Delaware Announces Grant Availability

The Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control (DNREC), in cooperation with the Governor's Recycling Public Advisory Council (RPAC), has announced that it is accepting applications for the fiscal year 2006 Recycling Assistance Grant Program.

The program has $50,000 available to local governments, community organizations and educational institutions to help boost recycling in the First State. Grant recipients are required to provide 25 percent of total project funding either in cash or in in-kind services.

Delaware municipalities, schools, colleges, civic and community associations and non-profit organizations may apply for funding under the grant program. The grant money may be used to help finance programs that will keep material out of Delaware's landfills and bring Delaware closer to the its goal of diverting 30 percent of recyclables from the residential solid waste stream. Eligible activities include:  design, implementation or expansion of residential recycling and yard waste composting programs; curbside collection of recyclables; design and implementation of "Pay-As-You-Throw" programs; and recycling outreach and educational programs.

DNREC staff is available to provide technical and administrative assistance. Interested parties are encouraged to work closely with DNREC to assure that application proposals are complete and fully address grant criteria. Grant awards will be determined by the DNREC and the RPAC. The competitive selection process assigns greater weight to projects that are most responsive in addressing grant program criteria and that are judged to have the greatest potential to increase diversion, according to a press release form the DNREC.

Grant Information Workshops will be held at the following locations:

·        Smyrna Rest Stop, 5500 N. DuPont Highway, Smyrna, 2-4 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 8

·        Kirkwood Highway Library, 600 Kirkwood Highway, Newark, 6-8 p.m., Monday, Dec. 12

·        Georgetown Library, 10 W. Pine St., Georgetown, 2-4 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 13

·        Richardson and Robbins Building (DNREC), 89 Kings Highway, Dover, 6-8 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 13

Completed applications are due Jan. 31, 2006; grant awards will be announced during March 2006.