Reduce, Reuse, Recycling Education and Outreach Grants

The objective of the grant program is to improve the effectiveness of residential composting and recycling programs through public education and outreach. The most recent funding opportunity under the Recycling Education and Outreach grant program fu

Assistance may be used for projects that: Inform the public about 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; Increase collection rates and decrease contamination in residential and community recycling programs. For this second round of funding, EPA is focusing on preventing the generation of wasted food and increasing its recycling through composting. Assistance will include one grant that includes three projects: • Project #1: Develop and Implement a National Consumer Wasted Food Reduction Campaign; • Project #2: Expand the Market and Sales of Compost; and • Project #3: Increase Education and Outreach to Households on Composting.

Eligible entities (specified in the IIJA): U.S. States, including the District of Columbia; States includes any state of the United States, the District of Columbia, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, and any agency or instrumentality thereof exclusive of local governments; Units of local government as defined in 2 CFR 200.1; Federally recognized tribal governments (including Alaskan Native Villages and Alaskan Native Corporations); Native Hawaiian organizations; Department of Hawaiian Homelands, Office of Hawaiian Affairs; Non-profit organizations as defined in 2 CFR 200.1; Public-private partnerships. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy. Please note that all applications for the FY25 competition must be coalition applications. For certain competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, the Agency may limit eligibility to compete to a number or subset of eligible applicants consistent with the Agency's Assistance Agreement Competition Policy. Please note that all applications for the FY25 competition must be coalition applications.

Assistance may be used for projects that inform the public about 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 increase collection rates and decrease contamination in residential and community recycling programs. Per section 70402 (b)(6) in Public Law 117-58: Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, no funds may be awarded under the grant program for a residential recycling program that- (A) does not provide for the separate collection of residential solid waste (as defined in 40 CFR 246.101 (as in effect on the date of enactment of the Investment in Infrastructure and Jobs Act) from recycled material (as defined in that section), unless the funds are used to promote a transition to a system that separately collects recycled materials; or (B) promotes the establishment of, or conversion to, a residential collection system that does not provide for the separate collection of residential solid waste from recycled material (as those terms are defined under subparagraph (A)).No funds may be awarded under the grant program for a residential recycling program that does not provide for the separate collection of residential solid waste (as defined in section 246.101 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act)) from recycled material (as defined in that section), unless the funds are used to promote a transition to a system that separately collects recycled materials; or promotes the establishment of, or conversion to, a residential collection system that does not provide for the separate collection of residential solid waste from recycled material (as those terms are defined under subparagraph (A)).This program makes Federal awards on a discretionary basis. A discretionary award means an award in which the Federal awarding agency, in keeping with specific statutory authority that enables the agency to exercise judgement ("discretion"), selects the recipient and/or the amount of Federal funding awarded through a competitive process or based on merit of proposals. A discretionary award may be selected on a non-competitive basis, as appropriate." For further information, please contact the Headquarters or regional office.

Construction is not an eligible activity under this grant program. As provided in section 70402(b)(6) of the BIL: PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS. - No funds may be awarded under the grant program for a residential recycling program that- (A) does not provide for the separate collection of residential solid waste (as defined in section 246.101 of title 40, Code of Federal Regulations (as in effect on the date of enactment of this Act)) from recycled material (as defined in that section), unless the funds are used to promote a transition to a system that separately collects recycled materials; or (B) promotes the establishment of, or conversion to, a residential collection system that does not provide for the separate collection of residential solid waste from recycled material (as those terms are defined under subparagraph (A)).

Grants will normally be funded on a yearly basis. The total approved project period is generally no longer than three years but may be extended.

Regarding pre-application assistance with respect to competitive funding opportunities under this assistance listing, EPA will generally specify the nature of the pre-application assistance, if any, that will be available to applicants in the competitive announcement. For additional information, contact the individual(s) listed in the competitive announcement.

The evaluation and selection criteria for competitive awards under this assistance listing description will be described in the competitive announcement.

For competitive awards, EPA will review and evaluate applications in accordance with the terms, conditions, and criteria stated in the competitive announcement. Competitions will be conducted in accordance with EPA policies/regulations for competing assistance agreements.

For competitive awards, deadlines will be specified in the competitive announcement.

The method of fund disbursement will be determined at the time of award. EPA may incrementally fund grants and cooperative agreements under this program. Approval of subsequent funding increments is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities and availability of funds.

Generally, EPA incrementally funds grants and cooperative agreements. Approval of subsequent funding increments is dependent on satisfactory project progress, continued relevance of the project to EPA's priorities, and availability of funds. Extensions are subject to EPA approval.

Assistance agreement competition-related disputes will be resolved in accordance with the dispute resolution procedures published in 70 FR (Federal Register) 3629, 3630 (January 26, 2005). Copies of these procedures may also be found at: https://www.epa.gov/grants/grant- competition-dispute-resolution-procedures