Purpose
The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District is accepting applications for a School Recycling Mini-Grant of up to $750. This grant program is designed to assist Cuyahoga County schools with funding student-centered school recycling projects. The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District is looking to support projects that involve students in establishing or expanding a school recycling program. The number of grants given depends on amount requested and funds available. All eligible applicants that meet grant conditions will be considered for grant funding.

Applications will be accepted through February 15, 2008. This is a “reimbursement grant” meaning that schools would first pay for the approved grant purchases and then submit documentation of these purchases to the Solid Waste District for reimbursement. The Solid Waste District cannot reimburse the individual.

Eligibility & Applicant Information

• Any school in Cuyahoga County, which is recognized by the Ohio Department of Education, is eligible to apply for a School Recycling Mini Grant.
• Grant projects must be coordinated and administered by a classroom teacher, school administrator, student group advisor or parent organization.
• Grantees must demonstrate the ability to purchase approved grant items for later reimbursement by the Solid Waste District.
  

Allowable Projects

School Recycling Mini-Grants may be used for the following purposes:

• Recycling equipment and supplies such as recycling bins, can crushers or recycling signs.
• Promotional materials such as posters, banners and fliers to promote recycling programs.
• Permanent educational materials needed for the recycling project.

Mini-grant funds may not be used for the following purposes:

• Student activity books or teacher activity books.
• General professional development or higher education courses.
• Recycled-content giveaways.
• Entertainment programs.
  

Application Deadline
The 2008 deadline for the School Recycling Mini-Grant application is February 15, 2008. Contact Kathleen Rocco, Education Specialist at 216-443-3731 with any questions. Proposals may be mailed or hand-delivered to:

Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District
Attn: Mini-Grants Program
323 Lakeside Ave. W., Suite 400
Cleveland, OH 44113

The Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District works to encourage proper management and reduction of solid waste through education and distribution of information on local programs and services.

Schools Are Recycling
Below are the reported recycling numbers of schools receiving a School Recycling Mini-Grant from the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District. Two schools had existing programs and used the grant to improve their recycling collection, and one school started a new program. The numbers below reflect pounds of recycled materials and the resources saved.

Forms

• Application Form
• Reimbursement Form
• School Recycling Report
• End of School Year Recycling Report

Application Process

1. The original application form must be submitted to the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District by February 15, 2008.
2. Proposals will be evaluated according to the criteria stated below by District staff. Qualified applications with the highest score will be approved for funding until funding runs out.
3. Within thirty days of the application deadline, all Applicants will be notified as to whether or not their application was approved for funding.
   

Grant Payments

1. The Solid Waste District will reimburse Grantees for approved grant expenditures following the submittal of a signed W-9 form, receipts, and the completed reimbursement form (Attachment A).
2. Requests for reimbursement must be made within sixty days of the signed award letter.
3. Reimbursement will be processed in thirty days of submitted documentation.
   

Conditions of the Grant

1. Only approved, documented grant project expenditures will be reimbursed.
2. Within six months of the signed award letter, the Grantee must submit a School Recycling Report (Attachment B) to the Solid Waste District. The School Recycling Report with photos (digital preferred) may be accompanied by a student live, video or slideshow presentation to a Solid Waste District representative. The District reserves the right to use the School Recycling Report materials to promote the grant, promote recycling and recognize the students' efforts. Photos, showing students in hands-on projects, and student quotes are encouraged. Only photographs of students with picture consent forms signed by parents should be submitted with report.
3. Schools must maintain records of the types and amounts of materials recycled in an End of the School Year Recycling Report (Attachment C). This information will be reported to the Solid Waste District at the end of the first full school year and second full school that the recycling program is in place.
4. Funded projects must be initiated within two months of the award or grant will be rescinded.
5. Anything purchased with grant funds is the Solid Waste District’s property until all conditions of the grants are met and approved by the Solid Waste District.
6. Schools that are awarded grants must be willing to work with CCSWD’s Education Specialist to sponsor a teacher workshop or participate in one or more of the District’s Education Programs.
   

Evaluation Criteria
All eligible applicants that submit completed, eligible applications will be reviewed and evaluated for funding by the Solid Waste District staff using the following criteria:

1. Application Form: Applications must fully describe the grant project, proposed recycling program and the materials to be purchased. Well organized, well thought out recycling projects will receive the highest consideration.
2. Sustainability of the Recycling Program: Applications must demonstrate how the recycling program will be implemented, promoted and maintained. Projects that demonstrate the program longevity will receive the highest consideration.
3. Educational Impact: Applications must indicate how students will be involved in establishing and monitoring the recycling program. Projects that affect student understanding of and participation in recycling will receive the highest consideration.
4. Internal Organization: Applications must indicate the adult person(s) who will be in charge of implementing and administering the grant project and identify the students groups to be involved. Projects that involve student groups with the organization of implementation of the recycling program will receive the highest consideration.
   

