2014 School Recycling Grants
Application Form
Application Deadline – 5:00PM, February 28, 2014
E-mail Signed Electronic Copy to:
katie.alexander@hennepin.us
or Mail Signed Copy to:
Katie Alexander
Hennepin County Environmental Services
701 4th Ave South, Suite 700
Minneapolis, MN 55415
*Completed applications must be submitted by email in Word format – do NOT submit as a
PDF. Signature (below) must be included; email scanned copy or mail hardcopy of signature
page.*
Applicant Information:
School/District Name(s): Click here to type
Contact Person: Click here to type
Title: Click here to type
Student Population Size: Click here to type
Address: Click here to type
Phone: Click here to type
E-mail: Click here to type
Grant Fund Request: Click here to type
Matching Funds (if requesting more than $25,000): Click here to type
Total Project Cost: Click here to type
Authorizing Signature: The signature must be provided by an individual who has the
authority to enter into a contract on behalf of your organization (e.g. School Board Chair,
Superintendent, etc.)
Name (typed or printed): _
Signature:
Title: _
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
Hennepin County Environmental Services staff are available to help throughout the
application process, project implementation and report writing. Do not hesitate to contact
Katie Alexander (katie.alexander@hennepin.us, 612-348-6848) with any questions,
concerns or requests.
Environmental Services can support your project by:
 Assisting with the grant application process. An informational session will be held
on February 5th at Southdale Public Library (7001 York Ave S., Edina) in the Ethel
Berry Room from 3:30-4:30PM. Please contact Katie Alexander for more
information.
 Providing suggestions on set up of collection systems
 Providing weight scales and assistance with gathering baseline, interim and final
data
 Providing free signs and stickers to promote recycling
 Conducting staff trainings and state standard-correlated classroom presentations
 Hosting bi-monthly meetings for school staff and volunteers involved in recycling
programs to share their successes, troubleshoot and learn more about advances in
recycling
1. Previous Hennepin County Grant(s)
Has your school or district previously received a grant from Hennepin County to start or
improve recycling? ☐ Yes ☐ No
If yes, please list the grant amounts and general description of the projects. Being a
previous grant recipient does not disqualify your school from applying for additional
funding.
Year
Awarded
Total Amount
Project Description
Awarded
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
2. Project Description
In one page or less, provide a brief project description. The project description must
address each of the following points:
 Project outline and scope
 Current relevant practices and proposed changes to current practices
 Expected outcomes of project
 Why the project is compelling and worthy of funding
Click here to type
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
3. Project Tasks and Timeline
Describe the main tasks that your school will undertake in each of the following areas:
Research, Planning & Design, Gathering Baseline Data, Project Implementation, Student &
Staff Education, Project Evaluation, Midterm & Final Reporting, and Sustaining the Project.
Also identify the key individuals and their roles, and the estimated timeline for each
task. Checkboxes are not meant to provide an exhaustive list of all possible tasks in a given
section. Please add additional tasks and information as needed.
Step 1: Research, Planning and Design
Please check the appropriate boxes below to indicate steps you will take during the
planning phase of your project. For each checked item, please include additional
information about how you will accomplish the task, who will be responsible for
accomplishing the task and when it will be accomplished in the space below. This is
not a comprehensive list; please describe other actions in the space provided below.
☐Set up meeting with key individuals at school to determine current practices and future
needs in regards to waste reduction and recycling
☐Visit other Hennepin County schools to learn about their programs
☐Attend a Hennepin County School Recycling & Organics meeting to learn about what
previous grant recipients have done to improve waste reduction and recycling
☐Research recycling programs at schools outside of Hennepin County
☐Other, describe: Click here to type
Provide additional details pertaining to the above tasks, and describe any other steps you
will take to design your program. Be sure to list key individuals and the timeline.
