Ecomaine to issue $25,000 in recycling grants

Ecomaine, Portland, Maine, issued a call for proposals Sept. 14 for the organization’s 2020-21 round of recycling grants, which are designed to raise recycling awareness in schools and communities and to help schools implement more efficient recycling programs or add composting to their waste collection programs.

The organization announced that any school from its 70 member communities within the state can apply for recycling grants through Oct. 30.

“This year is obviously proving to be a tough one for all of us, especially schools and students,” Caleb Hemphill, chair of Ecomaine’s Outreach & Recycling Committee, says. “It is Ecomaine’s hope that this funding can help maintain some of the important programming around recycling, compost and waste reduction that we’ve seen in our schools. We’re looking forward to seeing some creative proposals in 2020-21.”

Past grant proposals have gone toward initiatives such as purchasing in-school recycling bins, education materials or electric hand driers to reduce paper towel waste; offsetting compost hauling fees; and assisting schools to participate in tours of Ecomaine. If selected, school recipients can receive up to $5,000 of the $25,000 available grant funds for the 2020-21 school year.

Awardees will be chosen based on the following criteria:

• project outline and school commitment; 
• ease of project replication; 
• likelihood of success and program sustainability; and
• how compelling and worthy the funding is.

Following the Oct. 30 deadline, proposals will be reviewed by Ecomaine’s Outreach & Recycling Committee, and recipients will be notified by mid-November.

More information on the entire grants program can be found online.