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This grant offering is now closed.
May 30, 2006 was the deadline for submitting questions regarding the
Reuse Assistance Grants. Please note that only the questions and answers
listed below apply to this grant offering.
Q. I currently run a program that is funded by a
grant that runs out at the end of June. Our program collects used working
computers from the community and businesses, refurbishes the systems for
distribution to disadvantaged college students enrolled at either De Anza or
Foothill Community Colleges....
We would like to expand the program by working with the Environmental
Studies department at De Anza to provide more public education on the
advantages of the reuse of electronic equipment and the dangers of e-waste.
Based on this short description of the program, do you think we should apply
for one of the RAG grants? Your material refers to “public agencies."
Does a public community college qualify as a public agency?
A. First, each application is judged on its own merits. The program you
described focuses on the reuse of materials and would be considered an
eligible project for a Reuse Assistance Grant.
Second, a public community college is not considered a local public agency
for the purposes of this particular grant program, and therefore, cannot
apply for a grant by itself. However, a community college may partner with a
local public agency to apply for a Reuse Assistance Grant. The college (the
partnering entity) must complete the Non-Profit/Private Entity Partner
Letter of Commitment (Exhibit I of the Application) and the
Non-Profit/Private Entity Partner Agreement to be Subject to Audit
Requirements of Grant Agreement (Exhibit J of the Application), which the
local public agency must submit with the application.
Q. I lead an Internal Revenue Service Code §
501(c)(3) California Corporation for Public Benefit. My organization
collects reusable educational resources for distribution to needy children
utilizing American schoolchildren involved in our character development
programs for public schools. Would my organization be eligible for a RAGS
grant?
A. Based on your statement, your organization is a non-profit organization,
and is therefore eligible to apply for a Reuse Assistance Grant only if your
organization partners with a California local public agency and the local
public agency applies as the applicant. Your organization is not eligible to
apply for a Reuse Assistance Grant alone. Your organization (the partnering
entity) must complete the Non-Profit/Private Entity Partner Letter of
Commitment (Exhibit I of the Application) and the Non-Profit/Private Entity
Partner Agreement to be Subject to Audit Requirements of Grant Agreement
(Exhibit J of the Application), which the local public agency must submit
with the application.
Q. Are school districts eligible to apply for Reuse
Assistance Grants?
A. No, schools and school districts cannot
apply individually. However, schools and school districts are eligible
to partner with a California local public agency (e.g., a city, county,
or regional agency that has obligations to develop and implement waste
reduction programs pursuant to the requirements of the Public Resources
Code § 40900 et seq.) for a Reuse Assistance Grant. The local public
agency would be the applicant for the grant.
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Q. We are considering expanding the operations of our ReUse store to a
satellite location in the southern portion of our county. Due to the high
cost of building we are considering leasing a location for this operation.
Would the lease payments during the start up of this location be eligible
cost for this grant?
A. Lease payments are ineligible expenses of a Reuse Grant
unless pre-approved by the CIWMB grant manager. The CIWMB typically
looks to fund items that will help a program (in this case, your
satellite location) be sustainable after the grant term has ended. The
use of grant funds for lease payments would not necessarily ensure the
continuation of the satellite location after the completion of the grant
term.
Q. Would a water reuse project qualify for a Reuse Assistance Grant?
A. No. The purpose of the Reuse Assistance Grants program focuses on the
reuse of materials that may otherwise be disposed of in a landfill. Since
water is not disposed of in a landfill, a water reuse project would not be
eligible for a Reuse Assistance Grant.
Q. I own a company that recycles aluminum cans,
plastic, and glass bottles from southern California churches, restaurants,
clothing, and shopping stores. My company provides our clients with the bins
at no cost to them. Would I be eligible for this grant program?
A. No. As stated in the application, recycling projects
are not eligible for a Reuse Assistance Grant. However, please review
the California Department of Conservation’s Division of Recycling Grants
programs at
www.conservation.ca.gov/dor/grants/index.htm, as there may
be a more suitable grant for supporting programs that recycle beverage
containers, e.g., bottles and cans.
Q. We have a pile of mulch as a result from our
Public Works tree trimming program. We could give it away to the public for
free. If we were to develop this idea and find a sustainable way to bag the
material, would this idea be applicable to submit as a proposal in
application for this particular grant? I noticed that composting is listed
as an ineligible grant topic.
