A StopWaste grant recipient created a pilot program providing reusable to-go cup service for cafes and their customers.

StopWaste is currently accepting applications for a range of grant opportunities with total funding up to $475k available to both nonprofits and businesses, aimed at increasing individual, business, and community involvement in the prevention of waste in Alameda County. Areas of focus can be on waste prevention, reuse, and recovery of goods and materials, as well as development, marketing, and use of recovered products.

Proposed projects must be located in and/or serve the residents and/or businesses of Alameda County. Applicants with open StopWaste grants must check with their grant managers to assess eligibility to apply for additional grant funding.

Deadline to apply is March 15, 2021, at 5:00 pm.

Applications submitted after 5 pm will not be accepted. Please contact Meri Soll at  msoll@stopwaste.org or 510-891-6522 for questions.

Grant Timeline and Process

  • Grants Open:                                            February 1, 2021
  • Grant Applications Due:                          March 15, 2021
  • Review & Selection:                                 March 16 – May 1, 2021
  • Grantees Announced:                              May 3, 2021
  • Grant Funding Agreements Executed:   June 15, 2021

Grants Available For 2021

Applicants may only submit ONE grant application from one focus area. Review all grant focus areas below and select only ONE grant program to submit an application to. You can submit your application from one of these pages.

Reuse and Repair Grants 

Available to nonprofits and businesses, these grants fund innovative projects that prevent waste through reuse, repair, deconstruction, redistribution, product or process redesign, recovery, and other ways that keep goods and other materials out of disposal or recycling. The goal is to conserve natural resources and stimulate economic activity in the reuse and recovery sectors. Up to $20,000 per grant.

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Food Waste Reduction Grants

Available to nonprofits and businesses, these grants fund innovative pilots and projects that prevent edible food from going to compost or landfill by recovering and redistributing it to feed people, or by preventing the production of surplus edible food through product or process redesign. The goal is to reduce the amount of surplus edible food generated and/or to donate surplus food. Up to $20,000 per grant.

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Surplus Food Donation Equipment Grants

The Surplus Food Donation Equipment Grant focus area, provides funding to support the recovery or donation of surplus edible food that would otherwise go to waste, thereby increasing capacity for businesses to donate food and/or organizations to receive more food, safely transport and distribute food for donation. Up to $10,000 per grant.

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Reusable transport grants

Reusable Transport Packaging Grants

Available to nonprofits and businesses, these grants fund reusable, durable alternatives to replace limited-life packaging used in manufacturing, transportation and/or distribution, such as boxes, pallets, pallet wraps, and dunnage. Funds help cover the upfront reusable equipment costs. Once reusables are in place, organizations often see long-term cost savings by eliminating (or significantly reducing) recurring costs for packaging materials. Up to $10,000 per grant.

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