As a part of the materials management and solid waste grants funding package allocated by the 2023 Legislature, the MPCA is offering statewide grants for projects focused on waste reduction and reuse (including resale, rental, repair, and sharing). These strategies have the potential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, reduce the demand for resource extraction, and reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills. By extending the useful life of existing materials and strengthening trained skillsets in repair, reuse also supports the local economy and increases access to products and services.
The first waste reduction and reuse grant round is currently open and accepting applications, and a second grant round is tentatively planned for summer/fall of 2024.
Application details
- Application deadline: Thursday, December 14, 2023
- Available funds: Approximately $1,065,000
The minimum individual project grant amount should be no less than $50,000, but there is no maximum individual grant amount for projects except as limited by the total amount available. - Match requirement: 25% Applicants must provide proof of at least 25% match of the grant award in cash or in-kind.
Applicant eligibility: Eligible applicants include Minnesota not-for-profit and non-profit organizations, for-profit businesses, institutions, political subdivisions of the state (including counties, cities, towns, etc.), state agencies, and tribal governments. Multi-organizational collaboration is encouraged. - Examples of eligible projects:
- Prevent or reduce waste through changes in product design, manufacturing, or production.
- Develop and implement trainings that provide skills-building for product repair or other processes that maintain the value of items to avoid or reduce new production (e.g., electronics repair, tailoring and mending, furniture repair or reupholstery, etc.).
- Pilot or establish a new program, process, or system to increase reuse, rental, or repair in an organization (can include developing a new position).
- Research or conduct surveys that identify opportunities for expanding or strengthening reuse across the state or in specific industries.
- Coordinate and oversee the redistribution of funds awarded to the grantee as smaller grants to other entities (i.e., “micro grants”) along with technical assistance to help resale, rental, and repair organizations improve their operations or pilot new strategies.
Based on feedback from the public and Minnesota counties, there are two preferred project focuses. For this grant round, applications will be scored more favorably if they involve education/outreach, infrastructure and supplies, and/or technical assistance (including “micro grants”) to:- transition Minnesota organizations and communities to reusables (i.e., food ware, packaging, etc.) in place of single-use options, including necessary cleaning and maintenance equipment (i.e., dishwashers)
- expand community reuse events across the state like swaps, lending libraries, and fix-it clinics or repair cafes
Questions and answers MPCA employees cannot legally answer questions about this grant opportunity. Please submit questions about this grant to grants.pca@state.mn.us with the subject line “FY24 Statewide Waste Reduction & Reuse Grants” no later than 4:00 pm on December 12, 2023. Direct contact regarding this RFP with any MPCA personnel may result in disqualification.