Click here to type
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
Step 2: Gathering Baseline Data
Measuring and communicating data are part of the reporting requirements. Baseline
amounts need to be established for current quantities of trash and recycling (and organics,
if your project is related to organics recycling), at your school(s). Costs to manage these
materials prior to project implementation should also be recorded. These baseline
measurements will enable you to quantitatively track the results of your project at various
stages of implementation and help Hennepin County track and promote successes of the
grant program. Please check the appropriate boxes below to indicate how you will obtain
baseline data:
☐Obtain information from hauler about dumpster size and frequency of pick up
☐Count the number of bags of trash and recycling (and organics) generated
☐Weigh the bags of trash and recycling (and organics) generated
☐Conduct a waste sort of the trash and recycling (and organics) to determine current
levels of contamination or possible rates of diversion
☐Gather cost information for current waste management practices
☐Other, describe: Click here to type
For each checked item, please include additional information about how you will
accomplish the task, who will be responsible for accomplishing the task and when it
will be accomplished. If you already have baseline measurements, please include them
here. Be sure to list key individuals and timeline.
Click here to type
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
Step 3: Project Implementation
Describe how the project will be implemented at your school(s). Be sure to include the
timeline and key individuals.
Click here to type
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
Step 4: Student and Staff Education
Education is a key part of your program’s success. Check the boxes below to indicate which
steps you will take to educate students and staff members about the new program.
☐Have a kick-off/launch assembly
☐Put up signs and stickers (available free from Hennepin County)
☐Make announcements with facts about recycling and waste reduction
☐Organize classroom activities to learn about recycling (Hennepin County can provide
classroom presentations)
☐Hold an all-staff training to learn about the new program and their role in its success
(Hennepin County can do staff trainings)
☐Have lunchroom monitors to help students learn how to sort properly
☐Encourage peer-to-peer education
☐Other: Click here to type
Please describe how the above items will be implemented and how they will
contribute to the success of your program. Be sure to list key individuals and timeline.
Click here to type
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
Step 5: Project Evaluation
Check the boxes that reflect how you will measure and evaluate the success of your project.
☐Track decrease in trash volume/weight generated
☐Track increase in recycling volume/weight generated
☐Track increase in source separated organics volume/weight generated
☐Track contamination levels in trash, recycling and organics
☐Track costs of waste management practices
☐Track usage of foodservice ware, disposable goods, bags, etc.
☐Evaluate student and staff understanding of sorting guidelines
☐Survey students and staff about recycling habits & attitudes
☐Other, describe: Click here to type
Describe the measurement strategies you will use and how this data will help you to
evaluate your project’s success. Don’t forget to include the key individuals and
timeline.
Click here to type
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
Step 6: Midterm and Final Reporting
Reporting goes hand-in-hand with Step 5: Project Evaluation. The midterm report allows
you to evaluate whether your project is on-track to achieve your goals. The final report
allows you to share the successes of your project and help build the county’s collective
knowledge about the best methods for implementing successful recycling programs at
schools. Your second and final payments will be contingent upon receipt and approval of
your reports. Please identify the individual(s) who will be responsible for completing the
reports, and a timeline for when reports will be completed. Midterm reports should be
submitted at the midpoint of your project, and no later than December 31, 2015. Final
reports should be submitted no later than November 30, 2016.
Click here to type
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
Step 7: Sustaining the Project
It is important that your organization is able to sustain the project after the grant period
without additional funding from Hennepin County. Please check the appropriate boxes
below to indicate steps you will take to ensure the project’s continued success. There is
space below for other ideas or additional details.
☐Reduce size of trash dumpster or frequency of pick-ups and use savings to support
program
☐Continue to monitor of dumpsters to ensure they are appropriately sized
☐Provide yearly training to staff
☐Continue to educate students about proper sorting and importance of participating in
program through posters, newsletters, announcements and classroom presentations
☐Attend bimonthly Hennepin County School Recycling & Organics meetings to share
successes and troubleshoot
☐Reorder free signs and stickers from Hennepin County to replace fading, torn or
outdated signage
☐Sustain environmental club or green team
☐Other, describe: Click here to type
Please include additional details below:
Click here to type
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848
2014 School Recycling Grants –Application Form
4. Project Budget
Provide a detailed budget, including expenses for equipment, supplies, services, printing,
staff, etc. If the grant request is for more than $25,000, you must provide the nature and
source of the 25% matching funds. See Guidelines for more information on eligible and
ineligible expenses.
Grant Tasks/Items
Costs
Total Grant Request
Match Tasks/Items
$
Costs
Total Match Amount
$
Total Project Cost
$
Hennepin County staff are here to help!
katie.alexander@hennepin.us or 612-348-6848