Questions about the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program grant application are accepted in writing only, no later than January 10, 2019. Similar or related questions may be grouped together or reworded for clarity and responded to as one question.
General
1. Could you give us an example of partnerships that would work for this grant?
The following are several examples of Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program partnerships:
- Food rescue organizations working collectively with food generators to expand their ability to manage, collect and distribute food otherwise destined for landfills
- Local Governments coordinating food waste prevention activities with food generators to reduce food waste
- School Districts or colleges/universities working together to increase food rescued on-site or in conjunction with food rescue organizations
2. How long is the grant period for FW3 Fiscal Year 2018–19?
The Grant Term begins on the date of the Notice to Proceed email, which is sent after the grant is awarded and the grant agreement is fully executed. The Grant Term ends on April 1, 2021. Please refer to Grant Term section on page 6 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
3. If grants are tentatively awarded in May 2019, is our program expected to start at that time?
No, the Grant Term begins on the date of the Notice to Proceed email and ends on April 1, 2021.
NOTE: Program costs may NOT be incurred prior to receiving the Notice to Proceed email. Please refer to Grant Term section on page 6 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
4. Are grantees subject to an annual state audit? If so, will co-applicants be subject to an annual state audit, or just the lead applicant?
The State of California has the right to review the project documents and conduct audits during project implementation and three years after the final payment or end date. Records and supporting documentation pertaining to the performance of the grant must be kept for a minimum of three (3) years after final payment date or Grant Term end date, whichever is later. The participants listed in the application are subject to the same requirement. Please see the Audit Considerations section on page 16 of the Procedure and Requirements.
5. What is the process for requesting copies of successful applications for previous grant program years?
To review grant applications from previous cycles a Public Information Request must be made. If approved, the requested material will either be emailed or posted on a designated CalRecycle webpage for public information. To request previously submitted grant applications please visit our California Public Records Act Requests website.
6. What is a Letter of Commitment?
A Letter of Commitment authorizes the submittal of the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program application on behalf of the applicant. Applicants that are not subject to a governing body must upload a Letter of Commitment that authorizes specific grant-related matters. Please see page 18 of A pplication Guidelines and Instructionsfor more information.
7. What is a charter city? Can charter cities apply for a CalRecycle Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant?
A charter city is a city in which the governing system is defined by the city’s own charter document rather than by state law. California Labor Code section 1782 prohibits a charter city from receiving state funding or financial assistance for construction projects if that charter city does not comply with Labor Code sections 1770-1782. Please see page 4 of Application Guidelines and Instructions for more information about eligibility for charter cities.
8. Who is the Lead Agency for Environmental Review?
Per Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section 15367 (California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines), “Lead Agency” is the public agency which has the principal responsibility for carrying out or approving a project. The Lead Agency will decide whether an EIR or Negative Declaration will be required for the project and will cause the document to be prepared. Criteria for determining which agency will be the Lead Agency for a project are contained in Section 15051.
Environmental review generally begins with the local government (city or county) as the Lead Agency when they determine the conditions for using a piece of property. Please see page 8 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions for more information.
9. How can I be sure my Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program application is fully submitted?
The Submit Application button will be enabled when all required requirements have been completed. However, be sure to review the Other Supporting Document(s) as applicable for your Application/Project. Click the Submit Application button and the application status, located in the Application Information section of the Summary tab, will change to submitted. Please refer to the Application Submittal and Deadline section in the Application Guidelines and Instructions. The Grant Management System will send the user a confirmation email upon submittal.
10. We received grant funds in a previous cycle from CalRecycle for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program. Is it possible to shorten the term of the existing grant if we apply for the third cycle grant and are awarded funds? For example, the current grant has an anticipated expiration date of April 2020. If the new application is approved will CalRecycle allow you to conclude the existing grant term in January 2020, provided all the outcomes were met and funds expended?
No, the Grant Term end date may not be altered. All reporting requirements must continue on schedule and be submitted through the grant term in order to collect all results of the current grant. You may be awarded a new grant even if your current grant is active. Each grant project must report separate food waste prevention and/or food rescue weights diverted from landfill.
11. Please elaborate on “newly-diverted”. Does it include pounds of food that would otherwise be landfilled that will instead be prevented and/or rescued as a result of the continuation and possible expansion of an existing project beginning on the Notice to Proceed date? Or does it only apply to a new project beginning on the Notice to Proceed date?
“Newly diverted” means the pounds of food that would otherwise be landfilled that will instead be prevented and/or rescued as a result of the project. The diversion must occur as a result of a new project or expansion of an existing project due to grant funding.
12. Can you fix the “Net Pounds of Newly Diverted Food Waste Prevented or Rescued from Landfills” file in the Grants Management System so it automatically downloads as an excel?
“The Net Pounds of Newly Diverted Food Waste Prevented or Rescued from Landfills” file in GMS is an Excel file. If you are having trouble accessing the document, please try using a different browser; Internet Explorer and Chrome are good options.
