Municipalities, solid waste management districts, non-profit organizations, higher education institutions, and public and private businesses located and doing business in the state of Indiana are eligible to apply for funding.
- Business entities applying for funding must be an established Indiana-based business, registered with the Office of the Secretary of State.
- All applicants must be in compliance with all federal, state, and local regulations.
- Previous grant award recipients may not reapply until the following year or later after their grant has been closed.
Eligible Projects & Proposals
Proposals for the Recycling Market Development Program should demonstrate an understanding of the changing economy for recyclers, looking at where monies can be used most effectively by businesses and communities to reach Indiana’s 50 percent state-wide recycling goal. Proposals should demonstrate a need for the project and include one or more of the following:
- An increase in recyclable material collection and/or utilization
- A reduction in municipal solid waste shipped for final disposal
- Improved partnerships with communities, including not only economic impacts, but increased public awareness of recycling opportunities through tangible outreach and education efforts.
Projects should focus on reuse, reduction, and recycling methods. Entities must maintain goals that are consistent with the state’s interest and vision of proper solid waste management, including diverting priority materials from landfills for final disposal which could be reused or reprocessed.
Priority materials include but are not limited to:
- Plastics
- Mixed glass
- Organics
- Electronics
Ineligible Projects & Proposals
Eligible Funding
Only one proposal project, per applicant, is eligible for funding.
Public/private businesses, solid waste management districts, local government, higher education institutions, and non-profit organizations located and doing business in Indiana may seek grant funding starting at $50,000 and up to $500,000.
For example, you could decide that you need equipment and outreach funding and submit two separate proposals, respectively. Both are eligible, but the board would consider only one for possible funding.
Ineligible Costs
Ineligible costs include but are not limited to:
- building/land purchases or associated building construction costs
- personnel costs
- consultant fees and travel
- legal costs
- licenses and permits
- vehicles
- contract services for recycling collection.
Exceptions include improvements to a docking station or sorting/tipping area of a building for waste diversion purposes; contract services performed as part of research & development; tow motors, excavators, loader trucks and other specialized mobile equipment for dedicated use for the proposed waste reduction and/or recycling project
The RMDP requires a 50% cash match. For example, if an applicant’s project will incur an investment of $200,000 total eligible costs, the applicant may apply for a $100,000 grant and must have a match of $100,000 in secured funds. This is termed a “50/50” match. Matching funds can be obtained through public/private partnerships and other non-state grant programs. Organizations must have available funding for the total cost of the project. Grant recipients will then be eligible to receive up to fifty percent (50%) of qualifying project costs through reimbursement from the state.
Submissions for RMDP grant funding must include:
- Cover Page: State Webform 56936 [Webform] (Link is active only during the open funding round)
- Proposal with key components:
- Project Description/Scope of Work
- Past Performance Narrative
- Cash Match (including proof of available funding for the total project cost)
- Detailed Budget Narrative (including table and quotes for all relevant purchases)
- Supporting Documentation:
- If you are a business purchasing equipment, a Business Plan
- Quotes for all relevant purchases
- Optional documentation including letters of support, partnership agreements, project flow diagrams, location maps, etc., as applicable.
Applicants can refer to the Recycling Market Development 2025 Grant Announcement and Request for Proposal Guidelines [PDF] from the previous grant cycle for an example of complete proposal requirements and submittal guidance.
Proposals will be evaluated in accordance with the criteria listed in RMDP Guidelines: Attachment A. Each proposal will be given a numerical score, and if eligible and complete, will be forwarded to the Board for funding consideration and approval.
Selection of proposals for presentation to the Board will be made based on the program objectives and priorities. The selection team will be comprised of IDEM staff with past experience reviewing RMDP grant recipients.
The following are RMDP timeline highlights. For the full timeline visit the RMDP guidelines. These are the dates for the previous grant round for 2025. IDEM anticipates a similar timeline for the 2026 application round.
Applications Accepted:
May 7, 2025 – June 18, 2025
Approval of Awards by the Board:
October 23, 2025
Contract Approval:
Grant agreements are drafted, reviewed, executed. The grant is executed once all parties sign the grant agreement. This step must be completed before any approved project expenses can be purchased:
March – May 2026
Awarded funds cannot be spent until the grant is executed. Plan to not start your project until March 2026.
Overview