Circular Economy Funding Program (Boulder County)

Circular Economy Funding Program (Boulder County) is sponsored by Boulder County. This program provides funding to local groups in Boulder County seeking to advance the Circular Economy and make an impact on climate change through innovative projects that enhance resource conservation and foster circularity.

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The Circular Economy Funding Program has been in place for the past 28 years and has provided over $1. 5 million to local groups seeking to advance the Circular Economy and make a real impact on climate change through innovative and progressive projects that enhance resource conservation and foster circularity in Boulder County.

Local governments, non-profits, school districts, individual schools, and private companies may apply as long as the scope of work is within the service area. Circular Economy Fund Award applications are reviewed by a volunteer committee made up of members of the Recy cling Center Advisory Board.

The review committee rates each application based on project conception, outcomes, capacity, environmental impact, reaching underserved communities, financial factors, and additional factors such as geographic service area .

2026 Circular Economy Funds have been awarded to the following projects: $20,000 to Community Fruit Rescue for Roots to Fruits Initiative Community Fruit Rescue (CFR) is a woman-led nonprofit with the mission to reduce food waste, increase equitable access to fresh fruit, minimize conflicts with local wildlife, and care for Boulder County’s historic orchard legacy.

Since 2014, CFR has built a unique community-based model that combines education, volunteer engagement, and local partnerships to keep tremendous volumes of fresh fruit from going to waste. CFR is expanding its work beyond core harvests to include more robust tree care and new fruit preservation initiatives .

Funds were awarded for a ha rvest and preservation tool library, translation of materials and bilingual support for workshops, and volunteer harvest leader stipends. Activities include es tablishing the tool library, developing and hosting workshops and resources on fruit tree care and fruit preservation , and expanded fruit harvesting operations .

$13,050 to Growing Gardens for Reducing Single Use Plastics in Greenhouses Growing Gardens is a Boulder County nonprofit that increases access to fresh, healthy food and gardening opportunities for community members, including low-income and historically excluded community members.

For the past 27 years, Growing Gardens has offer ed gardening education, seeds and plant starts, community garden plots, and hands-on food-growing experiences at schools, homes, seven community gardens and three farms in Boulder and Longmont.

Support from this grant will allow Growing Gardens to significantly reduce single-use plastics in their greenhouse production, reduce waste and emissions, and model climate-smart practices for the wider community . The award will fund equipment necessary to convert to and manage purchases of bulk soil, rather tha n plastic bagged soil , as well as durable, reusable seeding trays.

Cal-Wood Education Center $8,700 to Cal-Wood Education Center for Zero Waste Food Scrap Hauling Initiative Cal-Wood Education Center is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing life-changing environmental education experiences for youth and families, with a strong emphasis on equity and inclusion.

Their primary activities include immersive, science-based outdoor programs focused on forest ecology, climate resilience, and environmental stewardship. This award will enable Cal-Wood to start composting food scraps from their commer cial kitchen by funding animal-safe storage infrastructure, educational signage about how to compost, and the initial expense of commercial compost hauling.

$5,600 to Harvest of Hope for Increased Efficiency in Rescue Food Operations Harvest of Hope Pantry ’ s mission is to provide healthy supplemental food to Boulder families and individuals in need of food assistance within a safe, welcoming and non-judgmental environment. In 2024, Harvest of Hope rescued 100,000 pounds of food for redistribution.

The purchase of key equipment will enable Harvest of Hope to double this amount to an estimated 200,000 pounds of food annually for their clients. The award will fund the purchase of a display cooler, a pallet jack, two U-boat carts, and a stocking cart.

Coal Creek Meals on Wheels $2,650 to Coal Creek Meals on Wheels to Transition to a Zero-Plastic-Waste, Reusables-Only Café System Coal Creek Meals on Wheels (CCMOW) supports the independence and quality of life of residents in Lafayette, Louisville, Erie, and Superior by providing daily, made-from-scratch, nutritious meals through home delivery, congregate dining, and community access points—ensuring that no one in their service area goes hungry or feels alone.

Their work focuses on older adults, individuals with chronic illnesses, low-income families, and others in need of food and social connection. The Coal Creek Café has primarily use d single-use containers, this award funds the purchase of durable, reusable serviceware alternatives to reduce operational waste .

2025 Circular Economy Funds projects included: Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County $50,000 to the Latino Chamber of Commerce of Boulder County for Circular Economy and Zero Waste Initiative for Underserved Businesses This project addresses the need for more sustainable waste management practices in Boulder County’s food and hospitality sector, especially among minority-owned businesses.

