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Students at lunch table being served by an adult, using compostable plates and forks.

Apply for a Green Grant Before April 30

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Green button with hand pointing to it, indicating "Apply Now"Apply before it’s too late!

If you’ve been thinking about applying for one of the thirty Green Grants that will be awarded, now’s the time to complete your application and submit it by April 30, 2025!  You can learn more about the Green Grants program HERE.

The online application form is short and simple!  Just tell us a little about your organization, your contact information, explain your project or program, tell us your budget, and state how you’ll measure your results!  You can request a grant that suits the size of your project for $500, $750, or $1,000.

  • Are you tired of cigarette butt litter in front of your business, library, or park? Did you know that cigarette butts are recyclable?  The plastic in cigarette butt filters can be melted down and remade into valuable things, like park benches!  Apply for a Cigarette Litter Prevention & Recycling grant to get the supplies, tools, and information you need to combat the cigarette butt litter problem!
  • Does your homeowners association, school, or faith community want to start a composting program?  Or want to host a Community Fix-it Fair to repair people’s items instead of adding them to the landfill?  Apply for a Recycling grant!
  • Does your youth group, Scouts, or other organization take part in cleanups, and need litter grabbers, vests, or other supplies for your group to conduct future cleanups?  Apply for a Litter Prevention grant!
  • Is there a vacant lot in your community that’s overgrown with invasive species and would be transformed into a public green space with some improvements?  Or an area that would benefit from painting over graffiti?  Then apply for a Community Beautification grant!

Here’s a couple of award winners from last year to give you some ideas of great work that can be done with Green Grants:

Students at lunch table being served by an adult, using compostable plates and forks.St. Patrick’s School, Norfolk, Virginia:  Students requested a change to using Styrofoam plates and containers for teachers and students who receive lunch “to go” when eating away the cafeteria for testing, meetings, or special events.

With funds from their Green Grants award, the school purchased compostable salad plates, forks, and clamshell containers.  The administration and the dining hall staff are committed to the effort of a more Earthy-friendly dining experience on campus!

Recycling bin a summer Boy Scout Camp in scenic mountain areaBlue Ridge Mountain Council Boy Scouts, Pulaski County, Virginia:  Today’s youth are in tune with recycling and given the opportunity to take part, will do it. That wasn’t possible at Camp Powhatan before last Summer.  The County did not offer the service, the camp did not have the dedicated recycle bins, and there was not a culture in place to recycle.

With the implementation of the bins and the addition of a rented compacting dumpster for recycling, the Scouts were able to recycle hundreds of pounds of plastic and aluminum!

If you want more ideas and inspiration, take a look at last year’s Green Grants projects and programs.  Just follow this link for a list of awards.  To see all that they accomplished, see their results HERE!

REMEMBER TO SUBMIT YOUR GRANT APPLICATION BY MIDNIGHT ON APRIL 30th!

Green Grants Logo

Green Grant Applications Now Being Accepted!

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Green Grants LogoSpring is almost here, and it’s one of our favorite seasons for many reasons!  The weather warms up, more cleanups resume, and nature provides a beautiful, colorful landscape. AND…

Applications for Green Grants are now being accepted!! It’s that time of year when we invite schools, parks, counties and towns, environmental groups, associations, nonprofits, and service organizations, and other groups to present their projects and programs that will make a difference in their communities.

Start brainstorming on ways you can use a Green Grant:

  • Beautify the Commonwealth by clearing an overgrown trail or improving a public spot to make it a green gathering place!
  • Equip your neighborhood HOA, Scout troop, or faith community to conduct safe litter cleanups with litter grabbers, safety vests, and washable work gloves – and partner with a brewery to use their otherwise discarded hops bags to gather litter instead of plastic bags.
  • Start recycling the #1 most littered item in the world — cigarette butts! The CLPR (Cigarette Litter Prevention and Recycling) program make a great impact at restaurants, beaches, parking lots, playgrounds, and other places with the installation of cigarette butt receptacles, and a plan to use free and easy recycling with TerraCycle.
  • Think outside the blue bin to Re-use, Repair, and Repurpose! Limit what would otherwise go to the landfill by hosting a Fix-it-Fair, end food waste by composting, or repurpose items to create art!

For inspiration and ideas, take a look at last year’s Green Grants awards on this link, and to see all that they accomplished, see their results HERE!

You can apply for a Green Grant in the amount of $500, $750, or $1,000, depending on the need of your project or program.  The deadline to apply is April 30, 2025.  In May, the applications are evaluated and scored by a panel of experts in their fields. In June, a Green Grant award is announced one each day on our website and social channels.  Projects must be completed before October 1, 2025.  Please read the Green Grants Guidelines for more details.

For questions about the Green Grants Program or the application process, please contact Beckey Watson [email protected].