Recycling Assistance Grant Program

The Recycling Assistance Grant Program is administered by the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection through its Rehabilitation Environmental Action Plan Recycling Program. The program was established under state legislative authority to support compliance with West Virginia natural resource laws and to advance statewide recycling efforts. Funding for the program is generated through a fee imposed on each ton of solid waste disposed of at landfills within the state. This structure ensures a dedicated funding stream to promote waste reduction, recycling market development, and public education initiatives related to environmental sustainability. The primary purpose of the program is to provide financial assistance to local governments and other eligible entities to plan, initiate, expand, or upgrade recycling and source reduction programs. In addition to direct recycling activities, the program also supports public education campaigns designed to promote recycling behaviors and awareness, as well as efforts to develop markets for recyclable materials. According to the guidelines outlined in the official program documentation, projects must demonstrate measurable impacts on reducing the municipal solid waste stream and should align with broader waste management priorities such as conservation of resources, landfill diversion, and community engagement. Grant funds may be used across a wide range of allowable cost categories. These include personnel costs for recycling coordinators or laborers (with specific caps), operational supplies, equipment, recycling vehicle expenses, educational materials, advertising, promotional items, utilities, and certain facility construction or improvements. Additional eligible uses include professional services for planning or feasibility studies, auditing costs, and computer hardware or software directly tied to recycling operations. However, restrictions apply, including prohibitions on land acquisition, general office furniture, entertainment expenses, lobbying, and certain non-recycling-related expenditures. Funds also cannot be used to replace existing budgeted resources or to benefit entities that received funding in the previous cycle without an approved waiver. Eligibility for the Recycling Assistance Grant Program is broad but defined. Applicants may include counties, municipalities, regional solid waste authorities, state agencies, schools, nonprofits, and private businesses located within West Virginia. However, certain grant types, such as feasibility and planning grants, are restricted to local governments. Applicants must be in compliance with all applicable laws and must coordinate with their local or regional solid waste authority as part of the submission process. Additionally, entities with outstanding reports or current grants are generally ineligible for new funding unless specific waiver conditions are met. Applications must be submitted electronically through the West Virginia wvOASIS Vendor Self Service portal, and no alternative submission methods are accepted. Proposals must include detailed project descriptions, budgets, timelines, financial documentation, market analysis, and evidence of coordination with local authorities. The submission deadline is 5:00 p.m. on the first business day in July. Applications are reviewed by the Recycling Assistance Fund Grant Review Committee, which evaluates proposals competitively based on factors such as resource conservation, public education impact, and landfill diversion. Final award decisions are made by the Secretary of the Department of Environmental Protection, and applicants are notified in writing following approval. The grant period spans fourteen months, beginning January 1 and ending on the last day of February of the following year. Funds are disbursed in installments tied to reporting milestones, and recipients must submit quarterly progress reports and a comprehensive final report. Recipients are also required to maintain detailed financial and operational records for a minimum of five years. The program operates on an annual cycle, with new funding opportunities expected each year following the July application deadline. For further details, applicants may contact the REAP Recycling Program directly via phone or email as provided in the official guidelines.

Focus on measurable waste reduction impact, strong community participation, and clear recycling market plans