Food Waste Reduction Grant Program

The Business Food Waste Mitigation Program is a $4 million initiative administered by NYSDED (ESD) designed to reduce business-generated food waste sent to landfill and combustion facilities through the creation of new, or expansion of existing, organics recycling facilities. Capital equipment grants ("Program Assistance") are available for municipalities or not-for-profit organizations ("Eligible Entities"). Eligible Entities may also apply for Program Assistance on behalf of NYS business. Program Assistance will be awarded on a competitive basis and will not exceed 50% of the total project cost, with a minimum award of $100,000 and a maximum award of $750,000. Successful business food waste mitigation projects ("Projects") are those that will expand food waste recycling infrastructure in the State to reduce commercial food waste sent to landfill and combustion facilities, ultimately reducing related greenhouse gas emissions. Projects may include building new, or expanding existing, organics recycling facilities to accept food waste from large-scale businesses, at a minimum. This Program is complementary to DEC's Municipal Food Scraps Recycling Grant Program that was designed to create/expand residential food scraps recycling efforts by municipalities.