13. What would be the deadline for application consideration? Are there any specific dates or deadlines?
Applications are due January 31, 2019 by 11:59 p.m. The Secondary Due Date for the Resolution and Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and Practices (EPPP) Policy is February 28, 2019. The complete timeline for the FY 2018-19 Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program are available on the Notice of Funds Available and in the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
Eligibility
1. For K-12 school districts, can cafeterias be considered if preventing food waste or rescuing food for human consumption?
Yes. K-12 public school districts are eligible to apply for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program if the projected prevents food waste or rescues food that otherwise would be disposed.
2. Can for-profit businesses apply for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program?
Yes, for-profit businesses are eligible as long as the project results in preventing food waste or rescuing food that otherwise would be disposed. The business must be qualified to do business in California and be in good standing with all applicable California state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Secretary of State and the Franchise Tax Board. Please refer to Eligible Applicants section on page 3 of the A pplication Guidelines and Instructions.
3. Are composting projects eligible for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program?
Composting projects are not be eligible for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program. Composting projects are eligible under our Organics Grant Program.
4. Are existing CalRecycle grantees eligible to apply for this new grant cycle?
Yes, current CalRecycle grantees are eligible to apply for this new grant cycle if the activities result in new tons of food waste prevented or rescued separate and distinct from the previous funds awarded.
5. Are companies based outside of California, but have offices and are registered to do business in California eligible to apply for this grant?
Yes, companies based outside of California, but have offices and project(s) in California are eligible to apply for this grant. Please note the Grants Management System does not allow for non-California counties/jurisdictions to be selected. If the organization’s headquarters is located out of California you must select the county/jurisdiction in which the local California office is located. Please see application instructions section on page 10 in the A pplication Guidelines and Instructions.
6. A. Our non-profit organization’s main headquarters is based in Washington D.C., and we have been working the last two years on expansion efforts in California. We currently have 67 chapters across the United States including a chapter at a University of California campus. Is the chapter located on campus considered a local office in California?
Yes, if the organization’s headquarters is located outside of California, you must select the county/jurisdiction in which the local California office is located. All projects must be located in California and result in increases in the quantity of food waste prevented and/or rescued to avoid disposal in California landfills. In addition, projects must also result in permanent, annual and measurable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions specifically as a result of food waste prevention and rescue activities of this project. Eligible applicants may submit an individual, cooperative (typically for two or more private entities), or regional application (typically for two or more local government entities). For a cooperative or regional application, one entity must be identified as the Lead Participant to act on behalf of the participating entities. A maximum of three other participants is allowed. Please refer to Eligible Applicants section on page 4 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
6. B. In addition, if the nonprofit organization is at the University of California campus, would we be able to apply as our own entity called The Campus Kitchens Project, or would claiming the University as our local office cause us to apply as a University entity?
The nonprofit must be registered with the IRS in accordance to the Internal Revenue Code. If the nonprofit is registered as Campus Kitchens Project, then they should apply as such and manage their own funding and expenditures and report their own taxes.
7. Our project is unique in that it focuses on rescuing food that is no longer edible for human consumption but still highly valuable as a food source for other animals. We are working on multiple ways to divert food waste residuals from large scale composting facilities, digesters, and/or landfills as material stocks for our black soldier fly operation and livestock feed project. We believe that the “Feed Animals” strata of the EPA’s Food Recovery Hierarchy is one that gets overlooked and that we are developing strategies to accomplish. Given the above introduction would our project(s) be eligible for the FY 2018-19 Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program?
No, only projects that rescue edible food to feed people, or projects that prevent food waste, are eligible for CalRecycle’s Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program.
8. Are gleaning projects eligible for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program?
Gleaning is an eligible activity provided that the gleaned food would otherwise go to landfill and is distributed to feed people. Additionally, any food waste residuals from the project must be sent to a composting or anaerobic digestion facility when available within the project service area. Please refer to the Eligible Projects section on page 6 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
9. Would a food waste prevention and rescue project still qualify if the generator is already in compliance with AB 1826 (businesses that subscribe to compost collection service on site or back-haul wasted food to a composting facility)?
It depends. If the generator’s food waste is already being composted, the generator would not be eligible. Eligible food waste prevention projects prevent food waste from being generated and becoming waste normally destined for landfills, with any food waste residuals from the project being sent to a composting or digestion when available within the project service area. The project requirements for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program are permanent, annual, and measurable: 1) reductions in greenhouse gas emissions as a result of diverting food waste from California landfills, and 2) increases in quantity of food waste prevented and/or rescued to avoid disposal in California landfills.
10. If a company (foreign limited liability company, with formation in a different state) has offices in California, does it have to be registered with the Secretary of State in California to be eligible for the grant?
The business must be qualified to do business in California and be in good standing with all applicable California state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Secretary of State and the Franchise Tax Board. Please refer to the Eligible Applicants section on page 4 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
11. Do you fund startups that are working on new solutions and have no revenue in food waste yet. If yes, what supporting information do you require?
