Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) Grant Program | EPA I OLEM ORCR 23 02

Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) Grant Program (EPA I OLEM ORCR 23 02) - FAQs

1) What is the Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) Grant Program?

The Consumer Recycling Education and Outreach (REO) Grant Program is an EPA funding opportunity (EPA I OLEM ORCR 23 02) that supports community-facing projects designed to improve how residents understand and participate in recycling.

2) What is the main goal of this funding opportunity?

The central goal is to help people clearly identify what materials are accepted in their local residential or community recycling programs, strengthen the separate collection of recyclables from trash, and ultimately increase recycling collection rates while reducing contamination in the recycling stream.

3) What kinds of problems is EPA trying to solve through this program?

EPA is targeting confusion about recycling rules, "wish-cycling" (placing non-accepted items into recycling), and contamination that reduces the quality and marketability of collected recyclables. The program is intended to make recycling rules easier to follow and help communities capture more clean, marketable materials.

4) What types of projects does the program support?

The program supports education and outreach projects that are community-facing and designed to improve resident understanding and participation in local recycling programs. The focus is on practical, effective messaging that leads to correct behavior and reduces contamination.

5) Does EPA want generic recycling education materials?

No. A major emphasis is on outreach that is not generic. EPA encourages tailored, effective education and outreach that reflects the local program rules and the needs of the intended audience.

6) What does "evidence-based messaging" mean in this opportunity?

It means the applicant should use messaging and communication strategies informed by research, testing, and real-world results, rather than assumptions. EPA is looking for approaches that have a strong basis in proven communication methods.

7) What does EPA mean by "community-informed messaging"?

The opportunity indicates that successful outreach should go beyond simply distributing information. It should involve researching the intended audience, building trust, addressing barriers that prevent participation, and clearly explaining the benefits of the desired behavior.

8) Is reducing contamination in the recycling stream a priority?

Yes. Increasing correct participation and lowering contamination are central themes. The opportunity highlights the need to reduce confusion that leads to wish-cycling and to improve the quality of recyclables collected.

9) Are projects allowed to include other materials management actions besides recycling?

Yes. EPA signals strong interest in campaigns that not only improve recycling but also increase upstream and complementary actions such as prevention, reuse, repair, remanufacture, anaerobic digestion, and composting, as well as efforts specifically aimed at lowering contamination.

10) How does environmental justice factor into this grant program?

Environmental justice is a prominent priority. EPA is seeking projects that directly address environmental justice concerns by focusing predominantly on communities experiencing disproportionate and adverse human health, environmental, climate-related, and cumulative impacts, along with related economic challenges.

11) Which communities are specifically highlighted under the environmental justice priority?

The opportunity explicitly points to communities of color, low-income communities, tribal and indigenous populations, and where relevant other vulnerable groups such as the elderly, children, and people with pre-existing medical conditions.

12) What should a competitive environmental justice-focused proposal demonstrate?

Competitive projects would be expected to show a clear understanding of the specific burdens the community faces and to design outreach that is accessible and culturally and linguistically appropriate where needed, while being aligned with local realities and constraints.

13) What is the funding instrument for this opportunity?

The opportunity uses a cooperative agreement as the funding instrument.

14) What does it mean that the award is a cooperative agreement?

A cooperative agreement typically implies substantial federal involvement compared to a standard grant. Awardees should expect active coordination with the EPA during project implementation.

15) Is this a discretionary funding opportunity?

Yes. The program is described as a discretionary EPA funding opportunity.

16) What law is providing the funding for this program?

This opportunity is funded under the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA).

17) What is the maximum award amount (award ceiling)?

The program lists an award ceiling of $2,000,000.

18) How many awards does EPA expect to make?

The opportunity anticipates approximately 25 awards.

19) What is the CFDA number for this program?

The CFDA number is 66.921.

20) Who is eligible to apply?

Eligibility is labeled as "Others," with further clarification referenced in the announcement's eligibility section. Applicants are directed to the official announcement for the specific eligibility requirements.

21) What is the opportunity number or identifier?

The opportunity is identified as EPA I OLEM ORCR 23 02.

22) When was this opportunity created?

The opportunity was created on November 14, 2022.

23) What was the original closing date listed for applications?

The original closing date was January 16, 2023.

24) Which date should applicants treat as the official closing date?

Applicants are directed to consult Section IV of the official announcement for the controlling close date information.

25) What outcomes is EPA ultimately trying to achieve through funded projects?

EPA is aiming to improve the performance of community recycling systems by increasing correct participation, increasing recycling collection rates, and reducing contamination so that more clean, marketable recyclable materials are captured. The program also prioritizes projects that meaningfully advance environmental justice outcomes.