Food Waste Management Projects
Food Waste Management Projects supports schools, community food-recovery programs, and university researchers with equipment, startup costs, and research to divert wasted food from disposal to higher use.
Funder: Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality
Due Dates: November 1, 2026 (Applications open) | February 28, 2027 (Application deadline) | June 30, 2028 (Agreement expiration) | August 31, 2028 (Final invoices)
Funding Amounts: Typically $1,000–$50,000, on a reimbursement basis, for Fiscal Year 2028
Summary: Supports food-share programs, community food recovery, and research that diverts wasted food from disposal to higher use.
Key Information: Project work and spending must wait until both the DEQ Agreement and Purchase Order are fully executed.
Description
The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) funds Food Waste Management Projects through its Solid Waste Management grants. The program supports a wide range of activities that reduce wasted food by diverting it from disposal to higher use, including supplies and equipment for school food-share programs, community food-recovery startup expenses, and university sustainability research.
Supported research can define existing food-recovery infrastructure, identify recoverable food sources and recovery partners, examine food-donation laws and health codes, and create GIS databases or matching apps. Food-share projects may redistribute school dining leftovers within the school community, send remaining edible food to food banks, and compost material that cannot otherwise be salvaged. Community recovery projects may purchase collection bins, donation labels, educational materials, refrigerators, or coolers.
