Questions about the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program grant application are accepted in writing only, no later than September 7, 2022. Similar or related questions may be grouped together or reworded for clarity and responded to as one question.
All questions and answers will be posted during the application period and are subject to updates. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this website for the latest information regarding this grant cycle.
General | Eligibility | Funding | Application
General
- Within the Grant Term Section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions, what is the difference between the RBC34 FY 2022-23 and RBC35 FY 2023–24?
The Grant Term begins on the date of the Notice to Proceed, which is issued after the grant cycle is awarded and the grant agreement has been executed. The FY 2023–24 grant agreement cannot be issued until after the FY 2023–24 state budget has been passed. The Grant Term ends on April 1, 2025 (RBC34 FY 2022–23) or April 1, 2026 (RBC35 FY 2023–24) and all eligible program costs must be incurred by this date. Refer to the Grant Term section in the Application Guidelines and Instructions. - What is the difference between the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program and the City/County Payment Program?
The Grant Program provides opportunities to California local government agencies, cities, counties, regional programs, public colleges and universities, public school districts, non-profit organizations, and qualifying Indian Tribes to promote increased recycling of beverage containers throughout California and reduce the beverage container litter in the waste stream. The Grant Program is a competitive process in which applications are evaluated and scored by a CalRecycle review panel based on the approved Scoring Criteria for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program, FYs 2022–23 and 2023–24. Refer to the Beverage Container Recycling Grants homepage and Application Guidelines and Instructions.
The City/County Payment Program is an entitlement program providing funding for eligible cities and counties specifically for beverage container recycling and litter cleanup activities. For more information regarding the City/County Payment Program, please refer to the Beverage Container Recycling City/County Payment Program Homepage. - How do I identify if my community is in a Disadvantaged Community?
Use the California Communities Environmental Health Screening Tool (CalEnviroScreen 4.0) to identify the disadvantaged community your project would benefit. - Does the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program support more creative solutions for notifying the public of CRV recycling?
Yes. The Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program does support more creative solutions directly related to CRV recycling such as collection events, drop-off, education and outreach, etc. For more information, please email BevContainerGrants@CalRecycle.ca.gov - Does the Beverage Container Recycling Grant pertain only to California Refund Value beverage containers – aluminum, glass, plastic, and bi-metal?
Yes. Funding for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant must have a direct connection to the California Redemption Value (CRV) of beverage containers and the overall program. If non-CRV items are included in the grant, they are subject to proportionate cost. For example: a three bin system with composting, paper, and CRV recycling, can only be funded at one third the cost. A mixed recycling bin will be funded proportionately based on the CRV content of materials collected. - Is a Recycling and Salvage Program facility that diverts recyclable materials to vendors but does not include California Redemption Value (CRV) eligible to apply for infrastructure under the Beverage Container Recycling Grant?
No. The overall program must have a direct connection to the California Redemption Value (CRV) of beverage containers to be eligible for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant and its funding. - If awarded, what is the term of the grant project?
The grant term begins on the date that CalRecycle emails the Notice to Proceed and the grant term ends on April 1, 2025 (FY 2022-23) and April 1, 2026 (FY 2023-24). For detailed information, refer to Milestones Section of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle. - Are applicants required to submit a Work Plan with the application for Fiscal Year (FY) 2022-23 and/or 2023-24?
Applicants are required to submit CalRecycle’s Work Plan for FY 2022-23 along with the application. If an applicant is not awarded for FY 2022-23 but awarded for FY 2023-24, they will be required to submit CalRecycle’s Work Plan for FY 2023-24. - If an applicant is not awarded for the first grant cycle funding, are they automatically considered for the second grant cycle funding?
All eligible applicants will be ranked according to the total number of points received using the approved scoring criteria. Applicants must score a minimum of 39 points of a possible 63 points to be considered for funding. The next highest scoring applicant will receive funding and so on until all available funds are exhausted. - Will CalRecycle schedule a webinar for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant?
No webinar is scheduled for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program. For more information regarding the Beverage Container Recycling Grant, refer to the Beverage Container Recycling Grants homepage and Application Guidelines and Instructions. - Is a jurisdiction eligible to apply for both the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program and the Beverage Container Recycling City/County Payment Program?
Yes. A jurisdiction may apply for both programs. However, they are two distinct programs with separate applications and due dates.
The Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program is competitive in which applications are evaluated and scored by a CalRecycle review panel based on the approved Scoring Criteria for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program, FYs 2022–23 and 2023–24. Refer to the Beverage Container Recycling Grants homepage and Application Guidelines and Instructions.
The City/County Payment Program is a non-competitive program providing funding for eligible cities and counties specifically for beverage container recycling and litter cleanup activities. For more information regarding the City/County Payment Program, please refer to the Beverage Container Recycling City/County Payment Program Homepage. - Is a fiscally-sponsored entity eligible to apply for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program (FY 2022-23 and 2023-24)?
We are not a non-profit organization, but we are fiscally sponsored by one.
Yes, Eligible applicants for the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program include non-profit organizations (except private schools K-12) registered with the federal government under 501(c)3, (c),6, or (c)10 of the Internal Revenue Code. Refer to the Eligible Applicants Section in the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
Eligibility
- Are Permanent Recycling Centers and CRV drop off locations eligible under this grant?
Private, for profit businesses and individuals are not eligible to apply for the Grant Program. Refer to the Eligible Applicants section in the Application Guidelines and Instructions. - Are Zero Waste Programs an eligible expense?
Only the CRV Beverage Container Recycling component of a Zero Waste Program is an eligible expense. - Are mixed recycling bins an eligible expense?
Only the CRV beverage container recycling component is an eligible expense. A proportionate cost will be applied to mixed recycling bins. - Is bin signage an eligible expense?
Yes, bin signage is an eligible expense. A proportionate cost must be applied if the signage/bin is not 100% CRV beverage container material. - Are cluster bins an eligible expense?
a. Combination cluster bins that are permanently attached together and collect both CRV and landfill materials are 100% eligible.
b. Cluster bins that combine CRV with any other type of collection is subject to a proportionate cost rate (i.e., Composting, Landfill, and CRV would be funded at a two thirds proportionate rate.). - What type of expenditures are eligible and ineligible under the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program?
Purchase of equipment related to beverage container recycling is an eligible cost. For detailed information, refer to Eligible and Ineligible Costs Sections of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle. - Does this grant support the expansion/relocation of CRV buyback collection facilities and/or kiosks, which have significantly decreased in recent years?
No. Start-up costs are not eligible for Recycling Centers. - Is the purchase of the blue recycling bins eligible under this grant program?
If blue recycling bins are utilized for mixed materials it will be funded proportionately based on the CRV materials collected. However, if the blue recycling bins are utilized for the collection of CRV materials only, it will be funded at 100 percent. Refer to the Eligible Costs Section of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle. - Can grant funds be used to purchase water refill stations for a jurisdiction?
Purchase of water refill stations, including the installation, education and outreach, or replacement of infrastructure, plumbing, maintenance, additional attachments or modifications, is an eligible cost. Refer to the Eligible Costs Section of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle. - Will a proportional cost methodology apply to dual bin collection systems consisting of landfill and beverage container recycling?
No. Dual bin collection systems that are permanently attached together to include landfill and California Redemption Value (CRV) beverage containers are 100 percent eligible. - How is a proportionate cost/rate methodology determined prior to purchasing mixed recycling bins? Will the grantee be required to return grant funds to CalRecycle if it is determined that less California Redemption Value (CRV) is collected than what was anticipated?
A proportionate cost/rate methodology may be determined by the grantee by conducting a waste characterization audit. The audit may identify the tonnage of CRV beverage containers being collected and assist in determining the number of mixed recycling bins that are required for the grant project. Refer to Eligible Costs Section of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle.
No, grant funds do not need to be returned to CalRecycle. Payments to a grantee for eligible grant expenditures are made on a reimbursement basis only and for those materials and services specified in the approved grant application. Refer to Grant Payment Information Section of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle. - Are litter abatement and/or cleanup projects along the U.S. and Mexico border considered eligible activities?
Yes, the CRV beverage containers collected along the U.S. and Mexico border are eligible. Any out of state beverage containers collected during the cleanup are ineligible and will be considered as scrap. - Is it acceptable to submit an application solely for the implementation of new water refill stations? Or does the application have to include plans for beverage container recycling bins?
Applicants may submit an application for the implementation of water refill stations, including purchase, installation, education and outreach, or replacement of infrastructure, plumbing, maintenance, additional attachments or modifications. This is an eligible cost. Refer to the Eligible Costs Section of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle.
