School Zero Waste Grant Program
This program provides public and independent schools located within the Central Vermont Solid Waste Management District with grants of up to $2500.00, per school/fiscal year, to provide financial support to implement programs and initiatives, large and small, to reduce/manage solid waste and achieve sustainability goals.
Projects that actively reduce waste, such as installing bulk milk dispensers or water bottle filling stations*, purchasing reusable dishware for either cafeterias or zero waste kits, and establishing on-campus composting systems, are just a few examples of projects that can be funded through this grant program. For more examples, please scroll down to see a listing of grant-funded projects from prior school years.
*School Zero Waste Grant funds may be awarded for the purchase and installation of water bottle refilling stations, up to the amount of $1200.00 per unit.
Please note: The CVSWMD School Zero Waste Grant Program is only available to public and independent schools that are located in a CVSWMD member municipalities, which include: Barre City, Barre Town, Berlin, Bradford, Calais, Chelsea, Duxbury, East Montpelier, Fairlee, Hardwick, Middlesex, Montpelier, Orange, Plainfield, Tunbridge, Walden, Washington, Williamstown, and Woodbury. If your school is not located within one of these municipalities, please consult this map of Vermont solid waste management entities to find the entity that your municipality and school fall within.
Projects that actively reduce waste, such as installing bulk milk dispensers or water bottle filling stations*, purchasing reusable dishware for either cafeterias or zero waste kits, and establishing on-campus composting systems, are just a few examples of projects that can be funded through this grant program. For more examples, please scroll down to see a listing of grant-funded projects from prior school years.
*School Zero Waste Grant funds may be awarded for the purchase and installation of water bottle refilling stations, up to the amount of $1200.00 per unit.
Please note: The CVSWMD School Zero Waste Grant Program is only available to public and independent schools that are located in a CVSWMD member municipalities, which include: Barre City, Barre Town, Berlin, Bradford, Calais, Chelsea, Duxbury, East Montpelier, Fairlee, Hardwick, Middlesex, Montpelier, Orange, Plainfield, Tunbridge, Walden, Washington, Williamstown, and Woodbury. If your school is not located within one of these municipalities, please consult this map of Vermont solid waste management entities to find the entity that your municipality and school fall within.
For additional information, contact School Zero Waste Coordinator, John Jose: 802-461-9246 or email: [email protected].
2023-2024 Grant Awards
East Montpelier Elementary School - $404.00
Purchase accoutrements (bins, silverware, cups, bowls, plates, etc.) needed to support establishment of classroom kits of reusables to reduce waste for special events.
Hardwick Elementary School - $2498.23
Purchase 2 magnetic trash can lids (to reduce silverware loss) and reusable cups, trays, and silverware for the cafeteria.
Main Street Middle School, Montpelier - $466.56
Purchase 4-oz. reusable bowls to replace single-use, non-recyclable serving cups in the cafeteria.
Oxbow High School - $2467.71
Purchase 2 water bottle fill stations and 1 magnetic trash can lid (to reduce cafeteria silverware loss).
Tunbridge Central School - $$323.45
Purchase stainless steel mugs to model waste reduction at community events.
Woodbury Elementary School - $1479.03
Purchase 1 magnetic trash can lid (to reduce silverware loss) and reusable trays and silverware for the cafeteria.
2022-2023 Grant Awards
No grant applications were received early in the school year and all CVSWMD grant programs were temporarily closed, including this grant program, during the latter part of the school year.
2021-2022 Grant Awards
Samuel Morey Elementary School - $2500.00
Purchase of supplies to support revitalization of an on-campus composting system.
Walden School - $2000.00
Purchase of two water bottle refill stations.
2020-2021 Grant Awards
No grant applications received and no grants awarded, due to impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.
2019-2020 Grant Awards
Barre Town Middle Elementary School - $438
Purchase of reusable grab-and-go containers for pre-made lunches.
Berlin Elementary School - $922
Purchase Jora composter to expand onsite composting of afternoon classroom snack scraps.
Crossett Brook Middle School - $900
Funds used to support employment of a cafeteria sorting station monitor (this service is no longer eligible for funding through this grant program).
Rumney Memorial School - $486
Purchase of reusable water glasses and resealable lunch trays for school cafeteria.
Twinfield Union School - $713
Purchase of materials to build a new cafeteria waste sorting station.
Williamstown Elementary School - $1,067
Purchase of a water bottle refill station.
2018-2019 Grant Awards
Barre Town Middle Elementary School - $1,000
Purchase of a water bottle fill station.
Crossett Brook Middle School - $1,500
Funds used to support employment of a cafeteria sorting station monitor (this service is no longer eligible for funding through this grant program).
U-32 - $2,376
Purchase reusable silverware and dishware for the cafeteria to reduce single-use lunchware.
2017-2018 Grant Awards
Barre City Elementary Middle School - $2470
Funds used to support the purchase and installation of 2 water bottle refill stations.
Bradford Elementary School - $2200.00
Funds used to enlist professional consultant to support establishment and integration of an on-campus composting system, as well as to purchase bulk
condiment dispensers, reusable food serviceware, and educational/decorative posters for the school cafeteria.
Barre Town Middle Elementary School - $2500
Funds supported installation of 2 water bottle refill stations.
Montpelier High School - $500
Funds used to purchase materials to support construction of a cafeteria sorting station.
Main Street Middle School - $750
Funds used to support construction of a cafeteria sorting station.
Spaulding High School - $547
Funds used to obtain hallway recycling bins to pair with trash cans and carts to serve as stations that reusable lunch food serviceware could be returned to.
