4ELIGIBILITY

All public and private K-12 schools in Montana are eligible to apply for funding. We will be awarding 4 grants for $500 each. The grant application will be open now until September 30, 2024. The school may choose any type of program they desire as long as it implements a waste reduction and composting program. There are several existing school program templates available on the internet.

Applicants and programs must:

• Describe the project

• Include a goal and objectives to increase awareness or minimize waste through waste reduction and composting

• Submit a budget 

• Identify participants (classroom, grade, student organization, school cafeteria personnel, etc.)

• Identify desired results, continuity and sustainability (create compost for a school garden, utilize cafeteria waste, use cardboard in composting, create a worm garden, sell compost to the community, purchase BPI certified compostable garbage bags and/or compostable service ware, etc.)

• Agree to share program information and data with Recycle Montana; grant winners will be asked to share their progress at the midterm of the grant cycle which runs from September 30, 2024 to September 15, 2025.

  Grant Application Checklist

Use the list below to ensure that you have completed the necessary application components before submitting your grant application.

1. Completed Application Form: 10 points

2. Written Project Description including the following:

   1. Project Goals and Objectives: 40 points

   2. Project Team and Partners: 20 points

   3. Desired Results, Continuity and Sustainability: 15 points

   4. Budget and Budget Detail: 15 points (extra points for reused materials in compost bins use or construction- 10 Bonus points)

3. Optional - Supporting Documentation (no more than 3 double-sided pages) such as price quotes, educational materials, plans, project maps, etc.: 10 Bonus points

2024 Winner!!!

Big Sky High School - Missoula FFA receives Recycle Montana Composting Grant

Big Sky High School, the Missoula FFA, and Missoula Agricultural Center were recently awarded $1000 to further their efforts in composting at the School House Meats operation. According to Kristy Rothe, the Agricultural Teacher, “Schoolhouse Meats began processing livestock 5 years ago. Located at the Missoula Agriculture Center, it is the only high school state inspected meat processing facility in the country. Instead of discarding the offal at a landfill, the blood, organs, bones & hides from the processed animals are being composted at the school farm to be used as fertilizer for the hay fields.”

The grant proposal included the purchase of a $500 composting thermometer and moisture probe. The application stated it would allow the Missoula Agricultural Center to better manage the compost, making the time it takes to break down the offal into fertilizer shorter. Candi Zion, Executive Director of Recycle Montana stated, “Recycle Montana has been focusing on agricultural efforts to promote recycling and composting. Our Board was so impressed by the proposal that they voted to give an additional $500 to the group to help defray further costs.”

Schoolhouse Meats