Yes, only if these activities result in additional emission reductions and landfill diversion through prevention and rescue. Eligible applicants include local governments, nonprofit organizations, B-Corp and Benefit Corporations, private, for-profit entities, state or federal agencies, University of California campuses, solid waste facilities, public school districts and qualifying Indian Tribes. Please see pages 4 and 14 of the A pplication Guidelines and Instructions for more information.
Supporting documentation includes letter(s) of intent, lists of food donors, and amounts of food available for prevention and/or rescue. Please see page 18 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions for more information.
Project viability is evaluated as part of the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program Scoring Criteria for Cycle 3. Project viability includes indicating that the applicant has the required level of experience preventing food waste or rescuing food to people and relationships with food waste prevention partners or food rescued.
12. Are expenses for implementing a reusable food leftovers container program at a large university eligible costs?
Only activities that prevent food waste and/or rescue food that would otherwise be landfilled are eligible under this grant program.
13. We use dehydrators in our rescue process. If we use the dehydrators to dry grain to flour, would that qualify us to use the grant to invest in better equipment to rescue larger quantities of food? Are food dehydrators or pickling supplies to extend the shelf life for left over produce eligible costs?
Food dehydrators and pickling supplies could be eligible costs provided that the use of this equipment directly results in preventing food waste and or rescuing food that would otherwise be landfilled.
Please note that food waste dehydrators are not eligible to be purchased using grant funds. See the Eligible Costs and Ineligible Costs sections on pages 6 and 7 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
14. Would a proposed project be eligible for funding if it increases pounds of food recovered for human consumption but in doing so diverts food waste from an existing food waste to compost program?
No, only projects that divert food waste from landfills are eligible to apply for this grant program. Projects that divert food waste from compost are not eligible. The project must result in an increase in the quantity of food waste prevented and/or rescued to avoid disposal in California landfills.
15. Does the creation of beverages from food that would have otherwise been discarded count as edible food? Or, does removing the food from materials destined for landfill count toward food waste prevention?
Producing a beverage to feed people using food that would otherwise go to landfill is an eligible activity. The residual material would also need to be composted/digested where services are available.
For clarification on activities that can be counted as food waste prevention, please refer to the food waste prevention definition provided in the Narrative Proposal Document located in GMS.
16. We are a small, private company and we are planning to move our technology to the 99 agricultural corridor later in the year. It is our intention to manufacture our product from agricultural food residues as close to the source as possible and within economically challenged areas. Can we apply for this grant with the intention of rural development, when we may not be at our new location by the deadline for the grant application?
The application should be written, and supporting documentation provided, based on the proposed location for the project. A grantee may not relocate their project site to another location during the grant term. This would change the scope of the project. The project site must be located in California and the project must divert waste from California landfills.
17. Food banks receive food from a variety of sources such as retailers, wholesalers, farms, USDA, donation drives, other food banks, etc. to distribute to the community. We are interested in purchasing equipment that would help our overall capacity to receive and distribute food from these sources including product we know would otherwise go to landfills (e.g. retail donations). However, this grant may or may not consider all food that a food bank receives/distributes to be waste prevention or food rescue depending on the source. For food rescue grant projects, would food received through federal programs not be considered as “prevented or rescued to avoid disposal in landfills”? If so, would this product need to be excluded from GHG reduction metrics?
Food Bank costs associated with collecting and distributing food received through federal programs are not eligible. At the food bank level, all food received from federal programs would need to be excluded from the applicant’s rescue pounds claimed and GHG calculation. Receiving food from a federal program such as USDA is not rescuing food from landfill disposal. However, if the applicant can prove through documentation provided by the federal program that this food would otherwise be landfilled in California, then it can be counted as pounds of food rescued from landfills and included in the GHG calculation.
18. Can an applicant set up an organics program that would subsidize businesses to participate in existing waste hauler organics programs? Specifically, the existing program would provide an organics “bin” at a business that produces organic waste, for a fee. The idea would be for the City to use a portion of the grant to incentivize business participation in the program.
No. Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program projects must rescue edible food that is destined for landfilling and use it to feed people.
Funding
1. Can funds be used to renovate or expand existing kitchens?
Yes, if the project results in additional food waste prevention and/or rescue of food that otherwise would have been landfilled.
2. Can funds be used for a food waste reduction education campaign?
Yes, funds can be used for education materials and education campaigns but are subject to the following cap. Education materials are included in the category of “Salaries, public education, and outreach” which cannot exceed 50 percent of the applicant’s requested grant amount or $150,000 as listed in the Eligible Costs section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
3. Can funds be used to purchase a grinder to aid in composting food waste material, since there is no organics collection facility in our region?
No, purchasing a grinder to aid in composting food waste would not be eligible for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program. Composting projects are eligible under our Organics Grant Program.
4. Can you please confirm that items such as refrigerated trucks are eligible expenditures? Our team has received mixed signals from the information session, the eligible items list in the application, and last year’s award winners, who included such items and received funding.
Yes, refrigerated trucks and vans are eligible costs under the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program. Please refer to the Eligible Costs section, beginning on page 6, of the Application Guidelines and Instructions. Please note, the GHG emissions associated with the refrigeration equipment and vehicles purchased using grant funds may reduce your project’s overall GHG emissions reductions and impact your final score.
