Solid Waste and Recycling: Funding Resource Guide
This Resource Guide is not an all-inclusive list of funding resources available for funding solid waste and recycling projects. There are always additional short-term and one-time only funding opportunities that become available through federal and state agencies and foundations. This guide comprises the current funding resources that are available consistently and have been successfully applied for and implemented in rural Alaska in the past few years. To research additional opportunities, we recommend visiting https://www.grants.gov/ or searching online for foundation funding opportunities.
This guide is organized by federal, state, and other entity funding. Non-traditional funding resources typically have fewer requirements associated with the grant and may be a good place to start for a community that does not have grant writing or administrative experience.
This guide was last updated in February 2025.
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Our Rural Landfill Specialists are available for free technical assistance for your solid waste related needs. We can help you with navigating grants and their applications. Contact your community’s rural landfill specialist to get the conversation started.
| Grant | Eligible to Apply | Funding Ceiling | Match Requirement | Deadline | Allowable Projects |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) | City governments and boroughs with 51% of persons who benefit from the project must be low to moderate income | $850,000 | 25% | Late fall |
Infrastructure. New landfill project or modernization project. Can also fund fire suppression equipment, such as a burn unit and a fire suppression system. For CDBG, the city would be the primary applicant, and the tribe would be the co-applicant. This is not required but can establish stakeholder engagement, which is a focus of CDBG and ICDBG grants. |
| Indian Community Development Block Grant (ICDBG) | Tribal governments | Varies $800,000 - $2,000,000 | None | Varies annually |
Same as CDBG above and these grants are not competitive with each other. CDBG is a state grant, and ICDBG is a federal HUD grant. ICDBG and CDBG can be granted to the city and tribe in a single community. For ICDBG the tribe would be the primary applicant, and the city would be the co-applicant. |
| ICDBG: Imminent Threat | Tribal governments | $450,000 for disasters that are not Presidentially-declared or $900,000 for Presidentially declared disasters | None | Request must be made within a reasonable amount of time after the event or discovery of the threat |
Same as ICDBG above. Grants can be applied for outside of the traditional timeframe for the ICDBG grant. Tribes are the primary applicant. Infrastructure that has been funded in rural Alaska includes fencing, clean-up projects, signage, and burn units. |
| USDA Rural Development Community Facilities | City or tribal governments or private non-profits | No ceiling | Lowest possible match is 25% | Open all year |
Infrastructure. New landfill project or an upgrade (clean-up) project. Most clean-up projects include modernization components to bring the facility into regulatory compliance ensuring that it is protective of public health and the environment. Do you need a new landfill road?
You can often match one of these road funding sources to your landfill project to meet the 25% match requirement for USDA or CDBG. |
| USDA PPG | City or tribal governments or non-profits | $60,000 or 75% of planning costs | 25% | Open all year | Predevelopment Planning Grants (PPG) can fund the completion of the Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) and Environmental Report (ER) that are required to apply for USDA construction funding. |
| EPA IGAP | Tribal governments | $134,000 | None | Varies annually. Typically January |
This grant funds various solid waste activities, including but not limited to landfill operator, backhaul and recycling, landfill clean-up and expansion, and contractual planning. |
| EPA Hazardous Waste Management for Tribes | Tribal governments | $100,000, typically 3 awards annually | None | Varies annually |
This grant supports the development and implementation of hazardous waste programs for building capacity to improve and maintain regulatory compliance and developing solutions to address the improper management of hazardous waste on Tribal lands. It has been used to evaluate and create a solution for single waste streams like used oil and glycol. It has also been used to host a community household hazardous waste collection event and subcontract out that service. |
| ANTHC Solid Waste and resiliency Sub-awards | Tribal governments with IGAP programs | Varies annually $75,000 | None | Varies annually, typically December or January |
The Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium (ANTHC) Tribal Capacity and Training Program funds solid waste and resiliency projects in rural tribal communities. |
| Denali Commission Program | Political subdivisions of the State of AK, tribal governments, and tribal non-profits | Varies annually around $150,000 | None | Varies annually. Typically in spring |
Denali Commission supports solid waste projects under their Sanitation Program. They can also support larger solid waste projects under their Infrastructure Program. |
| State of Alaska Designated Legislative | Political subdivisions of the State of AK and named recipients | No ceiling, historic awards have been $225,000 | None | Varies annually |
Communities and organizations seek funding through their state senators and representatives for identified capital projects. Appropriations are included in the Capital Bill by the legislature at their discretion, with final approval by the governor. Under the governor’s discretion, project funding may be reduced or vetoed entirely. It has been used for heavy equipment in the past. |
| Congressionally Directed Spending | Most applicants | No ceiling | Depends but can range 25% - 75% | Varies annually. Typically in spring |
Similarly to the Designated Legislative grants, Congress can dedicate funds to local projects. Communities can submit projects to the Alaska Federal Delegation, two senators and one house representative, for congressionally directed spending. |
| Administration for Native Americans (ANA) Environmental Regulatory Enhancement | Tribes, tribal or village organizations or consortia, non-profit AK Native organizations | $100,000 - $300,000 with average award ~$182,000 | None | Varies annually | Communication and technology, policy development, codes and ordinance development, and some basic infrastructure. From website “funding for the costs of planning, developing, and implementing programs designed to improve the capability of tribal governing bodies to regulate environmental quality pursuant to federal and tribal environmental laws.” |
| ALPAR | Communities and non-profit organizations | No funding. Provides supplies | None | n/a |
ALPAR provides a free program called Flying Cans and Flying Bottles. This program allows communities who are not on the road system with an easy way to begin recycling aluminum cans and #1 and 2 plastic bottles. ALPAR also provides bags for spring clean-up, and when funding is available, grants for youth litter patrols. |
| Local Economic Development Corporation | Affiliated communities | Varies annually |
Bristol Bay (BBEDC) and Norton Sound (NSEDC) often have community benefit share funding and additional grants available for solid waste projects. Check with your local organization to find out what is available. |
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| Rasmuson Foundation Tier 1 | Most applicants | $35,000 | None | None |
Projects funded in the past include landfill clean-ups, fencing, heavy equipment, recycling bins, and a building for recycling activities. Tribes are eligible if the project is for the entire community and will have a broad community impact. Rasmuson Foundation is interested in supporting projects recycling and composting projects throughout Alaska. The Foundation will also support solid waste projects in rural communities that demonstrate strong need. |
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