It aims to overcome barriers such as limited access to capital and knowledge by offering education, infrastructure support, and financial assistance. The project will promote circular economy models, helping businesses transition to reusable and compostable materials, reduce waste, and improve operational efficiency.

Additionally, public awareness campaigns will foster community engagement, encouraging support for eco-friendly businesses and aligning efforts with Boulder County’s climate and zero-waste goals. The program includes bilingual workshops, personalized consulting, and mini grants to help businesses acquire reusable materials, composting tools, and recycling infrastructure.

The program’s goals include reducing waste, improving operational efficiency, and integrating circular economy models. Key outcome objectives are to increase the adoption of reusable and compostable materials, divert waste from landfills, enhance community support through public awareness campaigns, and establish partnerships that ensure long-term sustainability across the region.

$25,000 to Green Girl Recycling for a 11-foot Hydraulic Stake Bed Truck This project is to purchase a new 11-foot hydraulic tipping stake bed to put onto an 84” cab-to-axel 4×4 truck chassis to support more hard-to-reach mountain residential and commercial pickups.

This would more than double the amount of recycling volume that Green Girl can haul from the mountain communities, improve driver safety, create more efficiency in unloading at the Boulder County Recycling Center, and allow Green Girl to divert more recycling from the Boulder County waste stream.

Green Girl received funding from this grant 20 years ago for a 10-foot stake bed truck that is still in active use today and has been crucial to Green Girl diverting over 2,200 tons of recyclables from the mountain communities in Boulder County. Providing recycling services to harder-to-reach mountain communities lowers carbon footprint by reducing individual recycling trips.

Green Girl specializes in serving mountain communities that face challenges from weather and wildlife. $10,000 to Eco-Cyle for Overcoming Barriers to Launch: Green Star Schools in Erie Residents and students in Erie are significantly affected by the Front Range Landfill, located on the town’s east side.

This project will reduce the landfill waste generated in Erie by enrolling Soaring Heights PK-8 into Eco-Cycle’s award-winning Green Star Schools Program®, a school located in Erie, in Weld County, and sited just 2. 8 miles from the landfill. This will increase the school’s waste diversion up to 65% by composting food scraps from the cafeteria and kitchen, improving recycling rates, and encouraging waste-reducing behaviors.

The first year’s activities to “launch” a school into the program require more intensive staff time for preparation, staff and student engagement, education, and establishing infrastructure and services. While the St.

Vrain Valley School District is committed to financially supporting the annual maintenance costs of the Green Star Schools program at Soaring Height PK-8 going forward, the one-time, initial launch costs are a barrier to enrollment.

Activities will include planning meetings with key staff and students; trainings for faculty, administrative, custodial, and kitchen staff; student education; lunchroom monitoring; student activities; and messaging development.

$10,000 to Bridge House for Reuse of vegetable scraps to transform into broth for sale and for Mission Meals for the Homeless This project funds the initial startup of a new broth social enterprise that will repurpose vegetable waste/scraps both from the ongoing Community Table Kitchen (CTK) food preparation business and turn the scraps into healthy, nutritious, high-quality, and sippable vegetable broth that will be sold in the Boulder JCC and CTK Cafes.

The funding would help support, in part, the salary of one Trainee, who will be involved in the startup and implementation of the new broth business. Funding will also help purchase compostable certified containers to package the broth product in for sale.

The Community Table Kitchen is an enterprise of Bridge House’s Ready to Work program, a “Work Works” model, transitional employment program for adults experiencing homelessness and rooted in social enterprise. In 2023, Community Table Kitchen prepared and distributed over 130,000 meals to food insecure persons.

$5,000 to Pig & Pearl Secondhand for Renewing an Inclusive Circular Economy in Boulder The project is focused on upgrading infrastructure.

The outcome objectives are (1) to facilitate greater quantities of items that are recycled and reused, (2) create new opportunities to reach our community to assist in recycling and reuse, (3) improve infrastructure and processing capabilities, (4) create a more efficient and safe environment for staff and volunteers that includes less lifting; particularly for those at greater ages and with significant disabilities, and (5) overall increase to the output of reusable items into the community that did not require new resources and/or plastic to make so that we have a more sustainable and lower footprint world, at least starting locally.

