Colorado offers grants for recycled content use

Colorado NextCycle encourages businesses to use recyclables or organics in their manufacturing processes.

Colorado is offering grants for using recycled content.
Colorado is offering grants for using recycled content.
© Rrab1972 | Dreamstime.com

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) is accepting applications for the second season of Colorado NextCycle. This state-funded incentive program is designed to encourage businesses to make products from recovered commodities, such as recyclables or organic materials, instead of using new materials.

Colorado NextCycle helps to identify teams with ideas for developing or improving recycling end markets in the state. It also provides a supportive atmosphere for innovative thinking and partnership development and nurtures viable end-market business ideas to fundable, shovel-ready status, the CDPHE says.

Colorado NextCycle has released a Jump Kit for the 2019-2020 funding session. The Jump Kit contains criteria and instructions on how to apply for the program as well as access to a free library of resources to assist project teams in developing and strengthening their letters of intent. The Jump Kit is available for download on the state’s website www.colorado.gov/cdphe/nextcycle.

Teams accepted into Colorado NextCycle will have access to:

  • the Business Development Bootcamp, which is a multiday event focused on business growth and planning hosted at Galvanize Boulder (Travel and registration expenses are covered.);
  • the Technical Advisory Committee, which includes experts from the business, investor, recycling, and technical sectors to guide teams in business planning, the recycling landscape, investor pitches, market collaboration, commodity values and supply chains;
  • preparation for future funding through multiple CDPHE competitive grant rounds, including an end-market dedicated request for applications;
  • business consulting assistance from economists, recycling practitioners, engineers and graphic designers provided by RRS, the sustainability and recycling consulting firm headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, supporting the Colorado NextCycle program;
  • the time to pitch their business ideas to potential investors and partners (Travel and registration expenses will be covered.); and
  • access to staff and advisors from CDPHE and the Office of Economic Development and International Trade, who will provide teams with access to a range of resources and data.

During Colorado NextCycle’s first season in 2018-2019, the state selected nine teams to participate in the business incubator program, including a two-day accelerator workshop and a pitch session to an audience of recycling professionals and investors.

Adin Alai with 9Fiber, one of the nine teams accepted into the program last year, says, “NextCycle gave me access to resources and a community that I didn’t have access to previously, which helped me refine my business plan tremendously.”

The nine teams also had the opportunity to apply for larger Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity  (RREO) Program grants. The end market development grant, which closed earlier in October, seeks to provide up to $3 million in funding to anyone interested in creating or expanding end markets for recyclables and organic materials within Colorado.

Teams interested in joining the second season of NextCycle should visit the project webpage for continued updates, www.colorado.gov/cdphe/nextcycle, or email the project team directly at  nextcycle@recycle.com.

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