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The California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) has released a notice of funds available for the first cycle of the Edible Food Recovery Grant Program (EFR1) for Fiscal Years 2021-2022 and 2022-2023. Approximately $2.9 million is available for Fiscal Year 2021-2022 and $1.9 million is available for Fiscal Year 2022-2023. Applications are due December 16, 2021.

What is the Purpose of the Edible Food Recovery Grant Program? This competitive grant program will provide funding to support new and expanded edible food recovery and food waste prevention projects (food rescue for people or source reduction) in California. Projects must reduce the amount of food being disposed in landfills, thereby helping to achieve the state’s short lived climate pollutant goals.

• Local governments (cities, counties, or cities and counties)
  • Cities, counties, and cities and counties as defined in Public Resources Code section 30109.
  • Regional or local sanitation agencies, waste agencies, or Joint Powers Authorities.
• Nonprofit organizations (except private schools).
  • Nonprofit organizations must be registered with the federal government under 501(c)3, (c)4, (c)6 or (c)10 of the Internal Revenue Code, and must be registered in the State of California with the Department of Justice and appear on their Registry of Charitable Trusts. If a nonprofit entity is excluded from registering with the Department of Justice, proof must be provided with the application.
  • The business must be qualified to do business in California and be in good standing with all applicable California state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Secretary of State and the Franchise Tax Board.
• State or federal agencies (including offices, departments, bureaus, and boards).
• University of California campuses, California State University campuses, or the California Community College campuses.
• Solid Waste Facilities.
• Public School Districts.
• Qualifying Tribal Entities.
  • Qualifying Tribal Entity is defined as a tribe, band, nation or other organized group or community, residing within the borders of California, which:
    • Is recognized for special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of the status of its members as Indians; or
    • Can establish that it is a government entity and which meets the criteria of the grant program.

• Joint Powers Authority: Joint Powers Authorities (JPA) may submit a grant application as an individual applicant. An entity may not submit an individual application if that entity is also a member of an applicant JPA. In addition to the requirements for an Individual Application, a JPA must upload a copy of its JPA Agreement.

• Give authority over solid waste management.
• List all member entities.
• Contain the signature of all members.
• The project(s) must be located in California.
• The project(s) must increase capacity to recover edible food for human consumption.
• The project(s) must result in increases in the quantity of food that is newly diverted from landfills.
  • “Newly diverted” means the pounds of materials that are currently being landfilled that will instead be diverted because of this project.
• The Applicant must provide contracts, written agreements, or letters of intent between the Applicant and the edible food generating businesses that demonstrate their intent to donate edible food that would otherwise be destined for landfills.

• Food Recovery Projects. Projects that result in food that would otherwise be destined for landfills, being recovered and distributed to people. Any food waste residuals from the food recovered must be composted, sent to a digester, used as animal feed, or otherwise diverted within the project service area, if available.
• Food Waste Prevention Projects. Projects that prevent food waste from being generated and becoming waste that is normally destined for landfills. Food waste prevention projects are only eligible if the proposed grant project includes an edible food recovery project. Examples of food waste prevention projects include, but are not limited to:
  • Modernizing production and handling practices to prevent and reduce food preparation waste.
  • Identifying and modifying ordering practices that result in measurable decreases in food waste.
  • Creating and expanding education and outreach programs that result in quantifiable reductions in food waste

What are the funding levels? A total of $4,750,000 is allocated: $2,850,000 for FY 2021‒22 and $1,900,000 for FY 2022‒23 (subject to FY 2022‒23 budget approval, and funding availability).

The minimum grant award is $150,000 and the maximum grant award is $250,000.

Is there a cost sharing requirement? CalRecycle does not specify a cost sharing requirement in their Application Guidelines and Instructions.

What is the grant duration? Grant awards will likely be made in February 2022 with the grant term ending April 3, 2024.

The full Application Guidelines and Instructions can be found here.

For more information on this grant or how to apply with Morrison’s assistance, please contact the Morrison Grants Team by email at grants@morrisonco.net or call us at 530-893-4764.