The 2026 Funding cycle is now closed. 2026 funding is $50,000 total for all projects. Projects requests could be between $1,000 – $30,000.

Application and Funding Calendar for 2026 Awards Circular Economy Funding application issued: Monday, Aug. 18, 2025 Questions Due: Tuesday, Sept. 2, 2025 Responses to Questions: Tuesday, Sept.

9, 2025 Application Due: Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, by 5:30 p. m.

Application Evaluations and Funding Approval: October– November 2025 Announcement of Awards: December 2025 Start of 2026 project funding: March 2026 Midterm Report due: July 2026 (may be adjusted on a project basis) End of 2026 project funding, Final invoices and Report due: Tuesday, Dec.

15, 2026 Eligibility Requirements and Project Criteria Circular Economy Funding projects provide an opportunity for , organizations and businesses to participate in Boulder County’s vision of becoming a zero waste community and closing the waste loop through circular economy practices. The details of this vision are outlined in the Boulder County Zero Waste Action Plan .

Established in 1997, this fund has awarded more than one million dollars for education and infrastructure initiatives that promote waste reduction and diversion. For inquiries or clarification of this program, contact the Resource Conservation Division , at circulareconomyfund@bouldercounty. gov .

Applications for 2026 Funding Applications for the 2026 Circular Economy Funding year were issued on Monday, Aug. 18, 2025. Complete proposals must have been received by the Resource Conservation Division office by 5:30 p.

m. on Tuesday, Sept. 30, 2025, to be considered.

Introductory Packet with eligibility requirements, project criteria, funding categories, application and funding timeline, and more. Please read this packet first.

Form A – Application cover page Form B – Statement of Qualifications Form C – Project Summary and Narrative with Climate Analysis Form D – Project Budget Information Form E – Sustainability Questionnaire Spanish Applications for 2026 Funding Form A – Portada de la solicitud Form B – Declaración de calificaciones del solicitante Form C – Resumen y narrativa del proyecto y análisis climático Form D – Gastos del Proyecto Form E – Cuestionario de sostenibilidad Circular Economy Funding FAQ Can I get an extension on the application deadline?

No, we cannot offer application extensions. Can start-up businesses apply? The list of ineligible uses of funds includes “funds for start-up business.

” This means that funding cannot be used as seed funding for start-up businesses. However, start up businesses that are already operating may apply for funding for projects or programs. Would purchasing a vehicle qualify as eligible equipment?

Yes, a vehicle may be considered eligible equipment for this fund if it is necessary and used to achieve the circular economy goals of the fund. Would equipment that would be used to expand an already existing project be eligible? Yes.

Funding cannot be used to fund existing program operations but may be used to expand existing programs to new areas or populations or to include new materials streams or similar objectives that will increase waste diversion or another circular economy objective. Can this funding be used to purchase land to place a project? No. Land acquisition itself is not an eligible outcome for this funding.

Can this funding be used to attract additional matching funding? Would a project that is part of a larger regional system with localized benefits for Boulder County be eligible? Potentially.

Only work or projects in the service area are eligible. My business is headquartered in another state, but I live in the service area and want to expand the business’ program into the service area – is this eligible? Yes.

The project or program work must be in the service area. Can one organization submit multiple applications for different projects? Yes, each application will be evaluated separately.

Will you accept applications for a joint project from more than one organization? Is there an advantage to submitting a joint grant versus a support grant? No, there is no advantage either way; do what make most sense for your organization(s) and the project.

Funds cannot be used for subsidization of an existing contract. Does this include payment to existing staff for conducting work on the project that we are applying for? Probably not.

Salary for existing staff is an eligible use of funds as long as the staff time is dedicated to the project, and the project work hours are not already covered by another specific funding source. Funds should only be used to pay expenses that do not have a specific funding source dedicated to covering such costs. Is paying a contractor an eligible use of funds if funding of equipment is also part of the application?

Yes, paying a contractor is an eligible use of funds whether or not equipment is a part of the application. If the review committee decided that the project in the application is not something they would fund because of a few details, would that feedback be shared and could we adjust the project after submitting? No, feedback and revision are not a part of the process.

The review committee may decide on partial funding. Award decisions with partial funding may specify which components of the project are funded, may specify that funded components will be determined with the county, or may specify that the applicant can determine which components can be achieved based on the partial funding. Resource Conservation Division resourceconservation@bouldercounty.

gov Boulder County Recycling Center Hours: 8 a. m. - 4:30 p.

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