No, the maximum award eligibility would remain the same for the proposed project.

End Markets are programs that process material and/or use that material in a manufacturing process to create new products.

Per statute, the legislature must appropriate the funding to ADEQ each year in order to provide a grant program. ADEQ is working on securing sustainable funding for the grant program to continue beyond a yearly appropriation.

The Arizona Recycling Advisory Committee may choose to require oral presentations. Applicants will be notified if such a requirement is decided by the committee.

No, the Arizona Recycling Advisory Committee will determine if in-person or oral presentations will be requested.

No. Projects must align with the project timeline specified at the time of award so that all awarded projects begin and end concurrently.

Matching Funds Definition: The portion of project costs not paid by State or Federal funds (unless otherwise authorized by statute). For FY26, ADEQ Recycling Grant is not requiring matching funds. However, any matching funds needed to successfully complete the proposed project should be identified and reported as per the Record Keeping and Reporting Requirements section of the Recycling Grant Manual.

The FY2026 grant opportunity does not require matching funds. However, if matching funds are obtained to successfully complete the proposed project, include it in the application. Reporting requirements will apply.

Outreach and education materials, new/existing staff time and other costs associated with the project. There is a 10 percent Administrative Cap limit for this grant.

Overhead costs (or Indirect Costs) are expenses incurred to support the business's operations. These costs are not directly related to the production/project related activities.   These costs may include: Personnel and ERE (Salaries of Administrative Staff), Legal Fees, insurance, etc. For FY2026, ADEQ will impose a 10 percent Administrative Cap for this grant opportunity.

The organization will keep the equipment, subject to specific retention requirements that are described in the Terms and Conditions document under 6.11 Equipment.

The Recycling Research & Development grant would be the appropriate grant to apply for the development portion of the project, while the marketing of the developed software or app could be considered education and outreach in a Waste Reduction Initiative Through Education grant.

Yes, all funds must be spent and goods and services received by the end of the fiscal year (June 30) and be reported in the Quarterly and Final Grant Reports.

The WRA grant has a special category of award for the creation of new end markets with a maximum award of $500,000. No other project types will be prioritized for the FY2026 awards.

No specific metric goals will be prioritized for the FY2026 awards.

The Arizona Recycling Advisory Committee will review eligible applications received by the application deadline and make recommendations to the ADEQ Director, who will review and approve final awards.

Only if there is a clear explanation of how the proposed project is designed to scale up, create new markets or products, expand capacity, etc. The purpose of the grant is to provide funding for increasing current activities with defined outcomes, not as replacement funding for existing activities. Also, the specific activities you are requesting funding for cannot have begun before the award is granted; this must be a new project or distinct phase of a project, e.g., development, marketing and outreach, manufacturing, etc.

If the activities are combined in terms of activities, resources, etc., then they would be considered the same project and have one application. If the activities for the different commodities or products are separate, you may submit separate applications for each project.

Yes, as long as the outcomes and impact are targeted within Arizona.

Yes, we have posted information on the Recycling Grants page to highlight the FY24 grant winners | View >

Yes, for-profit activities are allowable.

Yes, the design of a new MRF is an acceptable project.

All eligible applicants may request a maximum of $100,000 of Waste Reduction Initiative Through Education grant funds per application. Applications for more than the maximum amount will not be considered. 

The timeline will soon be announced for the FY2026 grant award. All grantees will have one year from the award date to complete the project. All awarded funds and goods and services must be spent and received by June 30, 2026.

You can visit our recycling grants webpage to review the acceptable expenditures for each type of grant: Waste Reduction Assistance, Waste Reduction Initiative Through Education, or Recycling Research and development | Visit Page >

For FY2026, Applicant may request funding for current employees in your application as long as you clearly show that activities they will be working on contribute directly to the awarded project. Additionally, there is a 10 percent Administrative Cap imposed for this FY2026 grant opportunity.  These costs may include: Personnel and ERE (Salaries of Administrative Staff), Legal Fees, insurance, etc.

We understand this is a factor for municipalities. If you have a category of partner(s) you know you will want to partner with, such as a specific category of NGO’s, private businesses, etc., list the type of partner and their expected activities and costs in your application.

The project timelines cannot be extended at this time. You are encouraged to apply for the phase(s) of a project that you know will be concluded by the end of the award cycle.

The $1 million is the total amount available for all Recycling Grants awards for FY2024. The limits for each type of project award are listed in the Recycling Grants Manual | View/Download Manual >

In FY24, ADEQ received 61 grant applications totaling $9 million in requested funding. ADEQ was only able to award $1 million to 12 projects that particular year.

Except for the increased potential award for the creation of new end markets in the WRA grant, there are no other types of projects, regions or target populations that will be prioritized in the FY2026 grant award. It is equally available statewide for any type of project or population.

This is allowable. Make sure each application covers a specific project or phase of a project and do not have overlap in activities in case you are not successful in obtaining awards for other applications that are interdependent.

That depends on the expected activities and outcomes of the project you are seeking funding for. Review the Recycling Grants Manual for details about the intent and anticipated outcomes for each type of grant to determine the best fit for your project | View/Download Manual >

Yes, you may apply again next year for a previously awarded project to continue the activities, however, you will need to show you have new stated outputs or are beginning a new phase of the project.

In order to encourage the creation of end markets in Arizona, the Waste Reduction Assistance grant has a special category that has a higher potential award amount ($500,000). The limit of $250,000 is aimed at providing funding for capital purchases, such as equipment. Review the Recycling Grants Manual for specific details on the goals and requirements for projects under each grant type | View/Download Manual >