5. Are personnel funds calculated on actual costs throughout the grant period or is it pro-rated?
Expenses for personnel may be reimbursed after they are incurred in the grant period. Please note that salary is a capped expense. Salaries, public education, and outreach are capped at 50 percent of the applicant’s requested grant amount, not to exceed $150,000. Please refer to Eligible Costs section on page 7 and the Budget section on page 13 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
6. Payment from the state will be on a reimbursement basis. How frequently can we submit for reimbursement? Can we submit for monthly reimbursement, for example?
Requests for payment reimbursement are allowed on a quarterly basis. Grantees are required to report on the progress of their grant on a quarterly basis, and reimbursement for payments may be submitted alongside the grant progress report. Please see the Grant Payment Information section on page 13 of the Procedures and Requirements.
7. Do you fund Research and Development projects that are a part of startup and will lead to significant prevention if successfully implemented in the market?
Research and Development projects must still meet project requirements of being located in California, and result in permanent, annual, and measurable: 1. Reductions in GHG emissions as a result of diverting food waste from California landfills; and 2. Increases in quantity (pounds) of food waste prevented and/or rescued to avoid disposal in California landfills. Please refer to the Project Requirements section, beginning on page 5 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
8. Is leasing of laboratory space to access their facilities for doing grant work allowed in the grant? If yes, are they under direct or indirect costs?
No, the leasing of laboratory space is not an eligible expenditure. Please refer to the Ineligible Costs section on page 7 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
9. I have a co-working space that is used as an office for the project. Is this an indirect cost?
No, the leasing or renting of office space is not an eligible expenditure. The materials need to operate office equipment for grant work can be claimed as indirect costs. However, total indirect costs shall not exceed five percent of the applicant’s total requested amount. Guidelines must be followed when claiming these costs. Please see the Indirect costs section on page 7 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
10. If a patent is granted for the project, can this be covered by the grant?
No, patent costs are not eligible. Please refer to the Eligible Costs section, beginning on page 6, of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
11. Are travel to tradeshows for technology review, customer and market interaction, customer visits covered by the grant? If yes, which section of the grant do they fall under?
No, travel to tradeshows for technology review, customer and market interaction, and/or customer visits are ineligible grant expenditures. Please refer to the Eligible Costs section, beginning on page 6, of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
12. Are analytical services from a third-party lab covered by the grant? If yes, which section of the grant do they fall under?
If the analytical services result in new food waste diversion from landfills, it would potentially be an indirect cost. Total indirect costs shall not exceed five percent of the applicant’s total requested amount. Guidelines must be followed when claiming these costs. Please see the Indirect costs section on page 7 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
13. The University of California (UC) approved off-campus indirect cost rate for agreements from State agencies is 25%. In the Application Guidelines and Instructions it mentions that indirect costs are limited to 5%. Is there a statutory or regulatory requirement that limits the indirect costs on this program? If yes, can you please provide a copy of the statute/regulation? Or if there is no statutory requirement limiting the indirect costs please advise if we can we apply the UC approved indirect cost rate for State agencies on the proposals this year or if CalRecycle will consider use of the UC rate in the future.
A grant provided as part of the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program is not a contract within the definition of Education Code section 67325, therefore the various AB 20 requirements are not applicable. All terms, including those relating to indirect costs, are as noted in the Procedure and Requirements and Terms and Conditions documents for the grant. UC and CSU applicants must comply with CalRecycle grant terms, regardless of their own policies.
14. Please confirm that the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program grant opportunities are stand-alone opportunities. In other words, if a portion of a grant award is for salaries, the approved amount for salaries is a one-time approval solely for the time frame of that specific Grant Period. A grant award for salaries for a time frame beyond that specific Grant Period could only come from a subsequent grant application.
Yes, each awarded grant and the budgets associated with them are limited to the grant term. All expenses must be incurred from the date of the Notice to Proceed email to the end of the grant term (April 1, 2021). Any costs incurred before the Notice to Proceed or after the end of the grant term will not be reimbursable.
15. Are grant funds provided as a reimbursement? Do we front the initial costs and send an invoice to get reimbursed? What if we cannot front some of the costs? If it is a reimbursement, how long does it usually take?
Grant payments will only be made on a reimbursement basis. The grantee will pay for the eligible expense and be reimbursed by submitting a Payment Request with the required documentation. Reimbursements are dependent on the approval of the grantees quarterly Progress Report so timeframes may vary. After approval of the Payment Request, the grantee can expect to be reimbursed within a 45-day period. Please see the Grant Payment Information section on page 4 of the Procedures and Requirements.
16. We recently took a loan to buy an oven and a fridge. If we sent an invoice would we be able to use some of the funds to pay back the loan?
No; eligible costs may only be incurred only during the Grant Term. The Grant Term begins on the date of the Notice to Proceed email, which is sent after the grant is awarded and the grant agreement is fully executed. Please refer to the Eligible Projects and Grant Term sections on page 6 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
17. We want to invest in QuickBooks as a tool to take inventory. This requires a premium membership at a monthly cost. Does this qualify as software?
