Grants

Explore funding opportunities for food waste reduction, composting, and sustainability initiatives. Find grants, application deadlines, and resources to support your projects.

New York

DEC Municipal Waste Reduction and Recycling (MWRR) State Assistance Program

The MWRR program is a state assistance program for waste reduction, recycling and household hazardous waste (HHW). Funding is provided on a 50% reimbursement rate for eligible costs. Organics management projects are eligible under this state assistance program.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:

  • The following entities within New York State are eligible to apply for these grants:

  • Counties, Cities, Towns or Villages

  • Local Public Authorities

  • Local Public Benefit Corporations (organizations established by State Law)

  • School Districts, Supervisory Districts & Improvement Districts

  • Native American Tribes or Nations residing in New York State

Deadline of Application: October 31, 2027

Grants for Recycling Coordination and Education Projects: Awarded on an annual basis. Applications are accepted August, September and October of each year.

Grants for Recycling Capital Projects (equipment and facilities): Applications accepted on an ongoing basis.

Business Food Waste Mitigation Grant Program

The Business Food Waste Mitigation Grant Program (the "Program") is a $4 million initiative administered by the New York State Department of Economic Development d/b/a Empire State Development ("ESD") designed to reduce business-generated food waste sent to landfill and combustion facilities through the creation of new, or expansion of existing, organics recycling facilities.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:

  • Must be a New York entity making a capital investment that will expand food waste recycling infrastructure in NYS by accepting food waste from large-scale operations, including, at a minimum, businesses such as restaurants, supermarkets, malls, casinos & racetracks, sporting venues, hotels, wholesale and distribution centers, and others.

  • Eligible Entities include:

    • (i) Municipalities

    • (ii) Non-Profit/Not-For-Profit organizations

  • Eligible projects include the purchase of food processing, management, and transportation equipment that collect and recycle food waste from businesses. Examples of eligible equipment include compactors, dehydrators, depackagers, windrow turners, forklifts, and food waste collection trucks.

Deadline of Application: May 23, 2025

NYSAR3 Green School Grant Program

NYSAR3 established a grant program for public and private K-12 schools for implementation or expansion of waste reduction, reuse, and recycling, and composting programs. Since 2005, NYSAR3 has awarded 100+ schools throughout New York State that have implemented a variety of successful programs that benefited schools across the state.

NYSAR3 is pleased to announce a new round of funds for 2025, for projects implemented during the 2025-2026 school year. Multiple projects will be awarded for a maximum of $1,000 per award. The goal of this grant program is to provide funds to develop new programs or support existing programs related to the 3 R’s (reduce, reuse, and recycle), composting, and outreach. There is a limited pool of available funds and not all projects may be awarded, and awarded projects may not receive the full funds requested.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:

All public and private, K-12, schools in New York State are eligible to apply for funding. Applicants and programs must:

  • Be a public or private school, Grades K-12, located in New York

  • Include a goal to increase awareness or minimize waste through waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and/or composting and outreach

  • Agree to share program information and data with NYSAR3

Deadline of Application: May 23, 2025

Connecticut

Sustainable Materials Management Grant Program (2nd Round)

The Sustainable Materials Management Grant Program, administered by the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP), has opened a request for applications (RFA) for a second round of grants, which are aimed at supporting the development of food scrap collection and unit-based pricing programs, as well as other reduction, recycling, and diversion programs. Many of the strategies that will be funded by these grants were recommended by the Connecticut Coalition for Sustainable Materials Management, a coalition of more than a hundred municipalities across Connecticut that are working to develop strategies to reduce waste and increase reuse and recycling.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:

  • Grants are available for individual and groups of municipalities, as well as regional entities (councils of governments, regional planning agencies, resource recovery authorities, recycling operating committees, and regional waste authorities).

Deadline of Application: Applications may be submitted not before May 8 and no later than Friday, June 27, 2025

National

Food Recovery Network (FRN) Community College Food Recovery Grant Application

FRN is entering the second year of their community college grant program to help establish food recovery programs at community colleges across the U.S. Community Colleges will be selected to receive one year of technical and financial assistance to set up food recovery programs on their campus to begin the Fall of 2025. The grant recipients will also be awarded recognition and serve as models for how community colleges can play a vital role in helping feed community members in need.

ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS:

  • Community Colleges across the U.S.

Deadline of Application: April 30, 2025 at midnight ET