No, the beverage container recycling bins are not required if the applicant intends to implement the water refill stations as a project. However, if awarded, grantees will need to establish baseline data for the weight of California Redemption Value (CRV) material and a minimum of 12 months data collection is required at the end of the grant term. - What type of personnel expenditures are eligible under the Beverage Container Recycling Grant?
Personnel costs directly related to the start-up/implementation of the project are capped at 25 percent of the total grant award (e.g., recycling coordinator salaries/wages for those directly involved with the project, student interns, consultants, etc.). Refer to the Eligible Costs Section of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle for more information. - Are beverage recycling businesses required to be licensed or certified from CalRecycle?
The applicant must be certified or registered by CalRecycle to collect beverage containers. - Should a JPA organization apply with an Individual or Regional application?
Joint Powers Authorities (JPA) may submit a grant application as an individual applicant. An entity may not submit an individual application if that entity is also a member of an applicant JPA. In addition to the requirements for an Individual Application, a JPA must upload a copy of its JPA Agreement. - Are Bigbelly solar compactors and recycling carts an eligible expenditure?
Purchase of equipment related to beverage container recycling is an eligible cost. Recycling carts that combine CRV with any other type of collection is subject to a proportionate cost rate (i.e., Composting, Landfill, and CRV would be funded at a two-thirds proportionate rate). For detailed information, refer to Eligible and Ineligible Costs Sections of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle. - Is the purchase of a vehicle an eligible cost under this program?
To be eligible, the purchase of a vehicle must be utilized in the collection of CRV beverage containers and part of the overall scope of the grant project. If non-CRV materials are part of the collection and included in the grant, they are subject to proportional cost. For detailed information, refer to Eligible and Ineligible Costs Sections of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle. - Are black recycling bins an eligible expense?
Recycling bins utilized in the collection of CRV beverage containers are an eligible expense. However, a proportionate cost must be applied if the recycling bins are utilized for the collection of non-CRV materials. - There are various vendors that produce infrastructure for recycling solutions. Is an underground compacting landfill and recycling bin system eligible under this program?
An underground compacting landfill and recycling bin system is eligible if it’s solely used for the collection of CRV beverage containers. Mixed recycling bins/systems utilized to collect CRV beverage containers with other non CRV materials are subject to a proportionate cost rate (i.e., Composting, Landfill, and CRV would be funded at a two- thirds proportionate rate). - Should City staff or subcontractors’ hours performing beverage container recycling education and outreach be categorized as Personnel or Education and Outreach for this grant program?
City staff or subcontractors’ hours related to beverage container recycling education and outreach may be included in Personnel costs. Personnel costs directly related to the start-up/implementation of the project are capped at 25 percent of the total grant award (e.g., recycling coordinator salaries/wages for those directly involved with the project, students, consultants, etc.). - Is the purchase of in-unit totes for multi-family residents to include images of beverage container recycling materials an eligible expense? Would it be categorized as an Education and Outreach cost?
The purchase of the in-unit totes for multi-family residents to include images of beverage container recycling materials is an eligible expense under the Equipment category. However, education and outreach activities and materials are subject to a proportionate cost/rate if it includes other material types. For example, an image with composting, paper, and CRV beverage container recycling can only be funded at one third the cost. - How far away from the United States-Mexico border can an applicant conduct litter reduction and cleanup projects?
Applicants must conduct the litter abatement and cleanup projects within 60 miles from the United States-Mexico border where the waste stream includes beverage containers that will be recycled. Out of State beverage containers collected as part of the litter abatement and cleanup projects cannot be funded under this grant program.
Funding
- Are there any grants available for startup costs for a Recycling Center Business or nonprofit collection/drop-off program in a convenience zone?
No. Costs for establishing a recycling center are not eligible for reimbursement under the current grant program. However, grant funds may be utilized for infrastructure such as, beverage container recycling bins, beverage container recycling education and outreach, and personnel costs in the existing recycling center. Refer to the Eligible and Ineligible Costs Sections of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle. - What kind of funds are available?
Refer to Available Funds Section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
Both cycles will be awarded using information submitted in the RBC34 application. RBC34 (FY 2022–23) will be awarded in April of 2023 and RBC35 (FY 2023–24) will be awarded in June of 2023. Only one submitted application will be used to consider funding for the combined grant cycles. The allocation is $1,500,000 for each fiscal year, totaling $3,000,000. A minimum grant award of $75,000 and a maximum grant award of $275,000 apply to each cycle. An applicant cannot receive grants in both - Are matching funds required for this grant program?
