$40 Million Now Available for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia for Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling (SWIFR) Funding Opportunity  

EPA is making $40M in funding available to help build and transform solid waste infrastructure, manage materials to achieve a circular economy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and create cleaner, resilient, and healthier communities. EPA released a new funding opportunity for tribes and intertribal consortia under the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program, which is funded by the historic Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Register for these webinars! 

SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia ($40,000,000): Funding for projects that improve materials management and infrastructure, including collection, transport, systems, and processes related to post-use materials that can be recovered, reused, recycled, repaired, refurbished, or composted. Applications for funding are due April 4, 2023. 

• Overview of request for application, eligible entities, evaluation criteria, application process, and answer questions (same presentations)  
• January 25, 2023 @ 4:00pm – 5:00pm (EST) 
• Review procurement, subawards, and answer questions (same presentations)  
• February 1, 2023 @ 1:00pm – 2:00pm (EST) 
• February 7, 2022 @ 4:00pm – 5:00pm (EST) 

Learn more about this funding opportunity at EPA’s webpage: https://www.epa.gov/rcra/grants-tribes-and-intertribal-consortia.   

Stay connected to receive notifications about this grant opportunity and when registration for the webinars is available. Let us know if you need accommodations by email. 

Learn more about related waste prevention, reuse, and recycling program funding opportunities here: https://www.epa.gov/infrastructure/bipartisan-infrastructure-law-transforming-us-recycling-and-waste-management  

Updated Questions and Answers, Including Information on Davis-Bacon Act Requirements 

The Davis-Bacon Act impacts each funding opportunity under the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program. Please check out EPA’s updated Questions and Answers document to learn more about how it may relate to your project.  

United Nations Environment Programme Requests Proposals for Food Loss and Waste Research 

The United Nations Environment Programme issued two calls for proposals related to food loss and waste: 

Project 1 Objective: To identify unique systemic drivers of food loss and waste in the United States and recommend strategies to address these unique drivers. 

Project 2 Objective: To recommend strategies and tools to reduce household food waste in the United States, based upon a comparative analysis of households in the United States and in other developed countries with less per capita food waste. 

Proposals for both projects are due February 10, 2023. To learn more and apply, please visit UNEP’s Open Calls for Proposals webpage.  

Are You Trying to Create Messages that Drive Behavior Change?    

EPA recently released recorded trainings and written materials on creating messages that drive behavior change. The presentation includes examples of how recycling, composting, and food waste prevention programs have applied social marketing to change behavior. If your community is trying to create impactful educational materials that lead to behavior change, consider viewing this recorded training and applying these social marketing approaches.  

Find training materials and more information on social marketing at:  https://www.epa.gov/recyclingstrategy/creating-messages-drive-behavior-change  

Food Donation Improvement Act Signed into Law 

A bill to amend the Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act was signed into law on January 5, 2023. The bill clarifies that food offered at a “good Samaritan reduced price” is protected under the Act, in addition to food offered at zero cost. It also details civil and criminal liability protections for food that qualified direct donors donate in good faith to needy individuals at zero cost. These changes clarify liability protections for entities donating food, which can encourage food donations and decrease food waste. 

Food Donation in the FDA 2022 Food Code 

FDA released the 2022 Food Code on December 28, 2022, specifically addressing food donation for the first time. To prevent food loss and waste across the food supply chain, and help ensure safe, good-quality food gets to those who need it most, the 2022 Food Code has clarified that food that is stored, prepared, packaged, displayed, and labeled according to the Food Code can be donated.