FY 2026-27 and 2027-28 Beverage Container Recycling Grant Program, RBC38-39

Criteria | Eligibility | Funding| Timeline and Cycle Details | Grant Administration Documents

The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) administers a program to provide opportunities for the California local government agencies, cities, counties, regional programs, public colleges and universities, public school districts, non-profit organizations, and qualifying tribal entities to promote increased recycling of beverage containers throughout California and reduce the beverage container litter in the waste stream.

Criteria

Approval of Criteria, May 11, 2026

Eligibility

Applicants

California cities, counties, state agencies, and other government entities.
Special districts (e.g., recreational park districts).
Public colleges and universities and public K-12 school districts.
Non-profit organizations (except private schools K-12) registered with the federal government under 501(c)3, (c)6, or (c)10 of the Internal Revenue Code.
Qualifying Tribal Entities.
Joint Powers Authorities (JPA) as an eligible entity (where all of the participating entities are otherwise eligible.

Projects

Multi-family residential dwelling (five units or more).
Public colleges/universities, non-profit colleges/universities, and public K-12 school districts.
Curbside Residential Program locations excluding single stream.
Community events including, but not limited to, those sponsored by local jurisdictions.
Parks/recreational areas.
Purchase of water refill stations, including the installation replacement of current infrastructure, plumbing, maintenance, additional attachments or modifications, and related educational & outreach activities/materials as eligible expenditures.
Purchase of mobile water trailer bars, including replacement of filters, maintenance, additional attachments or modifications, reusable cups/refillable bottles utilized for and purchased/leased with the water trailer bars, and related educational and outreach activities/materials as eligible expenditures.
Litter reduction and cleanup along the United States-Mexico border where the waste stream includes beverage containers that will be recycled.

Out of State beverage containers collected as part of the litter abatement and cleanup projects cannot be funded under this grant program.

Funding

$1,500,000 available for each fiscal year (FY) 2026-27 and 2027-28
$75,000 is the minimum and $275,000 is the maximum per grant award

Timeline and Cycle Details

Application Guidelines and Instructions

Dates	Activity and Details
July 2, 2026	Question and Answer Period and Due Date Questions may be submitted from application release date to this date. Questions regarding the application and its requirements must be submitted in writing via email: BevContainerGrants@calrecycle.ca.gov. Questions and answers (Q&A) will be posted periodically during the Q&A period. It is the applicant's responsibility to check the Q&A web page regularly to ensure that they are aware of all program details.
August 11, 2026	Application Due Date Application Access: Applications must be submitted via the Grants Management System (GMS) by this date. Customer service will only be provided until 4:00 p.m. on the application due date. If you are unable to access GMS or need assistance, please send an email to Grant.Assistance@calrecycle.ca.gov.
September 10, 2026	Secondary Due Date: Approved Resolution, Letter of Commitment, or any other Applicant’s Required Authorization Documents must be uploaded to GMS by this date if they were not submitted with the application. If the applicant does not have an EPPP Policy at the time of application:An EPPP Policy must be adopted by this date.
January 2026 (FY 2026-27) September 2026 (FY 2027-28)	Grants Awarded CalRecycle considers funding recommendations and, if approved, conditionally awards grants this month.
April 3, 2029 (FY 2026-27) April 2, 2030 (FY 2027-28)	Deadline for: Final Report and final Payment Request

Grant Administration Documents

Terms and Conditions for FY 2026-2027
Terms and Conditions for FY 2027-2028

Notice: Submission of an application constitutes an acknowledgment that you have read these Terms and Conditions and understood and agreed that they will be part of the Grant Agreement upon an award of any grant funds.

The text of these Terms and Conditions may not be altered, changed or revised in any way, except in writing by mutual agreement of the parties pursuant to the Amendment provision herein. In the event of any dispute regarding the content of these Terms and Conditions, the original document contained in the grant cycle file located at the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 will control. These Terms and Conditions are applicable only to the specified cycle and/or Fiscal Year of the particular grant program specified.

If you require assistance in obtaining access to this document, please use the contact information at the bottom of this page.

Procedures and Requirements for FY 2026-27
Procedures and Requirements for FY 2027-28

Notice: These Procedures and Requirements are in draft form. Upon issuance of Grant Agreement, these Procedures and Requirements shall become final.

The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery reserves the right to make any necessary changes to the Procedures and Requirements prior to issuance of the Grant Agreement. Any such changes will be non-negotiable. In the event that any changes are made to the Procedures and Requirements, all Grantees will be notified as to what specific changes have been made.

Once the Grant Agreement has been issued and the Procedures and Requirements have become final, the text of the incorporated Procedures and Requirements may not be altered, changed or revised in any way, except in writing by mutual agreement of the parties pursuant to the Amendment provision contained in the Terms and Conditions. In the event of any dispute regarding the content of the incorporated Procedures and Requirements, the original document contained in the grant cycle file located at the Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, 1001 I Street, Sacramento, CA 95814 will control. These Procedures and Requirements are applicable only to the specific cycle and/or Fiscal Year of the particular grant program specified.