This program does not require matching funds.
Application
- When will this new funding opportunity be available? What is the maximum grant award?
The application solicitation period will be on August 17, 2022, and applications are due October 18, 2022. Refer to the Timeline and Cycle Details section of the Notice of Funds Available web page.
A minimum grant award is $75,000 and the maximum is $275,000. Please refer to Available Funds Section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions. - Are bids/quotes for purchases such as bins or other materials required to be uploaded with the application? If so, is there a required number of quotes needed (for example, three quotes per purchase)?
Applicants may submit additional documents/attachments including estimates, bids, or other costs to support the requested amount in the Budget document for purchases of equipment or materials.
Three bids are required for reimbursement of eligible expenditures over $5,000. - How can we access the Beverage Container Recycling Grant application?
The application is available in CalRecycle’s web-based Grants Management System. You must have a CalRecycle WebPass to log in to the system. If you have not previously obtained a CalRecycle WebPass page you may create an account at the CalRecycle WebPass page. Refer to the Application Access Section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions. - Can an individual applicant utilize grant funds to cover regional program expenses taking place in cities throughout the County including unincorporated areas?
Yes. Grant funds may cover beverage container recycling related expenditures incurred by the County and unincorporated areas. For detailed information, refer to Eligible and Ineligible Costs Sections of the Procedures and Requirements of your cycle. - If a County applies as a regional applicant, can the County choose which cities within the County to participate in the Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program?
Local governments may join together in a Regional Application in which two or more eligible jurisdictions join together for the purpose of grant implementation. In a Regional Application, each participating jurisdiction chooses to participate in the Program. A Regional Lead Participant must be designated to act on behalf of all Non-Lead Participants. The Lead Participant is the applicant, and if awarded, will be the grantee responsible for the performance of the grant and all required documentation. - Does a college Climate Action Plan or Facilities Master Plan meet the requirement for EPPP policy?
Applicants must adopt an EPPP policy by the Secondary Due Date, November 17, 2022. For information about the EPPP policy requirement, refer to the Environmentally Preferable Purchases and Practices Policy Requirement section in the Application Guidelines and Instructions and visit the EPPP Frequently Asked Questions web page. - Are applicants required to have an EPPP Policy when applying for the grant?
Applicants must adopt an EPPP Policy by the Secondary Due Date, November 17, 2022. For information about the EPPP policy requirement, refer to the Environmentally Preferable Purchases and Practices Policy Requirement section in the Application Guidelines and Instructions and visit the EPPP Frequently Asked Questions web page. - Is a grantee eligible to apply for FY 2022-23 and 2023-24 Beverage Container Recycling Grant if they were awarded for a grant in FY 2020-21 and 2021-22?
No. Applicants that were awarded in the last two fiscal years (FY 2021–22 and FY 2020–21) from the eligible applicant pool will be excluded. - Can a Municipal Water District applying for grant funds to purchase and install water refill stations for local schools be eligible to apply as an Individual or a Cooperative Application?
Eligible applicants may apply as an individual or as a cooperative applicant. Only one application can be submitted per entity. Eligible entities may join together in a cooperative grant application in which two or more eligible entities join together to implement the grant. A Lead Participant (Lead) must be designated to act on behalf of all participating entities. The Lead is the applicant, and if awarded, will be the grantee responsible for the performance of the grant and all required documentation. - We are a council of governments and recognized as a government agency. However, we do not have authority over solid waste management. Are we eligible to apply as a cooperative or regional application?
Yes, eligible applicants may apply as a cooperative or regional application.
Entities may join together in a Cooperative Application in which two or more eligible entities join together for the purpose of grant implementation. A Lead Participant must be designated to act on behalf of all Non-Lead Participants. The Lead Participant is the entity who will be responsible for the performance of the grant and all required documentation.
Local governments may join together in a Regional Application in which two or more eligible jurisdictions join together for the purpose of grant implementation. A Regional Lead Participant must be designated to act on behalf of all Non-Lead Participants. The Lead Participant is the applicant, and if awarded, will be the grantee responsible for the performance of the grant and all required documentation.
If the council of governments is a JPA, then the applicant would apply as a JPA. Please see JPA application requirements in the Guidelines and Instructions.
Refer to the Eligible Applicants Section of the Guidelines and Instructions.