Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia
On this page:
- Overview
- Eligible Applicants
- Eligible Activities
- Anticipated Award Process and Timeline
- Resources
- Webinars
- Updates
- Round One Grant Information
- Round Two Grant Information
Overview
Consistent with the authorizing statute in Section 302(a) of the Save Our Seas 2.0 Act, the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling grant program will assist local waste management authorities by supporting improvements to local post-consumer materials management, including municipal recycling programs, and assisting local waste management authorities in making improvements to local waste management systems.
Projects funded through the funding opportunity will:
- Implement the building a circular economy for all strategy series.
- Improve local post-consumer materials management programs, including municipal recycling.
- Make improvements to local waste management systems.
Review the full SWIFR for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia Notice of Funding Opportunity (pdf) for more information.
Eligible Applicants
The entities eligible to apply for this grant are:
- Indian Tribes, as defined in 33 U.S.C. 4201 and section 4 of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 5304), which includes Alaskan Native Villages and Alaska Native Corporations, and former Indian reservations in Oklahoma, as determined by the Secretary of the Interior, and
- Intertribal consortia, consistent with the requirements in Title 40 of the Code of Federal Regulations Section 35.504(a).
Eligible Activities
Materials and waste streams within scope of this funding opportunity include municipal solid waste, including plastics, organics, paper, metal, glass, etc., electronic waste, batteries, household hazardous waste, tire scraps, construction and demolition debris, and disaster debris. The materials listed above must be managed through source reduction, reuse, sending materials to material recovery facilities, composting, rendering, anaerobic digestion, and feeding animals to be eligible.
All applications must address one or more of the following objectives:
- Develop or update plans focused on encouraging environmentally sound post-consumer materials management such as source reduction (e.g., repair clinics, reuse centers), collection, storage, transportation, composting, recycling, and/or markets for recyclables;
- Develop, strengthen, and/or implement comprehensive data collection efforts that demonstrate progress towards the National Recycling Goal and Food Loss and Waste Reduction Goal;
- Establish, increase, or expand materials management infrastructure, such as facilities for reuse, recycling, or composting; collection and storage bins for recyclable or organic material, purchasing and maintaining equipment or supplies such as scales, crushers, balers, and sorting equipment, trucks, forklifts, and safety equipment);
- Establish or identify end-markets for the use of recycled materials; or
- Demonstrate an increase in the diversion recycling rate, and/or quality of materials collected.
Anticipated Award Process and Timeline
Resources
- The Funding Opportunity in Grants.gov.
- 2023 SWIFR Tribes and Intertribal Consortia grant recipients.
- EPA's Tribal Waste Management Program Site.
- Prepare for a Grant.
- Model Recycling Program Toolkit.
Webinars
EPA held a webinar on October 7, 2025, with an opportunity for questions and answers. You can access the presentation slides below:
SWIFR Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia 2025 NOFO Webinar Slides (pdf) .
You can request the webinar recording by emailing SWIFRTribal@epa.gov.
Updates
Need More Help?
- If you have questions about the grants, email SWIFRTribal@epa.gov.
Round One Grant Information
On November 15, 2023, EPA announced the selectees for round one of the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia.
- Find out about the 2023 grant recipients and selectees.
- Read the press release announcing these selectees.
Round Two Grant Information
On July 29, 2026, EPA announced the selectees for round two of the Solid Waste Infrastructure for Recycling Grants for Tribes and Intertribal Consortia.