School Recycling Mini-Grant Timeline

• Winter 2006    
  End of the School Year Recycling Report, Attachment C due June 2007 and 2008.
• Fall 2006         
  End of the School Year Recycling Report, Attachment C due June 2007 and 2008.
• Winter 2007    
• End of the School Year Recycling Report, Attachment C due June 2008 and 2009.
• Fall 2007
• Reimbursement check mailed to school in January
• School Recycling Report, Attachment B due in early February 
• End of the School Year Recycling Report, Attachment C due June 2008 and 2009.
• Winter 2008
• Grant applications due February 15, 2008
• Letters awarded by March, 2008
• Reimbursement receipts and reimbursement form, Attachment A due in early May
• Reimbursement check mailed to school in June
• School Recycling Report, Attachment B due before end of August 2008
• End of the School Year Recycling Report, Attachment C due June 2009 and 2010.

School Recycling Mini-Grant Help Sheet

Recycling Equipment Resources

• Recycling bins can be ordered through the same company that the school is contracted with for janitorial or office supplies.
• A small number of bins can be purchased through local stores such as Target, Home Depot or office supply stores.
• Companies that sell recycling and trash bins and systems:
• www.rehrigpacific.com
• www.tmfitzgerald.com
• www.tulipproducts.com or www.tulipcorp.com
• www.barcoproducts.com
• www.consolidatedplastics.com ( Ohio company)
• www.recyclingbin.com
• www.recyclingproducts.com
• www.ssischaefer.us/schaefer/home/index/index.html
• www.unitedrecept.com/new%20barclay1.htm
• www.windsorbarrel.com
• www.linkabag.com
• www.recy-cal.com
• Companies that sell environmental products:
  • www.gaiam.com

Tips from Past Awardees

• Get plastic recycling bins for each classroom and other significant location and label them.
• Have a set schedule, so teachers know when to put recycling bins in the hall for collection, especially when students collect the bins and classrooms may be locked.
• Keep reminding parents of the importance of recycling.
• Continue recycling over the summer months.
• Talk to other teachers who are in charge of their school’s recycling program.
• In short, slow and steady wins the race.  The kids have been patient and methodical about encouraging increased recycling in our building.  We just try to maintain consistency in our efforts. 
• Understand how the reimbursement system will work with school and Solid Waste District.
• Have a all school assembly, recycling fair, make posters and involve students groups, PTA, custodians and administrators, and use announcements regularly. 
• Involve your students, staff and families.  Keep the Recycle-O-Meter chart in the hallway for students to see rising. 

Other Comments

• The money our school earns from recycling paper goes to the outdoor learning laboratory.
• Request matching funding from other environmental organizations or local businesses.
• Lunch time recycling of cans and plastic bottles has been problematic because a group cannot monitor the bins throughout lunch periods.  Much contamination is occurring despite signs and announcements.

Ideas for Grant Projects

• Permanent classroom recycling bins for paper.
• Recycle bins for cafeteria.
• Lager bin with wheels to facilitate collection.
• Secure outdoor bin for aluminum cans and mini-electronics such as cell phones or printer cartridges.
• Vermicompost equipment for food waste recycling with worms.

Program Kick-off Ideas

• School starts a new club.
• Students in the recycling club talked to classrooms and did presentations for the in-house t.v. station.
• Used the “we have plans for your cans” competition sponsored by the Solid Waste District to start our aluminum can recycling project.  Internally, the environmental club sponsored a breakfast competition for the class that could collect the most cans.
• Students sat through an assembly about the recycling program including the Abitibi video.  Video also shown to PTA members.
•    Recycling letter was sent home and teachers talked to their classes.
• Had an Earth Protectors assembly
• The Student Advisory Team representatives told their classmates about the new recycling process.

Get the Message Out to students and community

• Send home information and instructional flyers with the students.
• Pass out information at PTO meetings.
• Create a recycling report segment for the morning announcements.
• Design a permanent display in the school about the recycling program.
• Have students do a skit during a choir or band concert for parents.
• Do a recycling page such as a bin guide on your website - www.recycle.umich.edu/grounds/recycle/recycling_bin_guide.html
• Print recycling information in school newspaper and school district newsletter.
• Do a contest.
• Make public service announcements for local access channels on cable.
• Invite the local press to the school to kick off the program.
• Advertised paper collection on the digital marquis in the front of the building and during PTA meeting announcements.

Updated 01/4/2008

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