Yes. Software costs are limited to 25 percent of the applicant requested grant amount, not to exceed $50,000. The applicant must determine that the subscription is for the grant project inventory. If awarded, the grantee may need to provide a QuickBook report verifying that the subscription is as described in the application. Please refer to the available funds on page 6 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
18. We want to create a live calculator of pounds of food rescued on our website. However, we will need to outsource this project to a developer. Would this expense be eligible under the category of software or labor?
This expense could fall under the Personnel Budget Category. The applicant will need to explain the purpose of the live calculator and how it will help facilitate food rescue in their Narrative Proposal. Note that there is a cap on salaries, public education, and outreach of up to 50 percent of the applicant’s requested grant amount, not to exceed $150,000.
19. Is this grant taxed? We are confused about the tax laws around a government grant.
This grant is a reimbursement grant which requires the grantee to expend their own funds for eligible costs and then submit a request for reimbursement to CalRecycle. The grant funds will account for the actual amount of funds expended, including all applicable taxes from the expenditure. If you have questions regarding specific issues of taxation, you should refer them to your accountant.
20. Could transportation services be paid for with grant funds? For example, could an agency pay a truck and driver for specific pick-ups, vs having to purchase the truck and pay for the driver? If eligible, would this cost be included in a cost cap category?
Transportation services can be paid for with grant funds. This would be considered salary for purposes of budget caps.
21. The Application Guidelines and Instructions for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program specify that eligible costs include “transportation, including refrigerated trucks. ” Does grant support cover the purchase or lease of a vehicle?
The purchase of an approved refrigerated vehicle is an eligible expense under the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program, but leased vehicles are not.
22. How important is it to demonstrate in-kind costs? What percent of funding do you prefer to see in-kind?
In-kind costs are not a requirement.
Application
1. If an organization has multiple locations doing a food waste prevention or rescue project, do they submit separate applications?
An organization may include multiple locations in one application for the same project. Individual sites or project locations should be listed on the Site(s) tab of the application. See eligible applicants section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
2. Do non-profit Food Banks and municipalities have to submit resolutions?
Any applicant that is subject to a governing body must upload a Resolution that authorizes specific grant-related matters. However, some publicly held businesses or private companies with a governing body may submit a Letter of Commitment. Check within your own organization for requirements. A copy of the authorizing Resolution or Letter of Commitment is a required application document that must be uploaded no later than the secondary due date. See pages 16 -18 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions for more information.
3. If co-applying for a food waste grant, do the items requested by each applicant need to work together, or can they be two separate strategies that reduce food waste? (Ex. Food bank is applying for warehouse items that will increase their intake of food rescued and distributed, while County will be applying for educational aspect of informing business owners of food waste reduction strategies.)
There may be two separate strategies under a cooperative grant application. Please refer to the Cooperative Application Requirements section on page 5 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
4. For the grant review process, project viability will be given a ranking according to cost-effectiveness. Are the dollar amounts per weight of food prevented or rescued? For example, is the highest ranking $0-$4 of grant funding per pound of food? Put another way, will the ranking be assigned by total grant dollar requested divided by estimated food prevented/rescued?
To clarify, the scoring criteria category is referred to as “Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions and Project Viability.” An applicant’s initial rank percentage will be based on the GHG cost-effectiveness. GHG cost-effectiveness of food waste prevented and/or food rescued will be calculated by taking the total eligible grant funds requested and dividing by the total GHG emissions reduced over the project life (as defined in the Application Guidelines and Instructions.)
5. As I read through the criteria, I am under the impression that a jurisdiction can apply twice “Only two distinct and separate applications per qualifying entity will be accepted”, however, the Joint Powers Authorities (JPA) section on page 5 states “An entity may not submit an individual application if that entity is also a member of an applicant JPA”. Does that mean that if our JPA (Alameda County) submits one application, then we (the City of Oakland) cannot submit individually for the second distinct and separate application?
A JPA may submit a grant application as an individual applicant. However, since we allow two applications per entity, an entity may also submit an individual application even if that entity is also a member of an applicant JPA. A JPA may also partner with another organization as a cooperative or regional application. Please see the Joint Powers Authority Application Requirements section on page 5 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
6. I have a potential partner with multiple foodservice operating sites in California but we don’t know which specific sites will participate. Is it possible to submit the grant application outlining the partnership and noting the planned number of sites involved without naming any of the specific site locations until later?
Yes, it is possible to submit a grant application without naming any partners and additional project sites. At least one project site is required for submittal. However, your application may not score as well without the specific information required to support the amount of rescued food being claimed. Additionally, you may not receive a Notice to Proceed until all partners and locations have been identified (if awarded).
7. In the narrative section, do we need to answer both the prevention and rescue section even if the grant request is for only food waste prevention?
No, please only answer the prevention and/or rescue section as it pertains to your project. Some applicants may only be rescuing food, some applicants may only be preventing food waste, while others may have components of both food rescue and food waste prevention. You may enter N/A if it is not applicable to your project.
