This month, MassDEP is making three grant programs available to cities and towns, nonprofits, schools and colleges, businesses, and regional authorities to address solid waste and recycling issues. These programs support many solid waste and recycling areas including composting, rescue/reuse/repair, and innovative waste reduction technologies and strategies.

Program: Sustainable Materials Recovery Program Municipal Grant
Eligible Entities: Cities, towns, regional authorities

Application Opens: April 1, 2025

Application Deadline: June 2, 2025

Additional Information: MassDEP seeks grant proposals from municipal entities for the Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP), which supports local recycling, composting/organics, re-use, source reduction, program development, and education and enforcement activities that increase diversion and reduce disposal.

Website: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/apply-for-a-sustainable-materials-recovery-program-smrp-municipal-grant

Program: Reduce, Reuse, Repair Micro-Grants
Eligible Entities: Nonprofits, businesses, schools, colleges, regional authorities, cities and towns

Application Opens: April 15, 2025

Application Deadline: May 15, 2025

Additional Information: Micro-Grants range from a minimum of $3,000 to a maximum of $10,000 for projects that reduce waste by extending the life of products through donation, sharing, rescue, reuse and/or repair. These grants are not for recycling and composting projects.

Website: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/massdep-reduce-reuse-repair-micro-grant

Program: (new!) Waste Reduction Innovation Grants
Eligible Entities: Nonprofit and for profit companies

Application Opens: April 15, 2025

Application Deadline: July 15, 2025

Additional Information: MassDEP announces the first-time offering under the Waste Reduction Innovations Grant (WRIG) program for businesses, organizations, and institutions in Massachusetts that are incorporating cutting edge solutions, new waste reduction applications and innovative technologies for waste reduction, reuse and recovery strategies. WRIG will support critical materials management and infrastructure improvements, allow substantial regional reuse/recycling capacity for new and difficult to manage waste materials with greater efficiency, and increase the quality, performance, and value of recovered materials.

Website: https://www.mass.gov/how-to/waste-reduction-innovation-grant