Regional Recycling and Edible Food Recovery Grant

The Regional Recycling and Edible Food Recovery Grant (RREFR) is a competitive funding opportunity administered by OC Waste & Recycling (OCWR), a department of the County of Orange, California. The grant is designed to enhance regional infrastructure and support the expansion of edible food recovery across Orange County, with the goal of diverting surplus edible food from landfills. This initiative is in response to mandates under California Senate Bill 1383 (SB 1383), which requires a 75% reduction in organic waste and recovery of 20% of edible food for human consumption. The RREFR grant supports local jurisdictions and food recovery organizations in meeting these mandates through sustainable project funding. The program stems from OCWR’s broader strategy to reduce methane emissions and landfill dependency, aligning with the state’s climate goals. OCWR’s 2024 Edible Food Recovery Capacity Planning Report indicated that between 2025 and 2034, over 10,000 tons of edible food may still be landfilled unless infrastructure improvements are implemented. Most eligible organizations such as edible food recovery organizations (EFROs), food pantries, prep kitchens, and similar nonprofit entities face resource limitations, making them ideal candidates for RREFR grant funding. The RREFR program provides critical support to enhance the safe collection, storage, transportation, and distribution of edible food within the county. Eligible applicants include both individual and joint applications from food recovery organizations, cities, or agencies. A designated lead applicant is required for joint proposals and will be responsible for all documentation and correspondence. Projects must demonstrate sustainability beyond the grant term and may include new or expanded edible food recovery programs, infrastructure upgrades, equipment purchases, vehicles (with preference for zero-emission vehicles), data tracking solutions, and educational outreach. Personnel costs are also eligible but capped at 10% of the total grant amount and cannot include executive-level positions. The total available funding is $6,000,000 over three fiscal years (2026–27 through 2028–29), with a maximum of $500,000 per grant award. Grantees will receive 50% of their total award within the first three years, and the remaining funds will be reimbursed quarterly. Funding is drawn from the County of Orange AB 939 Self-Haul Surcharge and must be used for new or significantly expanded activities directly tied to edible food recovery. Ineligible costs include overhead, food purchases, lobbying, and expenses unrelated to food recovery. The application period opens March 2, 2026, and closes at 4:59 p.m. on April 10, 2026. Both a hard copy and a digital submission via the OpenGov portal are required. A live virtual Q&A session will be held March 19, 2026, and the final day to submit questions is April 3, 2026. Applicants will be notified of evaluations by April 30, with interviews scheduled in mid-May. Awards will be announced in June, with final approval by the Board of Supervisors expected in August 2026. The grant term concludes in August 2031. Evaluation criteria include project narrative strength, need, goals, sustainability, budget plan, and alignment with SB 1383 compliance. A minimum score of 75 out of 100 is required. Grantees must submit quarterly reports and a final report by the end of the grant term. OCWR retains audit rights and may adjust award amounts based on application quality and volume. All awarded grantees must enter into a formal financial agreement by June 12, 2026.