8. Do all businesses have to submit a business license? If yes, what is that?
Businesses licenses do not have to be submitted. However, the business must be qualified to do business in California and be in good standing with all applicable California state agencies, including, but not limited to, the Secretary of State and the Franchise Tax Board. Please refer to the Eligible Applicants section on page 4 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
9. Can we include confidential information about the project in the Narrative Proposal? What guarantees are there that the sensitive information about the proposal will be kept confidential? Is there a way to indicate in the proposal that the information is confidential?
You may include confidential information about the project in the application. However, the application is subject to California Public Records Act Requests. As a public agency, CalRecycle cannot guarantee that the “sensitive” information about the project proposal will be kept confidential. Please see page 9 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
10. If my organization partners with two other organizations in California on Cooperative Applications, where both of those organizations are Lead applicants, are we still free to apply for a separate grant on our own for another project?
Participating entities are subject to only two distinct and separate applications. Partnering with two other organizations who are Lead Applicants would fulfill the two application restriction. Please refer to Eligible Applicants section on pages 4 and 5 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
11. As a vendor supporting and partnering with other Lead organizations based in California, can I be involved in more than two cooperative applications?
A vendor does not need to be a partnering entity if they are just selling products for the grant project. If the vendor is functionally involved with the grant project as a partnering entity, then they are restricted to the two application restriction. Please refer to Eligible Applicants section on pages 4 and 5 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
12. Relating to the Food Rescue Flow Chart that is a part of the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant application, is it correct that the Feeding/Distribution Organizations should include all and only those we expect to work with through the project, during the entire grant period of two years? What detail is required for the location of organizations (zip code, city, street address)?
Yes. You should provide as much information in this flow chart about the organizations that will be involved with the grant project during the grant term. All of the feeding/distribution organizations planned to participate in this grant project should be listed. The location of the organization should include the name, city and zip code. Address details should be listed in the “Site(s)” tab in the Grant Management System (GMS).
13. Where is the Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Calculator Spreadsheet located?
The Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Program Quantification Methodology (QM) and Calculator Tool are located on CARBs CCI Quantification, Benefits, and Reporting Materials website. Locate the Natural Resources and Waste Diversion section and in the agency column, find the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery. The Calculator Tool and Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Program QM documents are available in the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Program section.
14. The Eligible Applicants section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions states only two distinct and separate applications per qualifying entity will be accepted. Where an Applicant is a coalition leader that works collaboratively with food banks, waste haulers, restaurants, etc., assume that the Applicant submits two separate applications. May other qualified Applicants submit separate applications which include the original Applicant as a subcontractor?
Qualifying entities, whether they are lead participant or participating as a partner, are restricted to two distinct and separate applications. The level of involvement with subsequent applications would determine whether a third application involving the same entity was submitted.
15. What documents or information will be required for the grant application if you intend on using a portion of the funds for food donation software?
In the Budget, please provide the names of the anticipated software provider, as well as a description of the services that they will provide and the planned use to achieve grant outcomes. Software costs are limited to 25 percent of the applicant requested grant amount, not to exceed $50,000.
16. Could you please provide some clarification on what is required in the “Site(s)” tab of the application? We are a food bank planning to purchase vans for our own use and use by some of our partner agencies. Since we will own the vans, would we just put our warehouse information in this section (we only have one location)? Or is it necessary to include the potential partner agency locations and/or the retail locations where food will be rescued from using the new vans?
The Site(s) tab is to document project location and its operations. If a project operates with multiple sites, each formal partner must be documented in the Site(s) tab. Food donors and food recipients do not need to be listed in the site tab.
17. For the site tab, I understand that we need to enter the lead participant, and second participant site address. Do we need to enter the address of all the food donors, and rescued food recipients, and the location of the local landfill?
Food donors, food recipients, and location of the local landfill do not need to be listed in the site tab.
18. A Food Bank is the lead for our cooperative application with the County. I am confused: Does the cooperative participating entity (County) need to provide a letter of authorization to the Food Bank, or is that only regional applications? Is it called a letter of authorization or a letter of intent? Also, does the County (the participating entity) need to submit a resolution as well, or only the lead cooperative participant (Food Bank)?
If the Food Bank is the Lead for a cooperative application and is subject to a governing body or board, a Resolution that authorizes specific grant-related matters must be submitted. If the Food Bank is not subject to a governing body, then a Letter of Commitment must be submitted. Either document must authorize the Lead Participant to submit an application on behalf of the Lead and specially named Participating Entities. The participating entity (County) must provide a Letter of Authorization authorizing the Lead Participant to act on its behalf. Please refer to the Applicant’s Documents section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
19. I am interested in writing a grant for a California dairy to turn their manure into vermicompost. I have been trying to piece together the different grants offered through CalRecycle and when I bounce back and forth between the food waste and the solid waste grants, I feel like this project falls through the cracks. Yet it could greatly reduce GHG via manure recycling. Could you please tell me if I am able to apply? If so, which category?
