Meet our 2024 Grant Recipients!
This year’s recipients stood out for their vision, creativity, and potential to make a meaningful difference in their communities and beyond
Reduce, Reuse, Reimagne Grants Program
The purpose of the Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine Grants Program is to support statewide efforts to reduce the environmental and human health impacts of materials at all stages of their life cycle.
The program aims to:
- Inspire promising solutions to reduce the impacts of materials by funding innovative projects and programs.
- Empower community action to reach environmental solutions.
- Create environmental and health benefits that result from more sustainable consumption and use of materials.
- Advance equity and environmental justice by providing resources to historically underserved and underrepresented communities across Oregon.
2024 Cycle
After a brief pause in our program we came back better than ever. These are some of the new updates to our program:
- Funding amount: We will be awarding up to $1 million in grants during this first cycle.
- Upfront funding: The majority of funds will be disbursed up front, instead of by reimbursement. Disbursements will be made in several installments over the grant period.
- Funding range: The project funding range is $25,000 to $125,000. Projects may take up to two years to be completed.
- Application process: The first step of the solicitation period is a simple pre-application. Following an eligibility screen, the most competitive projects will be invited to submit a main application.
- First-time applicants: Extra points will be awarded to first-time applicants during the main application round and we strongly encourage projects that address inequities in BIPOC, rural, and underrepresented communities to apply.
Waste Prevention
For the 2024 Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine grant cycle, the annual funding area was Waste Prevention. Waste prevention is an environmentally centered approach to reduce the consumption of natural resources and generation of waste before something becomes trash or pollution. Waste prevention activities reduce waste by changing product design, by using less, by using something longer, or by repairing it.
Who Applied
This cycle the program recieved a total of 110 grant applications. The map shows the counties where applications were received. The goal of the program is to expand our reach to fund projects throughout the state.
2024 Recipients
Congratulations to the 2024 Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine Grant Recipients!
Waste Prevention at Community Events
Waste Prevention at Community Events. Click to expand.
Organization: Benton County
Modernizing Refurb Lab to Increase Reuse of Hard Drives, Laptops and Computers
Modernizing Refurb Lab to Increase Reuse of Hard Drives, Laptops and Computers. Click to expand.
Organization: Garten Services
Meals on Wheels Reusable Container Program
Meals on Wheels Reusable Container Program. Click to expand.
Organization: Oregon Cascades West COG Meals on Wheels
Move UP: Reduce & Reuse
Move UP: Reduce & Reuse. Click to expand.
Organization: University of Portland
Reusable foodware program for Providence Park, Oregon Convention Center, Moda Center, and Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Reusable foodware program for Providence Park, Oregon Convention Center, Moda Center, and Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Click to expand.
Organization: Bold Reuse
Rogue To Go Development & Expansion
Rogue To Go Development & Expansion. Click to expand.
Organization: Be The Change Rogue
Demolition to Design
Demolition to Design. Click to expand.
Organization: BRING
Tool Lending for Community Empowerment and Sustainability
Tool Lending for Community Empowerment and Sustainability. Click to expand.
Organization: McMinnville Tool Library
Sustainable Event Services Program: Durable Dishware and Water Bottle Refill Stations for Large-Scale Events in Lane County
Sustainable Event Services Program: Durable Dishware and Water Bottle Refill Stations for Large-Scale Events in Lane County. Click to expand.
Organization: Lane County Government
Waste Reduction Initiative
Waste Reduction Initiative. Click to expand.
Organization: Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Portland Deconstruction Program Expansion
Portland Deconstruction Program Expansion. Click to expand.
Organization: City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
Klamath Works Reuse project
Klamath Works Reuse project. Click to expand.
Organization: Klamath Works
Reuse Bend
Reuse Bend. Click to expand.
Organization: The Environmental Center
New Beginnings Market
New Beginnings Market. Click to expand.
Organization: The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization
Waste Prevention at Community Events
Organization: Benton County
Funding Amount: $29,235
Project Description: Benton County has partnered with the City of Corvallis to reduce waste at community events by providing community organizations and residents with low or no-cost, easy-to-implement alternatives to single-use water bottles. With funding from the DEQ, water bottle filling stations will be available to be checked out by community members and organizations for events through the City of Corvallis.
Modernizing Refurb Lab to Increase Reuse of Hard Drives, Laptops and Computers
Organization: Garten Services
Funding Amount: $38,933
Project Description: Garten’s project aims to modernize the E-cycle Refurb Lab, increasing capacity to process and refurbish donated electronics into sellable goods, thus extending their life cycle and reducing landfill waste. By upgrading lab equipment, we enhance the repair process, reduce the need for new materials, and provide affordable options to consumers who have barriers to technology. This effort supports waste prevention by promoting repair, reuse, and the extending the lifespan of electronic devices.
Meals on Wheels Reusable Container Program
Organization: Oregon Cascades West COG Meals on Wheels
Funding Amount: $124,849
Project Description: Meals on Wheels (MOW) will switch from single-use paper trays with plastic film to durable, stackable, reusable containers for its meal recipients in Benton County, managed by Cornerstone Associates Inc., a non-profit that creates meaningful employment and community involvement opportunities for an underserved neurodiverse population. A local container manufacturer will pilot a new product design to meet performance criteria for MOW programs nationwide, and its parent company will provide substantial matching funds and all tool programming and design labor. DEQ funds will support the purchase of the container manufacturing mold, reusable containers, specialized racks for washing/drying/storing, staff expenses to commercially sanitize and transport the containers, and transportation costs.
