Questions about the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program grant application are accepted in writing only, no later than December 18, 2025. Similar or related questions may be grouped together or reworded for clarity and responded to as one question.
All questions and answers will be posted during the application period and are subject to updates. It is the applicant’s responsibility to check this website for the latest information regarding this grant cycle.
General | Eligibility | Eligible Projects | Funding | Application
General
No questions at this time
Eligibility
- As a 501(c)(3) forming a Dealer Cooperative and submitting a Dealer Cooperative Stewardship Plan for approval, are we an eligible applicant for this RIG cycle? A Dealer Cooperative organization with an approved Dealer Cooperative Stewardship Plan is an eligible applicant in this grant cycle.
- If our stewardship plan is submitted and pending approval at the time of grant submission, can we still apply, provided we achieve plan approval before project launch? No. An approved Dealer Cooperative Stewardship Plan is required at the time of submission in order to be considered an eligible project.
Eligible Projects
- Can RIG funds cover acquisition/deployment of AI-enabled RVMs, bag-drop cages, mobile pop-ups, and software/integration directly supporting redemption? Yes. Costs associated to Equipment, Software, and Installation costs for RVM, Bag Drop, and Mobile projects are considered eligible costs under the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program (RIG5 – FYs 2023–24 & 2024–25).
- May we include limited education and outreach costs (bilingual signage and community instructions) necessary to operate and increase CRV redemption in unserved zones? Yes. Education and Outreach are considered eligible costs if the activities take place in zones identified within the approved Dealer Cooperative Stewardship Plan.
- Is CalRecycle able to confirm whether assets funded via RIG5 become the property of the Dealer Cooperative? Yes. All real and personal property, including equipment and supplies, acquired with grant funds shall be owned and used by the lead grantee only for the purposes for which CalRecycle approved their acquisition.
Funding
No questions at this time
Application
- Can you please confirm whether a single applicant may submit multiple applications in this cycle and be awarded the full $40 million across those applications (provided each meets eligibility and scoring requirements), or that a single applicant is limited to a maximum of $10 million that it can be awarded? An applicant may only submit one application for the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program (RIG5 – FYs 2023–24 & 2024–25). Additionally, $10,000,000 is the maximum amount available for an individual grant award.
- Will a grantee be allowed to submit reimbursement requests more frequently than once per quarter, provided all proper documentation is submitted? No. The grantee may only request reimbursement quarterly during the Grant Term, in conjunction with (or after) submission of the Progress Report and in conjunction with the Final Report.
- Would CalRecycle accept a resolution that includes open-ended language if the applicant also submits a separate list of Non-Lead Participants as an exhibit or attachment, either as part of the resolution or uploaded into GMS? No. Only individual applications, one in which a single eligible entity will be responsible, is allowable for the Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program (RIG5 – FYs 2023–24 & 2024–25). The applicant will be required to submit a Resolution and access agreements for each proposed site location at the time of application. For additional information, please refer to the Application Guidelines and Instructions document.