Union Elementary School - $500
Funds used to purchase reusable, single-serving veggie and fruit side dishes, to replace single-use containers.
2016-2017 Grant Awards
Berlin Elementary School, Berlin VT - $679
Funds were used to purchase materials to build a 3-bin onsite composting system to compost cafeteria food scraps and paper towels. Additional funds were used to purchase hand tools and storage bins for 'brown' materials.
Spaulding High School, Barre VT - $1609
Funds were used to purchase reusable dishware and silverware for the cafeteria, travel mugs to sell to students and staff, recycling bins to comply with Act 148, and t-shirts for Spaulding's Action for the Environment.
East Montpelier Elementary School, East Montpelier VT - $2303
Funds were used to purchase materials and hire a contractor to build a new sorting station for East Montpelier's cafeteria.
Harwood Union High School, Duxbury VT - $1300
Funds were used to purchase supplies for a new sorting station for Harwood's cafeteria and a water bottle refill station.
Samuel Morey Elementary School, Fairlee VT - $1473
Funds were used to purchase materials to build a 3-bin onsite compost system and storage areas for 'brown' materials and finished compost.
East Montpelier Elementary School - $404.00
Purchase accoutrements (bins, silverware, cups, bowls, plates, etc.) needed to support establishment of classroom kits of reusables to reduce waste for special events.
Hardwick Elementary School - $2498.23
Purchase 2 magnetic trash can lids (to reduce silverware loss) and reusable cups, trays, and silverware for the cafeteria.
Main Street Middle School, Montpelier - $466.56
Purchase 4-oz. reusable bowls to replace single-use, non-recyclable serving cups in the cafeteria.
Oxbow High School - $2467.71
Purchase 2 water bottle fill stations and 1 magnetic trash can lid (to reduce cafeteria silverware loss).
Tunbridge Central School - $$323.45
Purchase stainless steel mugs to model waste reduction at community events.
Woodbury Elementary School - $1479.03
Purchase 1 magnetic trash can lid (to reduce silverware loss) and reusable trays and silverware for the cafeteria.
2022-2023 Grant Awards
No grant applications were received early in the school year and all CVSWMD grant programs were temporarily closed, including this grant program, during the latter part of the school year.
2021-2022 Grant Awards
Samuel Morey Elementary School - $2500.00
Purchase of supplies to support revitalization of an on-campus composting system.
Walden School - $2000.00
Purchase of two water bottle refill stations.
2020-2021 Grant Awards
No grant applications received and no grants awarded, due to impacts of COVID-19 pandemic.
2019-2020 Grant Awards
Barre Town Middle Elementary School - $438
Purchase of reusable grab-and-go containers for pre-made lunches.
Berlin Elementary School - $922
Purchase Jora composter to expand onsite composting of afternoon classroom snack scraps.
Crossett Brook Middle School - $900
Funds used to support employment of a cafeteria sorting station monitor (this service is no longer eligible for funding through this grant program).
Rumney Memorial School - $486
Purchase of reusable water glasses and resealable lunch trays for school cafeteria.
Twinfield Union School - $713
Purchase of materials to build a new cafeteria waste sorting station.
Williamstown Elementary School - $1,067
Purchase of a water bottle refill station.
2018-2019 Grant Awards
Barre Town Middle Elementary School - $1,000
Purchase of a water bottle fill station.
Crossett Brook Middle School - $1,500
Funds used to support employment of a cafeteria sorting station monitor (this service is no longer eligible for funding through this grant program).
U-32 - $2,376
Purchase reusable silverware and dishware for the cafeteria to reduce single-use lunchware.
2017-2018 Grant Awards
Barre City Elementary Middle School - $2470
Funds used to support the purchase and installation of 2 water bottle refill stations.
Bradford Elementary School - $2200.00
Funds used to enlist professional consultant to support establishment and integration of an on-campus composting system, as well as to purchase bulk
condiment dispensers, reusable food serviceware, and educational/decorative posters for the school cafeteria.
Barre Town Middle Elementary School - $2500
Funds supported installation of 2 water bottle refill stations.
Montpelier High School - $500
Funds used to purchase materials to support construction of a cafeteria sorting station.
Main Street Middle School - $750
Funds used to support construction of a cafeteria sorting station.
Spaulding High School - $547
Funds used to obtain hallway recycling bins to pair with trash cans and carts to serve as stations that reusable lunch food serviceware could be returned to.
Union Elementary School - $500
Funds used to purchase reusable, single-serving veggie and fruit side dishes, to replace single-use containers.
2016-2017 Grant Awards
Berlin Elementary School, Berlin VT - $679
Funds were used to purchase materials to build a 3-bin onsite composting system to compost cafeteria food scraps and paper towels. Additional funds were used to purchase hand tools and storage bins for 'brown' materials.
Spaulding High School, Barre VT - $1609
Funds were used to purchase reusable dishware and silverware for the cafeteria, travel mugs to sell to students and staff, recycling bins to comply with Act 148, and t-shirts for Spaulding's Action for the Environment.
East Montpelier Elementary School, East Montpelier VT - $2303
Funds were used to purchase materials and hire a contractor to build a new sorting station for East Montpelier's cafeteria.
Harwood Union High School, Duxbury VT - $1300
Funds were used to purchase supplies for a new sorting station for Harwood's cafeteria and a water bottle refill station.
Samuel Morey Elementary School, Fairlee VT - $1473
Funds were used to purchase materials to build a 3-bin onsite compost system and storage areas for 'brown' materials and finished compost.
