The Maryland State Department of Education is accepting applications for its School Waste Reduction and Composting Program.
Donor Name: Maryland State Department of Education
State: Maryland
County: All Counties
Type of Grant: Grant
Deadline: (mm/dd/yyyy) 01/13/2024
Size of the Grant: $1000 to $10,000
Grant Duration: Grant Duration Not Mentioned
Details:
This grant provides funding to county boards and public schools to develop and implement programs for reducing food waste and to establish composting of pre- and post-consumer waste. Grant funds can be utilized to support educational initiatives, infrastructure improvements, and training programs.
By providing grants to county boards and public schools in Maryland to develop and implement programs to reduce school-based food waste and establish composting of pre- and post-consumer waste, this program aims to support more environmentally conscious school nutrition programs that also act to increase food security for Maryland residents.
Application Prioritization
In the application selection process, priority will be given to applications that include the following:
- Programs that will be led by students
- Schools with high numbers of students who receive free and reduced price meals
- Programs that will contract with a small and minority- or veteran-owned business
- Programs that will contract with businesses that pay employees a living wage
Funding Information
Total funding amount available is $195,000. Grant awards will range from $500 – $8000
Uses of funds
Project funds will be awarded to county boards and public schools whose applications are selected by the Maryland Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education (MAEOE). Funds received by county boards and public schools may be used for the following program costs that support the meeting of program requirements:
- Educational resources for students, parents, and staff on the connection between food waste, climate, environment, and hunger.
- Infrastructure to measure food waste and reduction of food waste.
- Student and staff training on the implementation of food waste and the reduction of food waste.
- Contracting commercial composters, municipal agencies, or county agencies to recycle in-school organic waste.
- Composting bins
- Bulk milk dispensers
- Share tables, as defined by the U.S. Department of Agriculture
- Surplus food packaging supplies
- Surplus food distribution
- Other infrastructure to prevent or reduce food waste.
Eligibility Criteria
County boards and public schools may submit a proposal to MSDE. Grant funds are targeted to support eligible projects.
Program Requirements
This program provides school boards and public schools grant funding to develop and implement programs for reducing waste and to establish composting of pre- and post-consumer waste. Eligible programs will serve to educate students, parents, and staff on the connection between food waste, climate, environment, and hunger, increase school-based infrastructure and capacity to administer food waste reduction and composting programs, train and educate students and staff on the implementation of food waste reduction and composting, and, ultimately, advance understanding within the school community of the purpose, practice, and impact of food waste reduction and composting.
For more information, visit MSDE.
