Grant Programs

Summary
The Recycling Makes Sense Grant Program has many goals:

• to substantially increase residential recycling rates;
• to create a results-driven, incentive based grant program which encourages all recycling stakeholders to improve and enhance programs to achieve greater waste reduction rates;
• to foster greater cooperation across the District and encourage stakeholders to share successful ideas and programs and to spur greater innovation and efficiency in existing programs;
• to create an equitable system for funding recycling programs;
• and to create a sustainable recycling infrastructure throughout the District.

Earned funding must go toward one of the District’s Fundable Expenses (a list is provided to all recipients). Recipients will be required to track tonnages and expenses in a web-based tracking program.

Funding Available
Base rate for drop-off programs, subscription curbside programs, and non-subscription curbside programs is $25/ton. Drop-off programs may earn additional dollars if they meet other criteria (maximum rate is $45/ton):

• $5 more per ton if they provide 90% access rate for residents in the county, keep their public drop-off site open 40 hours a week, and collect at least five materials from the list provided in the District’s Plan (they must meet these requirements before receiving further additional funding)
• $5 more per ton if they collect at least seven materials from the list provided in the District’s Plan
• $5 more per ton if they average 30 pounds per resident in the previous year
• $5 more per ton if they average 80 pounds per resident in the previous year

Non-subscription curbside programs may earn additional dollars if they meet other criteria (maximum rate is $50/ton):

• $10 more per ton if they provide 90% access rate for residents in the county, collect one time per week, and collect at least five materials from the list provided in the District’s Plan (they must meet these requirements before receiving further additional funding)
• $5 more per ton if they collect at least seven materials from the list provided in the District’s Plan
• $5 more per ton if they average 60 pounds per resident in the previous year
• $5 more per ton if they average 80 pounds per resident in the previous year

Summary
The District offers this grant program to assist in the maintenance and operation of recycling, yard waste, and tire drop-off facilities. Maintenance and operation services may include assisting residents bringing recyclable materials to the drop-off (i.e., carrying and sorting recyclables), conducting litter clean-up at the drop-off locations and properly disposing of contamination in the recycling bins (i.e., disposal of unacceptable materials), and loading materials into collection bins. Host Community Grant recipients are expected to keep drop-offs clean, free from debris and available to all District residents.

Funding Available
Recipients can earn up to $2,500 annually for the purpose of cleaning up or maintaining targeted sites such as high-volume sites or sites with significant dumping.

The following criteria are used to evaluate potential grant recipients:

• the highest priority will be given to pay-as-you-throw programs with weekly recycling or yard waste curbside collection;
• preference will be given to curbside recycling or yard waste programs over drop-off programs;
• and preference will be given to new programs versus modification or expansion of existing programs.

The funding may be used for equipment, containers, fencing, cameras and maintenance as well as other costs associated with the operation of the recycling or yard waste program.

Funding Available
Total amount allocated annually is $150,000. Past awards have ranged from $500-$46,000.

Summary
The mini grant program is designed to assist with program needs or educational outreach. Mini-grants are competitive and reimbursable. Funding may be used for education outreach and awareness, equipment and signage.

Funding Available
Up to $2,500 for General Mini-grants. The mini-grants are limited to one grant per applicant per year. Grant awards are dependent upon budgetary availability.

Summary
Recycling and Composting Infrastructure Enhancement Grant funding targets facilities with the following set of criteria:

• identified recycling capacity gaps;
• ability to target new tonnage; ability to target new materials;
• and operational need.

The intent of the recycling and composting infrastructure enhancement grants is to build upon existing recycling and composting infrastructure within the District which assures processing capacity as the District’s programs expand to include new material or higher volume of material. Any processor who is awarded a recycling and composting infrastructure enhancement grant must participate in the District’s annual recycling survey for the Annual District Report (ADR) and provide waste reduction reporting to the District for as long as the facility remains operational.

Funding Available
Please inquire if interested. Past awards have ranged from $16,000-$89,000.

Funding Available
Each Sheriff Department in each county is awarded $95,000. This amount is for the equivalent of one paid sheriff deputy and/or related expenses to perform the duties needed by the District.

Summary
The District awards Health Department Grants to provide residential well testing and inspection of monitoring wells around solid waste landfills, inspection of solid waste entering solid facilities, and investigations of open dumps/scrap tire dumps.

Funding Available
A total of $325,000 is provided to the following health departments:

• Stark County Health Department ($170,000),
• Tuscarawas County Health Department ($85,000),
• Wayne County Health Department ($35,000)
• City of Canton Health Department ($35,000).

The amounts are based on the number of solid waste facilities in each county as well as other solid waste duties.