The EPA has announced three new funding opportunities, totaling approximately $117 million, to improve recycling infrastructure and consumer education and outreach on wasted food prevention and composting. Two are Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) grants – for communities and for Tribes and intertribal consortia – focused on improving solid waste management infrastructure. The third is for the Recycling Outreach and Education (REO) grant program and is focused on wasted food prevention and composting.
These three funding opportunities, authorized and funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, will help transform solid waste management infrastructure and improve recycling education and outreach nationwide. See below for additional information about eligible applicants, submission deadlines, and public informational webinars for each funding opportunity.
Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Funding Opportunities
- The SWIFR Grants for Communities will provide approximately $58 million in awards ranging from $500,000 to $5 million each. Eligible entities include political subdivisions of states and territories (such as counties, cities, towns, parishes, and similar units of government). The deadline to apply for the SWIFR Grants for Communities is December 20, 2024. To learn more, visit EPA’s SWIFR Grants for Communities webpage.
- The SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia will provide approximately $20 million in awards ranging from $100,000 to $1.5 million each. Eligible entities include federally recognized Tribes (including Alaskan Native Villages and former Indian reservations in Oklahoma) and Intertribal consortia. The deadline to apply for the SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia is March 14, 2025. To learn more, visit EPA’s SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia webpage.
Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) Funding Opportunity
The Recycling Education and Outreach Grant will provide approximately $39 million for one award. EPA is requiring that all applications for this funding opportunity be coalition applications. For more information on eligible entities, please refer to the Notice of Funding Opportunity. EPA seeks applications for one cooperative agreement that includes three projects: (1) developing and implementing a national consumer wasted food reduction campaign, (2) expanding the market for and sales of compost, and (3) increasing education and outreach to households on composting. The deadline to apply for the REO funding opportunity is December 20, 2024. To learn more, visit EPA’s Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program webpage.
Informational Webinars:
The webinars below will cover the funding opportunities, key sections of the application, and the application process.
- SWIFR Grants for Communities – EPA will post two pre-recorded webinars to assist potential applicants under this competitive funding opportunity and anticipates posting the webinars on EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Communities webpage by September 30, 2024.
- SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia – EPA will host two live webinars to assist potential applicants under this competitive funding opportunity on October 16 and 29, 2024. Registration information will be posted soon on EPA’s Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia webpage.
- REO Grant – EPA will post a pre-recorded webinar to assist potential applicants under this competitive funding opportunity and anticipates posting the webinar on EPA’s Recycling Education and Outreach Grant Program webpage by September 30, 2024.
The press release announcing these funding opportunities can be found at: https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/biden-harris-administration-announces-117-million-grants-available-advance-recycling
Learn more about EPA’s efforts to transform U.S. recycling and waste management under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
For questions about SWIFR, please reach out to Melissa Pennington (pennington.melissa@epa.gov).
For questions about REO, please reach out to Elana Goldstein (Goldstein.elana@epa.gov).