Move UP: Reduce & Reuse
Organization: University of Portland
Funding Amount: $98,195
Project Description: The Move UP: Reduce & Reuse Initiative at the University of Portland aims to reduce waste generated during student move-in and move-out days by collecting reusable items and reducing packaging waste. With hundreds of students moving in and out of dorms annually, significant amounts of nearly new items, Styrofoam, and cardboard are discarded, creating waste and placing a financial burden on students. This initiative will work on breaking this cycle by redistributing usable items and therefore reducing the need to purchase new items.
Reusable foodware program for Providence Park, Oregon Convention Center, Moda Center, and Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Organization: Bold Reuse
Funding amount: $124,214
Project Description: Bold Reuse is implementing a reusable foodware system across multiple high-profile venues in Portland, including the Oregon Convention Center, Moda Center & Providence Park. This initiative aims to replace single-use foodware items with durable, reusable alternatives, preventing an estimated 300,000 disposable items from entering landfills annually. By fostering operational efficiency and community engagement, the project promotes sustainability and creates a replicable model for venues nationwide.
Rogue To Go Development & Expansion
Organization: Be The Change Rogue
Funding Amount: $74,000
Project Description: Rogue To Go offers a new way to do takeout by partnering with local eateries to provide a reusable container exchange program. The Reduce, Reuse, Reimagine Materials Management grant will enable Rogue To Go to expand its reach by partnering with more eateries in new communities in southern Oregon. The project aims to eliminate another 20,000 single-use disposable containers in the next two years through the use of reusable takeout containers.
Demolition to Design
Organization: BRING
Funding Amount: $125,000
Project Description: BRING's "Demolition to Design" project aims to recover and recirculate 250,000 pounds of reusable building materials annually from Lane County construction sites, offering detachable on-site trailers to contractors and builders to simplify the donation process, and transforming salvaged items into sustainable BRINGmade products. Partnering with organizations like Everyone Village, it will also provide workforce development opportunities, including CNC machine training, for individuals previously excluded from mainstream economic systems. By reducing landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 250 MTCO2e annually, the project combines environmental stewardship with human empowerment, fostering resilience, equity, and inclusion.”
Tool Lending for Community Empowerment and Sustainability
Organization: McMinnville Tool Library
Funding Amount: $39,900
Project Description: The McMinnville Tool Library empowers the local community by providing access to tools, educational resources, and workshops that promote repair, reuse, and sustainable living. By reducing waste and encouraging skill-building, the McMinnville Tool Library fosters a culture of environmental stewardship, resource sharing, and community resilience.
Sustainable Event Services Program: Durable Dishware and Water Bottle Refill Stations for Large-Scale Events in Lane County
Organization: Lane County Government
Funding Amount: $74,070
Project Description: The SES Program serves event producers and attendees across Lane County by revolutionizing the way large-scale events approach waste reduction. The program’s public-private partnership model offers dishwashing for a variety of reuseable dishware solutions to help reduce waste, meet sustainability goals and drive behavior change at community events.
Waste Reduction Initiative
Organization: Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon
Funding Amount: $42,590
Project Description: “The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde Community of Oregon is excited to use the Oregon DEQ Materials Management Waste Prevention funding to reduce our carbon footprint. We plan to purchase Glowforge 3D printers for both our Vocational Rehabilitation and Youth Education Departments. Additionally, we will use the funds to buy reusable kitchen utensils for our new Child Development Center, which will serve our Early Childhood Education division.”
Portland Deconstruction Program Expansion
Organization: City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
Funding Amount: $88,257
Project Description: The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability will use grant funds for two projects to reduce construction and demolition waste. One project will encourage using salvaged wood in new buildings by providing a case study and new data to support building code adoption of salvage lumber. The other project will promote deconstruction in the commercial sector by supporting eight commercial deconstruction projects to recover materials and improve hazardous waste management.
Klamath Works Reuse project
Organization: Klamath Works
Funding Amount: $106,250
Project Description: The Klamath Works Reuse Project will reuse and refashion items into affordable and marketable ones. We will refashion broken and unusable items from our thrift store into basic in-demand home products, thus reducing demand for new products. We will also refashion these items to make them stronger and longer-lasting that the original items. This will result in a reduction in demand for new products as the residents in our community—including our low-income families—obtain affordable and durable household items.
Reuse Bend
Organization: The Environmental Center
Funding Amount: $124,989
Project Description: Reuse Bend (an initiative of the Rethink Waste Project of The Environmental Center) aims to bring reusable serviceware to Bend. Through a reusable take-out container program and a food cart lot pilot, Reuse Bend is excited to initiate the systems change and culture shifts to transition Bend and Central Oregon’s foodservice sector from single-use to reusables.
New Beginnings Market
Organization: The Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization
Funding Amount: $125,000.00
Project Description: IRCO's New Beginnings Market provides essential items to immigrant and refugee community members at no-cost by repurposing donated personal and household items. This one-of-a-kind project is run by the communities IRCO serves, guided by community input, and connected immediately to clients with the highest need. Through DEQ's support, the Market can continue to intentionally facilitate reuse practices to meet the basic needs of immigrant and refugee communities and, simultaneously, divert goods from waste cycles.
