CONSUMER RECYCLING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH (REO) GRANT PROGRAM | EPA I OLEM ORCR 24 12

Opportunity Information: Apply for EPA I OLEM ORCR 24 12

The CONSUMER RECYCLING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH (REO) GRANT PROGRAM is an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) discretionary funding opportunity designed to support education and outreach efforts that reduce greenhouse gas emissions by improving how households handle food waste and how communities manage residential food waste composting. The program is focused on practical, behavior-changing public engagement and market-facing activities that keep food out of the trash, increase participation in composting programs, and strengthen the end markets for compost so that more collected organics are turned into a useful product instead of becoming landfill methane.

This opportunity is offered as a cooperative agreement, which generally means EPA expects to have substantial involvement during the project period (for example, through collaboration on workplans, performance tracking, or technical coordination), rather than simply issuing a grant with minimal federal engagement. The funding announcement frames the work around three connected project objectives. Project objective number one is to decrease wasted food from households, which typically involves outreach, education campaigns, and tools that help residents prevent food waste at the source (better meal planning, storage guidance, date label education, and habits that reduce overbuying and spoilage). Project objective number two is to expand markets for and sales of compost, recognizing that successful composting systems depend not only on collection but also on reliable demand for compost products; projects under this objective often center on market development, buyer education, partnerships with landscapers or agriculture, and communication strategies that increase confidence in and usage of compost. Project objective number three is to inform the public about new or existing residential food waste composting programs, including clear guidance on what materials are accepted, with the specific operational goal of increasing collection rates while decreasing physical contamination (for example, reducing plastic and other non-compostable materials in the organics stream). Taken together, these aims target both upstream prevention of wasted food and downstream improvements in compost program performance and compost utilization.

Key administrative details in the source listing include the opportunity title and number (EPA I OLEM ORCR 24 12), the agency (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency), and the associated CFDA/Assistance Listing number 66.921. The closing date shown is 2024-12-20, and the opportunity was created on 2024-09-13. The award ceiling is listed as 39,094,000, and the expected number of awards is 1, which suggests a single, potentially large cooperative agreement rather than many smaller grants. The eligible applicant category is described broadly as "Others," but the announcement explicitly directs applicants to consult Section III of the full funding opportunity announcement for the official eligibility rules and any restrictions or definitions that apply (for example, whether this includes nonprofits, local governments, universities, tribal entities, or other organizational types, and whether partnerships or subawards are allowed).

Overall, the opportunity is structured around measurable public-facing outcomes: reducing household food waste generation, improving participation and material quality in residential food waste composting collection, and building the market demand needed to absorb increased compost production. Applicants would typically be expected to propose a coherent strategy that links education and outreach activities to on-the-ground results, such as higher set-out rates, lower contamination rates, increased compost sales volumes, or documented behavior changes that reduce wasted food, all of which align with the EPA goal of lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with landfilling organic waste.

• The Environmental Protection Agency in the iij sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "CONSUMER RECYCLING EDUCATION AND OUTREACH (REO) GRANT PROGRAM" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 66.921.
• This funding opportunity was created on 2024-09-13.
• Applicants must submit their applications by 2024-12-20. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $39,094,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 1 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: Others.

Apply for EPA I OLEM ORCR 24 12

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