The Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA) is offering approximately $1 million in grants to support projects focused on waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting within communities outside of the Twin Cities metro area. This grant initiative, known as the Greater Minnesota Waste Reduction, Reuse, Recycling, and Composting (Greater MN WRRRC) Grant, is designed to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of local waste management efforts, which is anticipated to reduce landfill use and benefit both the environment and regional economies.

The purpose of this grant program is to support Minnesota’s waste management hierarchy, which prioritizes waste reduction and reuse as essential strategies. By expanding the grant's scope to include waste reduction and reuse projects alongside recycling and composting, the MPCA aims to align more closely with these environmental goals. Projects funded through this program can help communities minimize landfill contributions, conserve resources, and build sustainable waste practices that promote the circular economy. The funding amounts range from a minimum of $50,000 to a maximum of $250,000 per project, and applicants are required to provide a 25% cash match that cannot be sourced from MPCA-administered funds.

Eligible applicants include cities, counties, townships, and tribal entities within Greater Minnesota, provided that the cities have populations under 45,000. All projects must request at least $50,000 in grant funding to be eligible. Applications requesting less than the minimum award will not be considered. This eligibility criterion supports medium- to large-scale projects capable of making significant impacts on local waste management practices. The funding is intended to support infrastructure, program development, and other initiatives that directly contribute to reducing waste through prevention, recycling, or composting.

Applications must be submitted via the Statewide Integrated Financial Tools (SWIFT) Supplier Portal by 4 p.m. on Wednesday, November 13, 2024. Applicants must register as bidders in the SWIFT system, which includes reviewing the RFP listed under event ID 2000016228. Required application forms and detailed instructions are available in the portal’s “Bidding opportunities” section, and applications are only accepted through this system. For applicants unfamiliar with the SWIFT process, the Vendor Assistance Help Desk is available for support, and additional registration guidance can be found on the portal.

Any questions about the grant must be submitted via email to grants.pca@state.mn.us by 4 p.m. on November 8, 2024, using “Greater Minnesota Grant Question” as the email subject line. MPCA staff are prohibited from discussing the grant directly with applicants, and any direct inquiries outside the designated process may disqualify the applicant. Answers to submitted questions will be published on the SWIFT Supplier Portal to ensure equitable access to information.

This funding round is an opportunity for eligible entities to advance their local waste management programs, benefiting both public health and sustainability goals in their communities. Interested applicants should ensure they complete the SWIFT registration process and prepare their applications in line with the MPCA’s focus on impactful, community-centered waste reduction and recycling initiatives. The final application deadline is November 13, 2024, by 4 p.m.