The Hennepin County grant program provides funding and assistance to businesses and organizations seeking to initiate or enhance programs for diverting recyclables and/or organics. This initiative aligns with the county's mission to promote solid waste prevention within the business and nonprofit sectors, focusing on critical areas such as preventing food waste, facilitating the reuse and recovery of goods and materials, and advocating for the replacement of disposables with reusables. The program defines solid waste broadly to include non-hazardous municipal solid waste, encompassing trash, mixed recyclables, and organics.
The primary target beneficiaries of this grant are for-profit businesses and nonprofit organizations located in Hennepin County, with a specific focus on those registered with the Minnesota Secretary of State. The program aims to achieve significant impact by funding projects that prevent, reduce, or reuse various forms of waste. While projects specifically designed to start or improve recycling or organics programs are not eligible, the overall goal is to foster a more sustainable waste management ecosystem within the county, reducing the amount of material sent to landfills and promoting circular economy principles.
The program prioritizes several key areas, including replacing disposables with reusable items (e.g., food packaging, dishes, shipping containers), food waste prevention (e.g., equipment, tracking technology, staff training), supporting reuse and repair retailers (e.g., staffing for new activities like marketing and inventory management systems), capital improvements to existing spaces for reuse initiatives, and specialized vehicles for collecting and transporting goods for reuse. Additionally, the program encourages innovation in waste prevention through design or manufacturing changes, projects utilizing solid waste products as raw materials, and software for waste tracking.
Expected outcomes include a measurable reduction in solid waste generation, increased adoption of reusable practices, and improved efficiency in food waste prevention. Projects are encouraged to implement staff training and utilize technology to track and manage waste effectively. The county aims to fund grants ranging from $2,500 to $50,000, with a total of $300,000 available in 2024, to stimulate a wide array of prevention initiatives across various sectors. Through these strategic investments, Hennepin County's theory of change posits that by empowering local businesses and nonprofits with the resources and incentives to adopt waste prevention strategies, a significant and lasting positive environmental and economic impact will be achieved for the community.
