Frequently Asked Questions: SB 1383 Local Assistance Grant Program, FY 2021–22

This page may be updated at any time. If you do not find an answer to your question, please contact: grants@calrecycle.ca.gov.

General  | Eligibility | Funding  | Application

General

No questions currently.

 

Eligibility

1. What entities are eligible to apply for this program?
   Eligible applicants include cities, counties, city and counties, Regional or Joint Powers Authorities, and special districts that provide solid waste collection services.
2. Are foodbanks eligible to apply?
   No, foodbanks are not eligible applicants. Foodbanks may enter into a written agreement or Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with an eligible applicant for the use of grant-funded equipment or vehicles, however, equipment purchased with grant funds must remain the property of the grantee for the duration of the grant and five years after the grant closes. It is up to the grantee and foodbank to agree upon what they want to include in the MOU.
3. Are refrigerators, trucks, and vehicles for organics and edible food projects eligible?
   Yes, the grantee needs to own and control the equipment/vehicle. The full cost of the equipment/vehicle may be charged to the grant, or the grantee may contribute matching funds, but the equipment/vehicle may not be partially owned by the grantee.
4. Is the procurement of recycle organic products an eligible expense?
   Yes.
5. Are disposal costs for organics processing eligible?
   No.
6. Is the production of outreach materials and door-to-door outreach eligible?
   Yes.
7. Is providing incentives, such as rewards for recycling or having low contamination eligible?
   No. Grant funds may not be used for monetary incentives.
8. What are indirect costs?
   Indirect costs are expenditures not capable of being assigned or itemized to a particular project or activity but considered necessary for the operation of the organization and the performance of the program. Examples include the costs of operating and maintaining facilities, accounting services, and administrative salaries as well as contractor’s indirect costs in their contracts. All indirect costs charged to the grant must be associated with grant activities in the approved budget.
9. Is there a cap on personnel costs?
   No.
10. Is equipment such as tractors, turf tires, or compost slingers, eligible for organics procurement activities?
    Yes.
11. Are already incurred costs an eligible expense?
    No, expenditures made or costs incurred prior to the term start date are not eligible for reimbursement.
12. Are disposal costs associated with organic processing an eligible activity/cost?
    No, disposal costs are not eligible. It is not sustainable to offset disposal costs with a one-time grant.
13. Are new organic waste curbside containers an eligible expense?
    Yes, blue and green bins are eligible expenses.
14. Is the purchasing of recovered organic waste products to meet the SB 1383 recovered organic waste product procurement target an eligible expense?
    Yes, the purchase of recovered organic waste products are an eligible expense.
15. Are wheeled collection carts an eligible expense?
    Yes.
16. Can jurisdictions seek funding to offset service fee increases in high-cost (but not impossible to) service areas, where no exemption/waiver is available?
    No, grant funds may not be used to offset service fee costs.
17. Are replacement bins an eligible cost?
    Only green and blue bins for organic waste and edible food collection are eligible.
18. Are tractors, turf tires, and compost slingers an eligible expense?
    Yes, these items are eligible expenses for compost procurement activities.
19. We would like to use a portion of our grant to pay for a subscription to a compliance/record keeping software. They offer a discounted rate for a three year subscription as opposed to annual renewal. If the three year subscription was paid for during the grant period, even though the subscription runs past the end of the grant period, would that whole amount be eligible?
    Yes, we will allow a three-year subscription as long as the expenditure is made during the Grant Term.
20. Would paying tipping fees for processing (composting) organic waste be an eligible/approved use of grant funds?
    No, tipping fees are not an eligible expense.
21. Can funds be used to construct compost holding bays?
    Yes, construction of a storage/staging area for procured compost is an eligible expense.
22. Can you please confirm if the following are eligible activities? 1. Obtain a firm to identify City-usage and possible application of compost/mulch on City-managed lands; 2. Obtain a firm to identify and establish partnerships with the top 10 privately-owned parties within the City boundaries that can utilize the application of City provided mulch; 3. Obtain a firm to help identify private landowners/ranchers or similar private parties outside the City boundaries that could utilize City provided compost/mulch and explore delivery options of said materials.
    Yes, these are all eligible activities.
23. We are planning a separate food scrap collection with a dedicated six gallon cart, that will be yellow to differentiate it from the yard waste cart (we will have a four cart system). Would the purchase of those 6 gallon carts be eligible for grant funding?
    No, only brown bins with either, brown, black, or grey lids are eligible for food scrap collection.
24. We would like to hire a consultant to perform education and outreach, program evaluation, and capacity planning; is this eligible?
    Yes.
25. Can we use grant funds to create a city run grant program?
    No.
26. Are new organic waste curbside containers an eligible expense?
    Yes, blue, brown, and green bins are eligible expenses.
27. If grant funds from two jurisdictions were pooled to purchase a vehicle for a food recovery organization, can vehicle ownership be shared between two jurisdictions?
    No. A vehicle needs to be owned and controlled by one jurisdiction.
28. I understand that the City and our hauler cannot apply as joint applicants. However, if the City applies as an applicant, can we use the allocated funds to reimburse our hauler for their costs related to implementation of SB1383, per our Franchise Agreement with them? Specifically for:
    • Cost of producing and mailing Outreach and Education Materials
    • Personnel Costs:
      • Indirect costs – Contractor’s indirect costs in their contract
      • Cost to hire additional staffing to conduct SB 1383 requirements, per our Franchise Agreement

    Yes, these are allowable expenses under this grant program.

29. I would like to know if the following would qualify toward “Capacity Planning” – consulting services towards the planning of our Water Quality Control Plant’s Facility Master Plan. These consulting services will include the analysis of food waste receiving technologies (organics diversion) that can provide additional renewable clean energy at our Water Quality Control Plant.
    Yes, this is an allowable expense under this grant program.
30. Could we create a standalone app or webpage that tracks food from the generators and matches that to a user that needs food?
    Yes, however the app or webpage must be up and running during the grant term. Additionally, any costs associated to website hosting or webpage domains are ineligible.
31. For jurisdictions that have been granted a waiver from SB 1383 requirements, will they still be eligible for funds since they have to meet some of the requirements such as edible food recovery?

Yes. As a reminder, they will still need an enforceable ordinance for the edible food recovery requirements.

32. If a JPA or Regional Application is submitted and one member is unable to adopt an ordinance by the June 14, 2022 second secondary due date, will the application be denied?
    No. The member who is unable to adopt an ordinance by June 14th will be removed from the application.
33. Would a Desk Top Modeling Assessment be an eligible cost?
    No.
34. We would like to create a compost space for residents to pick up compost at their leisure. Is this an eligible expense?
    Yes.