Waste and recycling grants available to municipalities

The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection has opened the application period for several grant programs to help municipal governments with solid waste and recycling needs.

SMRP municipal grants
The Sustainable Materials Recovery Program is offering various grants this spring intended to support local recycling, composting, reuse, and related programs. These grants include:
• Drop-off Equipment
• Food Waste Collection Carts
• Pay-As-You-Throw Program Funds
• Recycling Dividends Program
• Regional Small-Scale Initiatives
• Waste Reduction/Organics Capacity/Permanent HHW Facility Project Proposals

MassDEP grant administrators will accept grant-related questions only through an online submission form. The deadline to submit questions is May 5 at 5 p.m., and official responses will be available on the SMRP Grant webpage no later than May 12.

The MassDEP held a webinar on April 8 to help communities apply for SMRP Municipal Grants, and the recording is available via the SMRP Grant webpage.

The deadline to submit grant applications is June 2.

Click here for more information and to submit an SMRP application.

Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grants
Municipalities may apply for Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grants, which range from $3,000 to $10,000 for projects that reduce waste in Massachusetts through donation, sharing, rescue, reuse and/or repair. Projects may take up to one year to complete. Recycling and composting projects are not eligible.

MassDEP has created comprehensive guidelines for these grants, including project ideas, evaluation criteria, eligible uses of funds, and more.

Visit the program web page for more information or submit questions to Leah Kelleher at leah.kelleher@mass.gov by April 29.

The deadline to apply for the micro-grants is May 15 at 5 p.m.