No, only food rescue projects that result in edible food being rescued and distributed to people and food waste prevention projects that prevent food from being generated, are eligible for CalRecycle’s Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program. Due to limited funding, the only organic materials that are eligible for any of CalRecycle’s greenhouse gas grant programs are newly diverted food waste and green waste. You may want to search grant opportunities offered from the California Department of Food and Agriculture.
20. I have a question that relates to the Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and Practices Policy requirements that “all applicants are required to have or develop, adopt and implement an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and Practices Policy (EPPP) for their organization “. Currently, we have the beginnings of a draft policy, but it has not been approved by the school district board and likely won’t be until next school year. Some of the practices in the draft policy are currently being implemented despite it not being board approved yet. In your opinion, how should we move forward in the face of this poorly timed barrier? Would CalRecycle be able to exercise leniency in your assessment of our meeting the EPPP requirement? Or, would Cal Recycle be able to provide an extension for us to fully pass and implement our EPPP?
All applicants are required to have or develop, adopt, and implement an Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and Practices (EPPP) Policy for their organizations. Applicants that do not have a policy in place must adopt one by the secondary due date–February 28, 2019. Due to the competitive nature of this program, extensions will not be granted.
21. We are planning on purchasing and installing walk-in coolers/freezers at our non-profit church partners to enable them to expand to receive additional rescued food. Would this action be subject to the “Lease Agreement for Facilities on Non-Owned Property” found on Page 16 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions? If yes, what type of document would be required between us (Applicant-County Health Department) and the church site? Would a Letter of Commitment suffice? Would this Agreement be required by the Application Due Date, or prior to an Actual Grant Award?
A lease agreement would need to be provided by the partners with regard to the location in which equipment purchased with grant funds would be located if the partners do not own the property where the equipment will be located. It is the obligation of the lead applicant to supply any such lease with the application.
22. Do we need to submit a General Checklist of Business Permits, Licenses and Filings form that includes information from our sub-applicant and their activities to be completed in the grant proposal? If so, how do we indicate on the form that certain permits are for the sub-applicant?
Yes. Please provide a separate General Checklist of Business Permits, Licenses and Filings form for each participating entity.
23. We started our narrative proposal and noticed that there was a word cap to each question. Are we allowed to expand on them?
The response size for each section is limited to 4,000 characters and cannot be expanded.
24. Where can we find the ‘Supplemental Business Information’ form? We were able to find it under the ‘Application Documents’ or ‘Resource Documents’ sections.
The Supplemental Business Information document is located on the Summary tab of the application in the Cycle Application Documents section.
25. If we are planning to buy equipment for food recovery, how important is it to identify the specific equipment (ex. cold storage vs. type and brand of refrigerator) and recipient entity within the application? Would letters of support from potential partner organizations suffice?
Provide as much detail as possible of the proposed equipment listed in your budget. If the actual brand is not known, provide general specifications of the proposed expenditure. Specify which partner is receiving the equipment in the Budget document under Expenditure Details.
26. What is the preferred threshold for number of tons diverted? What is a typical cost per ton diverted for a successful grant application? We are putting together a pilot program and expect that the costs per ton may be higher than for an already established program.
Applications will be scored based primarily on the dollars per metric ton of CO2 equivalent emissions reduced. See the Eligibility, Scoring Criteria, and Evaluation Process for the Food Waste Prevention and Rescue Grant Program (Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, Fiscal Year (FY) 2018–19, Using FY 2017–18 Funds) Request for Approval on the CalRecycle website for further information regarding the scoring of this application. There is no preferred amount of tons diverted.
27. We are a non-profit org applying with a healthcare system partner. I am wondering about the different types of letters (resolution, commitment, intent, designation) and which ones are applicable to our project. It’s my understanding based on the grant instructions that we will need a letter of commitment from our organization as well as a letter of intent/support from our healthcare system partner indicating their support and role in the partnership (including signatures from the sites that will be participating within that system). However, we will not need a letter of resolution or designation. Is that correct?
Entities may join together in a cooperative grant application. A Lead Applicant (Lead) must be designated to act on behalf of all Participating Entities. Any applicant that is subject to a governing body must upload a Resolution that authorizes specific grant-related matters. Applicants that are not subject to a governing body must upload a Letter of Commitment that authorizes specific grant related matters. The Resolution or Letter of Commitment must also authorize the submittal of a cooperative application on behalf of the Lead and specifically named Participating Entities. All Participating Entities must provide a Letter of Authorization that allows the Lead authorization to apply for and act on its behalf in the implementation and administration of the grant program. Please refer to the Applicant’s Documents section starting on page 15 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
28. In the participant section, do we add our partnering organization (e.g. the health system) as another participant? How do we list the jurisdiction? We are a national non-profit with a base in Oakland and the health system works in multiple counties of the Central Valley?
