Funding for CA Organizations Seeking to Reduce Food Waste
CalRecycle has released their Fiscal Year 2019-2020 Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Program with funding levels ranging from $150,000 minimum to $300,00 maximum per grant award with a total of $4 million available for FY 2019-2020. Applications are due November 20, 2020.
What is the purpose of CalRecycle’s Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program?
The purpose of this competitive grant program is to lower overall greenhouse gas emissions by expanding existing or establishing new food waste prevention and/or rescue projects in California to reduce the amount of food being disposed in landfills.
Who is eligible to apply?
Eligible applicants for this program include: Local governments (cities, counties, or cities and counties; or regional or local sanitation agencies, waste agencies, or joint powers authorities); Nonprofit organizations (except private schools) registered with the federal government under 501(c)3, (c)4, (c)6, (c)10 of the Internal Revenue Code; B-Corp and Benefit Corporations; Private, for-profit entities (must be qualified to do business in California and be in good standing with all applicable California state agencies); State or federal agencies (including offices, department, bureaus, and boards); University of California campuses, California State University campuses, or the California Community College campuses; Solid Waste Facilities; Public School Districts; Qualifying Indian Tribes, defined as an Indian tribe, band, nation or other organized group or community, residing within the borders of California, which 1) is recognized for special programs and services provided by the United States to Indians because of the status of its members as Indians; or 2) can establish that it is a government entity and that meets the criteria of the grant program.
Only two distinct and separate applications per qualifying entity will be accepted. Eligible applicants may submit an individual, cooperative, or regional application (one entity must be identified as the lead participant to act on behalf of the participating entities. A maximum of three other participants are allowed).
What projects are eligible?
Eligible projects for this program include:
- Food waste prevention projects that prevent food waste from being generated and becoming waste that is normally destined for landfills.
- Food rescue projects that result in rescued food being distributed to people, that would otherwise be destined for landfills.
- Any food waste residuals from the food rescue project must be composted or sent to a digester within the project service area (if available).
What are other project requirements?
Projects must be located in California and result in permanent, annual, and measurable:
- Reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions attributed to the production, processing, packaging, distribution, and landfilling of California-generated food waste; and
- Increases in quantity (tons) of California-generated food waste, newly diverted from landfills, and prevented or rescued from disposal.
Projects resulting in a net increase of GHG emissions are ineligible and will not be recommended for funding.
What are the funding levels for this program?
The proposed maximum award for an individual project is $300,000. The proposed minimum award amount is $150,000.
When are applications due?
Applications are due November 202020. Awards are likely to be announced March 2021.
The application guidelines 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.