The MPCA offers several grants focused on reducing the environmental impacts of materials and solid waste across Minnesota. The grant programs will be posting requests for proposals (RFPs) and accepting applications at different times throughout the next two years.
The timing for when and how many RFPs will be published is tentative. More detailed information about eligibility and priority projects will be included in each grant’s RFP once posted.
At a glance
- Greater Minnesota Waste Reduction, Reuse, Recycling, and Composting Grants
Two RFPs: Fall 2023 (closed) and Summer/Fall 2024 - Statewide Prevention of Wasted Food and Food Rescue Grants
Two RFPs: early 2024 and Summer/Fall 2024 - Statewide Recycling Market Development Grants
One RFP: Spring/Summer 2024
- Statewide Organics Management Grants
One RFP: Spring/Summer 2024 - Statewide Sustainable Building and Materials Management Grants
One RFP: April 2024 - Statewide Waste Reduction and Reuse Grants
Two RFPs: Fall/Winter 2023 (closed) and Summer/Fall 2024 - Statewide Wood Waste Management Grants
One RFP: Summer/Fall 2024
Ongoing grants
The following grants are ongoing and accept project proposals annually or bi-annually. These are tentative timelines that may be subject to change as the programs develop their RFPs.
Greater Minnesota waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting grants
Timeframe for two RFP cycles
- Fall 2023 (closed)
- Summer/Fall 2024
Eligible applicants
- political subdivisions of the state outside the Twin Cities Metro Area (if the applicant is a city, the population must be less than 45,000)
- tribal governments
Project eligibility
All projects must be locally administered, have an educational component with measurable outcomes, and include one or more of the following elements:
- waste reduction
- reuse
- recycling
- composting
Statewide prevention of wasted food and food rescue grants
Timeframe for two RFP cycles
- Apply now: Statewide prevention of wasted food and food rescue grants
- Summer/Fall 2024
Eligible applicants
- Minnesota not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations
- for-profit businesses
- institutions
- political subdivisions of the state (including counties, cities, towns, etc.)
- state agencies
- tribal governments
Project eligibility
Funds may be used for programs, staffing, or equipment/supplies for prevention of wasted food and food rescue. Funds must be used for food waste prevention and food rescue only.
Statewide recycling market development grants
Eligible applicants
- Minnesota not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations
- for-profit businesses
- institutions
- political subdivisions of the state (including counties, cities, towns, etc.)
- tribal governments
Project eligibility
Funds may be used for programs, staffing, or equipment/supplies for recycling market development. Funds must be used for recycling only.
One-time grants
The following grants use one-time funds provided by the 2023 Minnesota Legislature. These funds are available between July 2023 and June 2025. These are tentative timelines that may be subject to change as the programs develop their RFPs.
Statewide organics management grants
Timeline for one RFP cycle
- Apply now: Statewide organics management grants
Eligible applicants
- Minnesota not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations
- for-profit businesses
- institutions
- political subdivisions of the state (including counties, cities, towns, etc.)
- State agencies
- tribal governments
Project eligibility
Funds may be used for programs, staffing, or equipment/supplies for organics management activities, such as organics collection, processing, and education. Funds must be used for organics management only.
Statewide sustainable building and materials management grants
Timeline for one RFP cycle
Eligible applicants
- Minnesota not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations
- for-profit businesses
- institutions
- political subdivisions of the state (including counties, cities, towns, etc.)
- state agencies
- tribal governments
Project eligibility
Funds may be used for programs, staffing, or equipment/supplies for sustainable building and materials management, such as structural moving, building preservation, materials salvage and reuse, and deconstruction. Funds must be used for waste reduction and reuse only.
Statewide waste reduction and reuse grants
Timeline for two RFP cycles
- Fall/Winter 2023 (closed)
- Summer/Fall 2024
Eligible applicants
- Minnesota not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations
- for-profit businesses
- institutions
- political subdivisions of the state (including counties, cities, towns, etc.)
- state agencies
- tribal governments
Project eligibility
Funds may be used for programs, staffing, or equipment/supplies for waste reduction and reuse. Funds must be used for waste reduction and reuse only.
Statewide wood waste management grants
Timeline for one RFP cycle
- Summer/Fall 2024
Eligible applicants
- Minnesota not-for-profit and nonprofit organizations,
- for-profit businesses,
- institutions,
- political subdivisions of the state (including counties, cities, towns, etc.),
- State agencies
- tribal governments
Project eligibility
Funds may be used for programs, staffing, research, or equipment/supplies to develop markets for wood (products such as furniture, flooring, biochar products, and mulch).
Definitions
There is some overlap in eligible projects for the available programs. These definitions help clarify the scope of the grant programs and where overlap may occur.
Waste reduction (or prevention)
An activity that prevents generation of waste or the inclusions of toxic materials in waste, including:
- reusing a product in its original form
- increasing the life span of a product
- reducing material or the toxicity of material used in production or packaging
- changing procurement, consumption, or waste generation habits to result in smaller quantities or lower toxicity of waste generated.
Recycling and composting are not waste reduction.
Reuse
The continued use, repair, or repurposing of items or materials in their original form which extends the useful life of resources and decreases demand for new production. Recycling is not reuse.
Recycling
Recycling is the process of collecting and processing materials (that would otherwise be thrown away as trash) and remanufacturing them into new products.
Organics management
Activities which are intended to affect or control organic waste, including:
- food to livestock
- organics recycling
- commercial, small-scale, and backyard composting
- yard waste composting
- anaerobic digestion
- biochar development/utilization
The Greater Minnesota Waste Reduction, Reuse, Recycling, and Composting (GMWRRRC) grants include only composting of source-separated compostable materials or yard waste.
Wood waste management
Activities which are intended to affect or control wood waste resulting from trees and branches knocked down during severe storms or trees removed due to an infestation of Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), including using the wood for:
- furniture
- home goods
- flooring
- compost
- mulch