The Community Waste Reduction and Recycling (CWRAR) grant program is a recurring annual funding opportunity for local governments to build lasting capacity to divert materials from the waste stream and / or increase public awareness of recycling.
Donor Name: North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ)
State: North Carolina
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: 02/13/2026
Size of the Grant: $10,000 to $100,000
Grant Duration: 1 Year
Details:
The Division of Environmental Assistance and Customer Service (DEACS) administers the Community Waste Reduction and Recycling (CWRAR) grant program through the Solid Waste Management Outreach Program.
DEACS seeks viable, well-planned proposals from local governments in North Carolina for projects that will initiate, expand, or improve waste reduction and recycling programs. Grant money may be used to help purchase physical infrastructure or equipment to divert materials from the waste stream, or to purchase, print and distribute educational materials to inform the public about waste reduction and/or recycling programs.
- Priority Project Grants – Eligible for up to $50,000 in grant funding
- Priority Project Grants support investments in public recycling program areas that have been determined by the state recycling program to be of particular importance to growing and expanding efficient and effective waste reduction and recycling services throughout North Carolina.
- 2026 CWRAR priorities include projects that:
- Implement new or expand existing curbside recycling programs or transition a curbside recycling program from bin or blue bag collection to a cart-based collection system;
- Implement a new or expand an existing Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) program; or
- Implement a new or expand an existing recycling program targeting lithium-ion batteries, solar panels, or other electronics.
- Standard Project Grants – Eligible for up to $40,000 of grant funding
- Standard Project Grants include any projects that increase or enhance public waste reduction and recycling but fall outside of the 2026 priorities. Standard Projects may include but are not limited to drop-off recycling infrastructure, vehicles and infrastructure for recycling collection or consolidation, education and outreach initiatives, or construction and demolition recycling.
- Note About Food Waste Projects:
- Projects related to food waste collection, donation or organics recycling should apply for the Food Waste Reduction Grant Program. The application period for the 2026 Food Waste Reduction Grant closes on October 24, 2025.
Funding Information
- Priority Project: Funding up to a maximum of $50,000.
- Standard Project: Funding up to a maximum of $40,000.
Grant Period
beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.
Eligible Expenses
Examples of approved uses of CWRAR grant funds include site development costs, construction of facilities to handle recyclable materials, equipment or vehicle purchases, recycling collection containers, equipment installation costs, and educational materials such as signs, mailers, handouts or brochures.
Eligibility Criteria
- Local governments, defined as counties, municipalities, councils of governments and solid waste authorities in North Carolina, are eligible to apply for funding from the CWRAR grant program.
- Former CWRAR grantees are eligible to apply. Applicants with an open 2025 CWRAR grant contract must have invoiced for 90% of eligible grant funds by the proposal due date (February 13, 2026). Proposals will not be accepted from applicants with an open CWRAR grant from cycles prior to 2025. Applicants with open grants from other programs (e.g., Food Waste Reduction) are eligible to apply if open grants are in good standing and expected to be completed on time.
- Federal and state agencies, universities and colleges, and non-profit organizations are not eligible for funding through this grant program. Public schools are not eligible for funding through this grant program; however, local governments may apply for funding to support public school recycling projects – see Special Requirements section below.
For more information, visit DEQ.
