Apply for a Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) Municipal Grant

Next steps for Apply for a Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) Municipal Grant

1. What to Know

   MassDEP Sustainable Materials Recovery Program (SMRP) Municipal Grant funding may be used to improve local recycling, composting, reuse, and household hazardous waste diversion programs.

   Cities, towns, regional authorities, and certain non-profit organizations that provide solid waste-related services to them are eligible to apply.

   Grants are available for:

   • Recycling and composting equipment;
   • Mattress recycling;
   • Pay-As-You-Throw programs;
   • Education & Enforcement Coordinators;
   • School recycling;
   • Waste reduction enforcement; and
   • Organics capacity development.

   SMRP funding is also available for SMRP Recycling Dividends Program (RDP) payments to qualifying cities and towns.

2. Review the Application Guidelines

   The document below provides critical information on SMRP Municipal Grants including eligibility criteria, terms and conditions, and how grant funds may be used.

   Open PDF file, 892.52 KB, for SMRP Municipal Grant Application Guidelines (PDF 892.52 KB)

3. Learn More About SMRP Grants

   To help communities apply for SMRP grants, MassDEP held two webinars in April and May 2020.

   You may download the presentation slides and/or play back the second of these online sessions below. 

   Open PDF file, 2.91 MB, for Presentation: 2020 SMRP Municipal Grants Webinar (PDF 2.91 MB)

   Playback of May 2020 SMRP Municipal Grants Webinar 

4. Meet Minimum Eligibility Criteria

   • Applicants must certify that they have "buy recycled" by-laws, ordinances or policies in place; indicate whether their purchasing function is centralized or decentralized; certify that everyone with purchasing authority is aware of the "buy recycled" requirement and reminded of it annually; and attach a copy of this communication. See below for examples of qualifying "buy recycled" notifications and a model policy.
   • Before submitting a grant application, municipal applicants must have completed MassDEP Municipal Recycling & Solid Waste Surveys for calendar years 2018 and 2019 at Re-TRAC Connect™. Regional and non-profit applicants must certify that each municipality to be served by the grant proposal has filed these documents.
   • Please note that MassDEP has established a Re-TRAC Connect™ account for each municipality. If you have forgotten your account login, contact Cathy Doodnauth.
   • Municipal applicants with unspent Recycling Dividends Program (RDP) funds or who were awarded in the previous calendar year must report prior year expenditures and RDP Funds balances via Re-TRAC Connect™.
   • Municipal applicants must certify that they have active recycling programs that provide recycling containers for paper, cans and bottles in all offices and meeting spaces in all municipal buildings. All other applicants are required to certify that they have active programs providing for office recycling of paper, cans and bottles.

   See below for "Buy Recycled" policy resources.

   Open PDF file, 72.43 KB, for Model "Buy Recycled" Policy (PDF 72.43 KB)

   Open PDF file, 946.39 KB, for Presentation: Notification of "Buy Recycled" Policy (PDF 946.39 KB)

   Open PDF file, 23.49 KB, for Chelmsford "Buy Recycled" Notification (PDF 23.49 KB)

   Open PDF file, 267.11 KB, for Hingham "Buy Recycled" Notification (PDF 267.11 KB)

   Open PDF file, 64.8 KB, for Reading "Buy Recycled" Notification (PDF 64.8 KB)

   Open PDF file, 101.55 KB, for Rockport "Buy Recycled" Notification (PDF 101.55 KB)

   Webinar Playback: Buy Smart! Buy Recycled 

5. Complete & Submit a Grant Application

   • The 2020 application period is now closed. MassDEP accepted applications through June 10, 2020.
   • Please note that MassDEP has established a Re-TRAC Connect™ account for each municipality. If you have forgotten your account login, contact Cathy Doodnauth.
   • Applications must be submitted electronically via Re-TRAC Connect™, an online reporting tool. MassDEP does not accept applications in any other format.
   • Regional authority and non-profit applicants need to discuss project concepts with Brooke Nash no later than two weeks before the grant application deadline.
   • If you are requesting funds for Waste Reduction or Organics Capacity projects, the Re-TRAC Connect™ system will prompt you to attach a written proposal, which must conform to the Mandatory Proposal Outline below. MassDEP strongly encourages applicants to contact Brooke Nash before developing their proposals, to discuss project concepts.
   • If you are requesting School Recycling Assistance, you will need to submit a letter of commitment, further described in the SMRP Guidelines below. Use the Commitment Letter Template below for help in composing the letter.
   • If awarded a grant, your School Committee or District must pass a mandatory School Recycling Policy, further described in the SMRP Guidelines. See the Sample Recycling Policy Template below. An applicant whose policy has been adopted at the time of grant application submittal will be favorably evaluated.

   Open DOCX file, 79.11 KB, for Waste Reduction & Organics Capacity Projects: Mandatory Proposal Outline (DOCX 79.11 KB)

   Open PDF file, 158 KB, for Waste Reduction & Organics Capacity Projects: Mandatory Proposal Outline (PDF 158 KB)

   Open PDF file, 892.52 KB, for SMRP Municipal Grant Application Guidelines (PDF 892.52 KB)

   Open PDF file, 140.45 KB, for School Recycling Assistance: Commitment Letter Template (PDF 140.45 KB)

   Open PDF file, 131.45 KB, for School Recycling Assistance: Sample Recycling Policy Template (PDF 131.45 KB)

6. MassDEP Reviews All Applications

   The agency spends most of the summer reviewing and scoring the applications it has received from cities, towns, regional authorities and eligible non-profits. MassDEP concludes this process and announces two rounds of grant awards in the fall, generally in September and November.