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Redemption Innovation Grant Program

Grantor:

Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery

Departmental Grant ID:

RIG3

Portal ID:

117510

Status:

Closed

Opportunity Type:

• Grant

Last Updated:

July 9, 2025, 7:12 am  |  View change notes

Categories:

• Environment & Water

Details

Purpose:

Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery offers the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program pursuant to Assembly Bill (AB) 179 (Chapter 249, Ting, Budget Act of 2022) and Senate Bill (SB) 101 (Chapter 12, Skinner, Budget Act of 2023).  The purpose of the grant is to support start-up costs for recycling programs, which shall be limited to recycling centers, mobile unit programs, reverse vending machines, or bag drop programs.

Description:

All projects must be located within an unserved zone, or no zone, at time of award unless either of the following exceptions apply:

· The applicant is the recycling center currently serving the zone.

· They are the sole recycling center within the zone.

Eligible projects include:

· Bag Drop Recycling Center Programs. A Bag Drop Recycling Center Program is one that is certified under Section 2045 of the California Code of Regulations to utilize a Bag Drop Receptacle.  “Bag drop receptacle” means a recycling mechanism at which consumers can drop off empty beverage containers for redemption in a sealed bag, sealed box, or other sealed receptacle.

· Mobile Unit Programs. A Mobile Unit Program is one where a Certified Recycling Center collects empty beverage containers at a location or locations other than the location identified on their certificate.  Collection can be done using a mobile unit, reverse funding machine, or bag drop receptacle.

· Reverse Vending Machine (RVM) Programs.  An RVM program is one in which RVM units will be purchased by a Certified Recycling Center for installation and use at their Certified Recycling Center, or at a separate location if independently certified under Chapter 5 of Division 2, of Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations.

· Re-establishment of Recycling Centers Due to Destruction from Wildfires.  Funds from this cycle may be used to re-establish Recycling Centers that had been destroyed or experienced damages due to a wildfire within the preceding ten years.

· Setting up a new Recycling Center or updating an existing Recycling Center that uses an innovative method of redemption. Funds from this cycle may be used to establish a new Recycling Center or update an existing Recycling Center that uses an innovative method of redemption (i.e., RVM or bag-drop).  This does not include purchasing land or buildings, or paying for construction costs, unless the construction costs are related to retrofitting equipment.

All projects must comply with adopted regulations and requirements.  Applicants may submit only one (1) application which may include multiple project types.

Eligibility Requirements

Eligible Applicants:

• Business
• Nonprofit
• Public Agency

· Existing Certified Recycling Center. An existing certified recycling center is defined as an operation certified by CalRecycle to accept empty beverage containers and pay California Redemption Value (CRV) to consumers.

· New Recycling Center Business. A new recycling center business is defined as an applicant who intends to apply, and is eligible to become, a certified recycling center. This can include, but is not limited to, beverage dealers.

Eligible Geographies:

Private entities must be authorized to conduct business in the State of California, by being registered and in good standing with California Secretary of State as a business located in California.

Private, nonprofit entities, in addition to being registered and in good standing with California Secretary of State, must also be registered and in good standing with the California Department of Justice.

Matching Funding Requirement:

N/A