A. As described, this idea would not be eligible for a Reuse
Assistance Grant. Taking tree trimmings and converting them into mulch
would be considered significant processing and would fall outside the
program’s definition of reuse (the program’s definition of reuse is
“using a material over again in its current form without any significant
processing that alters its material structure." Further, this grant’s
primary purpose is to encourage the establishment of tangible and
long-term systems, infrastructure, projects, and/or facilities that
recover materials for reuse that are otherwise destined for disposal. As
described, it does not appear that the mulch was destined for disposal.
Q. We need to improve our city streets. Reusing
tires as an additive to extend the life of and improve our city streets
would be a way to use waste tires. Currently, it's cost prohibitive for our
city to use this type of material not to mention permanently repair streets
on an annual basis. I was thinking this grant may assist us with our
pavement improvement program.
A. Recycling tires into rubberized asphalt concrete would be
considered significant processing and would fall outside the program’s
definition of reuse. Such a project would be considered ineligible for a
Reuse Assistance Grant. For tire-related grant opportunities, please see
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/Tires/Grants/.
Q. Our agency has been approached by a local small
business to be a partner in applying for the 2006-2007 Reuse Grant. This
business currently has a small operation on a rented site at our landfill.
They accept used sheetrock, crush it, remove the paper and contaminants, and
produce a gypsum soil amendment used by local vineyards. According the
business owner, there is more demand for the product than he can accommodate
because of inadequate equipment. The grant would be used as partial funding
to buy larger, more efficient equipment. Would such a project qualify as a
reuse project?
A. As described, this idea would not be
eligible for a Reuse Assistance Grant. Taking used sheetrock, crushing
it, and removing the contaminants to produce gypsum soil amendment would
be considered significant processing and would fall outside the
program’s definition of reuse (the program’s definition of reuse is
“using a material over again in its current form without any significant
processing that alters its material structure.")
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Q. What is the size of the Reuse Assistance Grant pool for this
coming fiscal year?
A. The CIWMB anticipates allocating two hundred fifty thousand
dollars ($250,000) from FY 2006/2007 funds.
Q. Is there any minimum or maximum for the individual grant
applications?
A. Eligible applicants may request a maximum of fifty thousand
dollars ($50,000).
Q. Last year I had difficulty finding a local
California jurisdiction to partner with and was unable submit an application
(as my local waste management authority already had a partnering entity). Is
there an available list of local California jurisdictions that are eligible
to apply for Reuse Assistance Grants?
A. The CIWMB Planning Annual Report
Information System (PARIS) provides a list of jurisdictions and their
waste reduction programs. The PARIS database is located at the following
website
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/LGTools/PARIS/jurhist.asp.
Q. May the same for-profit corporation partner with
a different city(ies) or county(ies) to perform the same (or similar) activity in
each city or county? For example, assume for-profit partnering entity “A" is
presently doing business in one county, and would like to expand the
business operation to several other public agencies/cities/counties. The
for-profit partnering entity would like to partner with each of these other
public agencies/cities/counties under separate grant applications.
Additionally, may partnering entity “A" partner with
a yet a different public agency/city/or county to educate and train their
employees/residents about recycling methodology, etc.? If these grant
applications were successful, would there be a limitation on the gross
funding amount?
A. The same for-profit corporation may
partner with more than one California city, county, or regional agency
that is mandated to develop and implement waste reduction programs
pursuant to Public Resources Code § 40900 et seq. Regardless of the
partnering entity or the reuse program proposed in the grant
application, a local public agency may submit only one (1) application.
Local public agencies may submit a regional application; however,
regional participants may not also submit an individual application or
be a participant in another regional group. Two different local public
agencies may partner with the same private entity, submitting two
separate applications. An eligible individual grant application (or
local public agency) may request up to $50,000.
Q. Can you recommend a public agency in the Los
Angeles area that might be interested in working with my cardboard box reuse
business to apply for a Reuse Assistance Grant? We have an amazing business
model, we are getting national media attention, but we need funding and
exposure, right here in Los Angeles to keep our business going in the right
direction. Please let me know if you have any thoughts on how we can
identify a good partner.
A. The CIWMB Planning Annual Report
Information System (PARIS) provides a list of jurisdictions and their
waste reduction programs (e.g., the City of Los Angeles
—Environmental Affairs Department). The
listed jurisdictions are all obligated to reduce their waste pursuant to
Public Resources Code § 40900 et seq. and may be interested in
partnering with your company to apply for a Reuse Assistance Grant. The
PARIS database is located at the following website
www.ciwmb.ca.gov/LGTools/PARIS/jurhist.asp.
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