You need to list any partnering organization that is involved with the grant project implementation and have grant costs associated in the budget as a participant. For organizations with multiple locations, only list those that are involved with grant project implementation and/or grant costs in the budget. One entity must be identified as the Lead Participant to act on behalf of the participating entities. A maximum of three other participants are allowed, totaling no more than four participants. Please refer to the Eligible Applicants section on page 4 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
29. Language regarding the EPPP that asks if our entire organization has an existing Environmentally Preferable Purchasing and Practices (EPPP) Policy. Our partnering Health System does, but it is asking if our non-profit has this policy? How would you like us to respond?
For a cooperative application, the lead applicant is required to have an EPPP Policy in place. Please refer to pages 8 and 14 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.
30. We are working with a health system for our pilot at 10 facilities, do we list each facility as a different site in the Sites tab? (SWIS or EPA ID?)
If a project operates multiple sites, each site that is involved with the implementation of the grant project must be documented in the Site(s) tab. Partners and other locations of the project should also be listed.
31. How do we know if our project needs CEQA Review?
CEQA review generally begins with the local government (city or county) as the Lead Agency when they determine the conditions for using a piece of property. Per Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section 15367 (California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines), “Lead Agency” is the public agency which has the principal responsibility for carrying out or approving a project. The Lead Agency will decide whether an EIR or Negative Declaration will be required for the project and will cause the document to be prepared. Criteria for determining which agency will be the Lead Agency for a project are contained in Section 15051 of the California Code of Regulations. Please see page 8 of the Application Guidelines and Instructions for more information.
32. The grant refers to “your organization, ” but if it is a partnership how do you want us to denote who we are talking about when there is not really an option in the application form? For example, can we answer the questions as the partner organization?
If applying as a cooperative or regional application, a Lead Participant must be designated to act as the “organization” on behalf of all participating jurisdictions. The Lead Participant is responsible for filling out and submitting the application and can answer questions for all participants.
33. Regarding the waste reduction calculations, if our sites are currently composting their food waste and this grant is helping them build out their prevention and rescue programs to move up the food waste pyramid, do we count the waste that would have been landfilled similarly to the waste that would have been composted?
Food waste that is already being composted is not eligible. Only new activities or expansion of an existing project due to grant funding that result in additional landfill diversion and emission reductions through prevention and rescue are eligible.
34. Regarding the waste reduction calculations, part of our work with hospitals involves implementing strategies that have GHG emissions impacts (by reducing meat, increasing plant-based, local and sustainable food products, seasonal menus). Does this type of program count for this grant and how would you like for us to quantify it?
A project is eligible if pounds of food that would otherwise be landfilled will instead be prevented and/or rescued as a result of the project. An eligible project can be new or an expansion of an existing project and diversion must occur as a result of grant funding. Permanent, annual, and measurable GHG emission reductions will occur from the diversion of prevented and rescued food.
35. In the budget, what expenses are eligible under the maintenance category? Can this include technical assistance for utilizing software and equipment for the project?
Examples of expenses that fall under the Maintenance Budget Category include the service and/or repair of equipment and vehicles, and vehicle modification for storage and shelving. Technical assistance for utilizing software and equipment would fall under Personnel.
36. In the budget, what else is eligible in the Materials section? Can layout and design of outreach materials be included here?
Eligible costs under the Materials Budget Category includes packaging, crates and bins, gloves, boxes, liners, etc. Outreach materials would be included in the Education and Outreach section of the Budget. Salaries, public education, and outreach are capped at 50 percent of the applicants requested grant amount, not to exceed $150,000.
37. In the budget, what else qualifies in the Education and Outreach section? Is this the place to put travel expenses?
Eligible expenses in the Education and Outreach Budget Category includes program materials needed for education and outreach programs that result in quantifiable reductions in food waste. Travel expenses should be included with the budget category for which the travel is taking place. If the travel is for outreach and education purposes, then it should be listed under outreach and education.
38. In the budget, what is allowable under the administration section? Can we include staffing time to help administer the grant, or does that need to go under personnel?
The Admin Budget Category includes indirect costs. Indirect costs include but are not limited to operating and maintaining facilities, accounting services, travel expenses, and administrative salaries. Indirect costs are not to exceed five percent of the applicant’s total requested grant amount. Staff time that does not directly go towards working on the grant project, but is necessary for the operation of the program, would be an indirect cost. However, the staff working is working directly on the grant then that cost may go under Personnel.
39. We have commitment from our 10 partner facilities to implement a series of food waste reduction strategies based on the interest and feasibility at each site-do we need to know exactly what we will do at each facility or can we estimate possibilities based on their interest that may be slightly altered once the project funds are awarded?
A cooperative grant application may only have up to four participating entities that are involved with the implementation of the grant project. A Lead Participant must be designated to act on behalf of all participating entities. All participating entities must have details of how they are involved within the scope of work of the grant project and costs associated in the budget. Any changes to the scope of work of the grant project will require reevaluation of the grant project.
Please note that without specific and detailed information supporting the amount of rescued food being claimed, applications may not score well; this may result in grant funds not being awarded. We recommend applicants are familiar with and detailed in the information provided.
For more information, contact GHGreductions@calrecycle.ca.gov