Grants For Recycling Coordination And Education Projects
Municipal Waste Reduction and Recycling Program (MWR&R)
DEC is authorized to provide State assistance for Recycling Coordinator salaries and for public education programs conducted by municipalities. This funding helps expand local recycling programs and increase participation.
Please Note: The application acceptance period is: August, September and October of each year.
Eligible projects for state assistance under this program include planning, educational and promotional activities to increase public awareness of and participation in waste reduction and recycling. Municipalities may request funding toward costs for recycling coordination, publications, education and outreach for recycling and waste reduction.
Recycling Education, promotion or outreach includes:
- recycling guides, mailers, brochures, and webpages
- advertising on TV, radio, newspaper, internet, billboards, etc.
- recycling signs and displays
- give-a-way items, children's shows, county fair displays, America Recycles Day items
Recycling Coordination involves the following activities:
- planning, monitoring and modifying the local recycling program
- developing public education and promotion tools,
- implementing recycling outreach strategies
- establishing, monitoring and improving recyclables marketing, tracking and reporting
- fostering inter-governmental recycling coordination
- developing enforcement strategies
- managing finances of the municipal recycling program
Eligible costs for personal services are limited to the salary and verifiable fringe benefit costs of a recycling coordinator, who must be an employee of the applicant and assigned to the project for no less than 50 percent of their full-time work schedule.
Ineligible costs include:
- costs of items not primarily used for promoting waste reduction, reuse and recycling
- ordinary operating costs, including: office supplies and equipment, equipment service, office maintenance, internet service, telephone (except recycling "hotlines"), utilities, mileage costs, travel expenses, and fuel within an applicant's service area or other similar costs or expenses
- indirect, overhead or in-kind costs
Applications for Recycling Coordination/Education grants will be accepted by DEC during the months of August, September and October of each calendar year for the following calendar year period.
Applications for Recycling Coordination/Education grants that are submitted outside the application window of August - October will be rejected.
All complete applications received during the three-month period will be considered to have been received simultaneously.
A project application will be reviewed and may be approved, disapproved or modified by DEC. If acceptable, applications will be approved for state assistance for up to 50 percent of eligible costs, not to exceed two million dollars.
If there are insufficient funds to provide 50 percent reimbursement to all applications, DEC may either lower the percentage or set a dollar maximum on the level of funding to be provided to each municipality. In the event DEC lowers the maximum reimbursement percentage, the lowered percentage or dollar maximum will be the same for all municipalities that submit a complete application.
Please see 6 NYCRR Section 369-3 for more information on these grants.
All applications must be submitted using the SFS Vendor Portal.
Find information about NYS Grant Opportunities, including SFS registration, webinars, guides, videos, and help desk contact info.
DMM, Bureau of Solid Waste Management
625 Broadway
Albany, NY 12233-7260
