Federal Grants for Recycling Cans

Eligibility

• State governments, federally recognized Indian tribes, municipal governments and nonprofit agencies are eligible to apply for Sustainable Materials Management Assistance Grants; however, eligible projects must serve and benefit the EPA Region 10 states of Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington. Acceptable projects may include demonstrations, investigations, public education initiatives, studies or surveys. Grant money may not subsidize the purchase of recycling capital equipment or supplies, such as bins, crushers or trucks.

Funding Levels

• At the time of publication, the EPA expects to reward two to four competitive Sustainable Materials Management Assistance Grants per year, ranging from $10,000 to $40,000 for an approximate total of $80,000. No regulatory or statutory matching funds are required from grant recipients. After receiving a grant, the only requirement for recipients is continued interaction with federal grant supervisors.

Application

• Applications must be submitted electronically through Grants.gov. Complete grants must contain a list of project contacts, budget details, a pre-award compliance agreement, a project summary, an exhaustive narrative proposal, descriptions of past agency performance, personnel resumes, letters of support and a list of external partnerships.

Considerations

• According to Grants.gov, the Sustainable Materials Management Assistance Grant is the only federal funding opportunity for the recycling of aluminum cans, at the time of publication. However, regularly checking the EPA's website or Grants.gov may yield additional grants. Similarly, checking your state's Department of Environmental Protection website could present more opportunities. Municipal waste management divisions and nonprofit agencies may offer some assistance, as well.