Questions and Answers: Household Hazardous Waste Grant Program, HD42 Construction Cycle (FY 2024-25)

Questions about the household Hazardous Waste, HD42 grant application are accepted in writing only, no later than August 6, 2024 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.

GeneralEligibility | FundingApplication

General

No questions at this time.

Eligibility

  1. What does it mean for an eligible construction project to be “shovel ready” and shown as beyond the planning phase? For our project, the construction company would obtain the permit, not the jurisdiction.

The applicant must show that it has completed, with proof, the proper site analysis, conceptual design, necessary permits, licensing, and siting approvals when submitting the application. In essence, the project must be “shovel ready” and ready to start at any time after grant funds are awarded. Please refer to the “Eligible Projects/Products section of the Application Guidelines and Instructions.

  1. Our proposed project is categorically exempt from CEQA. However, the shovel ready project requires a ministerial building permit that will be issued as of right. Is the cost of the building permit eligible for grant funding?

Building permits are not eligible for grant funding since those costs are incurred before CalRecycle sends the Notice to Proceed for an awarded grant. Costs incurred before a grant begins are ineligible for grant funding, per the Procedures and Requirements. In addition, building permits are considered part of the planning and design of an HHW facility, and the costs associated with facility planning and design are ineligible for grant funding, per the Procedures and Requirements.

  1. Would paving the street that leads to the Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) facility be eligible?

No. This is not an eligible expense for this construction focus cycle. It will be eligible under the grant Cycle 43 (small projects).

Funding

  1. Our County operates three HHW facilities that also serve our local cities. Two of the County run facilities have shovel ready projects that benefit County and city residents equally. Does it improve the County’s grant funding chances to partner in a regional application with the benefitted cities, or is an individual application that serves multiple jurisdictions equally likely to be funded?

The maximum available for individual, regional, and JPA grant awards is $250,000.00.

Application

  1. Our full project costs are projected to be $150K but the County plans to provide in-kind personnel time and services to reduce construction costs to approximately $100K. Does listing the value of these County provided “in-kind free services” in the budget increase the County’s chance of selection?

The grant is awarded by the scoring criteria.

  1. Is there any benefit to requesting less in grant funding than the total estimated budget for the proposed project? (e.g., County estimated project budget is $150K but County can contribute $50K in cash and in-kind services to construct the project). 

There is no benefit.