Government Grants for Green Processes & Recycling Efforts

Nationwide Funding for Green Processes

• In 2009, President Barack Obama authorized funding for green manufacturers and clean energy technologies through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, or ARRA. Providing $228 billion in tax cuts for businesses and families, ARRA also allocated $275 billion for federal contracts, grants and loans to support projects across the country. Improving roads, funding education, job training for new career paths and working toward self-sufficiency in producing renewable energy sources are a few of the specific goals targeted by ARRA. Companies that provide resources for the manufacture of renewable energy sources, as well as projects addressing sustainability through eco-friendly products and processes, may be eligible for grant awards.

Innovative Green Processes

• The National Science Foundation, or NSF, supports the progress of science, health, prosperity and welfare. In fiscal year 2010, the NSF funded nearly $7.2 billion in support of research and development projects to better our environment and overall well-being. The NSF operates the Environmental Sustainability Program, providing funding for manufacturing processes, green technologies and the research and development of sustainable energy solutions. Four principal research and development industries are supported by the program: Industrial ecology, green design, ecological and earth systems engineering. NSF grant awards for these projects total $5.4 billion to 45 recipients each year.

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

• The Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, or EERE, funds projects that focus on environmentally friendly processes, green energy and utilizing existing resources through recycling efforts. Grants are awarded to businesses that facilitate the development of clean energy sources, inventions and manufacturing processes, as well as scientific labs and universities that research environmentally sustainable programs. In 2009, EERE awarded more than $2.2 billion in federal funding to support technologies that protect the environment and strengthen the economy.

State Incentives

• The Database of State Incentives for Renewable Energy, or DSIRE, tracks federal incentives and policies that promote renewable energy and energy efficiency. Offering thousands of listings for grants and loans to green manufacturers and recycling industries, DSIRE was established in 1995 by the U.S. Department of Energy. According to DSIRE, 20 states offer grant programs that support renewable energy concepts, including recycling, manufacturing and the development of green processes.