Grow grant program is geared towards groups who have some experience implementing a project in their community. Grow grants support groups to deepen their work by further developing a community vision, lowering barriers to participation, identifying new stakeholders and working to bring more voices and lived experiences into core decision-making processes.
Both grant programs are available to municipalities and local groups (like recycling committees, non-profits, or other volunteer-based groups). Priority is given to groups that are volunteer-driven or have no more than 2 full-time paid staff (80 hrs/week) and groups that have an approximate annual operating budget under $100,000.