FY 2023–24 Beverage Container Redemption Innovation Grant Program

The application period for fiscal year (FY) 2023-24 is now closed.

The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) administers a program to provide opportunities to support start-up costs for recycling programs, which shall be limited to recycling centers, satellite recycling, reverse vending machines, or bag drop programs. These funds are also available to existing recycling centers for the purposes of establishing satellite recycling to expand outreach. The flexibility in the program will encourage the recycling centers to be innovative and increase California Refund Value (CRV) redemption opportunities.

The Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle) will administer the RIG4 program to provide opportunities to Recycling Centers to support start-up costs for recycling programs, which shall be limited to recycling centers, mobile recycling, reverse vending machines, or bag drop programs for Qualifying Tribal Entities.

Awards

RIG4 | Approval of Awards, December 12, 2025

Criteria

Approval of Criteria, March 18, 2025 June 11, 2025 (Revised)

Eligibility

Applicants

Qualifying Tribal Entities.
- A “Qualifying Tribal Entity” is defined as a tribe, band, nation or other organized group of community, residing within the borders of California, which:
  - Is recognized for special programs and services provided by the United States because of the status of its members as Native Americans; or
  - Can establish that it is a government entity, and which meets the criteria of the grant program.

Projects

All projects must be located within an unserved zone or no zone, at time of award, unless either of the following exceptions apply:

The Qualifying Tribal Entity is the recycling center currently serving the zone.
The Qualifying Tribal Entity is the sole recycling center within the zone.

Qualifying Tribal Entity Applicants can apply as:

Existing Certified Recycling Center. An existing certified recycling center (RC) is defined as an operation certified by CalRecycle to accept empty beverage containers and pay California Redemption Value (CRV) to consumers.
New Recycling Center Business. A new recycling center (RC) business is defined as an applicant who intends to apply and is eligible to become a certified recycling center. This can include, but is not limited to, beverage dealers. The new recycling center must be certified by CalRecycle’s Division of Recycling prior to the Notice to Proceed (NTP) email.
Community Service Programs (SPs). Community Service Programs (SPs) are not able to pay CRV. SPs may operate Reverse Vending Machines (RVMs), engage in setting up drop-off bins at specific sites, or collect from various locations such as schools, community centers, or parks. A new Community Service Program must be certified by CalRecycle’s Division of Recycling prior to the NTP email.

Innovative Method of Redemption/Collection Definitions:

Bag Drop Receptacle. A recycling mechanism at which consumers can drop off empty beverage containers for redemption in a sealed bag, sealed box, or other sealed receptacle.
Mobile Unit. A recycling location or locations where empty beverage containers are collected using a receptacle that is hosted by an anchor recycling center.
Reverse Vending Machine. A mechanical device which accepts one or more types of empty beverage containers and issues a cash refund or a redeemable credit slip with a value not less than the container’s refund value.

Eligible projects include:

Establishing a new Recycling Center (RC) that uses an innovative method of redemption.
Updating an existing Recycling Center (RC) that uses an innovative method of redemption.
Setting up a new Community Service Program that uses an innovative method of collection.
Updating an existing Community Service Program that uses an innovative method of collection.
Re-establishment of Recycling Centers Due to Destruction from Wildfires. Funds from this cycle may be used to re-establish Recycling Centers that had been destroyed or experienced damages due to a wildfire within the preceding ten years.

All projects must comply with adopted regulations and requirements. Applicants may submit only one application which may include multiple innovative methods of redemption and eligible projects.

Funding

$15,000,000 is available for fiscal year (FY) 2023–24
The maximum requested amount must not exceed $3,000,000.

Timeline and Cycle Details

Dates	Activity and Details
August 5, 2025	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 e-mail to 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.
~~September 2, 2025~~ September 16, 2025 (Revised)	Application Due Date Application Guidelines and Instructions (Revised) 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 you may send an email to Grant.Assistance.ca.gov
~~October 2, 2025~~ October 16, 2025 (Revised)	Secondary Due Date for Required Authorization documents Approved Resolution, Letter of Commitment, or any other Applicant’s Required Authorization Documents must be uploaded in GMS by this date if it was 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 (tentative)	Grants Awarded CalRecycle considers funding recommendations, and if approved, conditionally awards grants in this month (tentative).
Notice to Proceed – April 1, 2028	Grant Performance Period Grantee may incur costs after the issuance of the Notice to Proceed to this date.
April 1, 2028	Deadline for Final Report and final Payment Request

Grant Administration Documents

Terms and Conditions

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 (Revised)

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.