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An official website of Hennepin County, Minnesota
Hennepin county

Grants and funding opportunities

Business recycling and waste prevention grants

We provide funding and assistance for businesses and organizations to start or improve programs to divert recyclables and/or organics.

Eligible recipients include for-profit businesses and organizations, including multifamily housing, and non-profit organizations. Grant activities must take place in Hennepin County.

MNimize single-use plastic reduction program

MNimize is a program of the Minnesota Waste Wise Foundation and Hennepin County that provides support and recognition to food businesses working to reduce single-use plastic waste.

Get started by submitting an inquiry form, emailing hello@mnimize.org, or calling 651-292-4664.

After reaching out, you will:

  • Do a site visit with the MNimize team to establish baseline of single-use plastic use, verify tier achievement, and identify opportunities for further reduction.
  • Commit to the MNimize Pledge of offering single-use plastic accessories, such as plastic utensils and straws, by request only.
  • Take additional actions to reduce single-use plastics to be recognized at one of four achievement levels.

MNimize rebate

Eligible participating businesses that are emerging small business enterprises (ESBEs) can get up to $1,000 through the MNimize Rebate toward expenses to reduce single-use plastic.

This rebate could be used to purchase durable reusable or certified compostable alternatives to replace single-use plastic items or for other creative plastic reduction strategies.

Spread the word

If you know businesses who might be interested, download the MNimize media kit (DOCX, 2MB) for resources to spread the word about this opportunity.

Grants for bins and compostable bags

We have free resources and technical assistance for small businesses and nonprofit organizations to start or improve recycling and organics recycling.

Applicants may select up to $3,000 worth of containers and compostable bags from the county's product list. Learn more in our bin bag grant flyer (PDF, 1MB). 

Application

Waste prevention grants

This grant program funds projects that prevent waste in the business sector. Areas of focus include:

  • Reuse and repair
  • Replace disposables with reusables
  • Prevention of food waste
  • Projects around research and development to prevent waste

Available funds

This year $400,000 is available for business waste prevention grants.

Application

Applications are due by Wednesday, September 30 at 3 p.m. Grant flyer with overview of the grant program (PDF, 1MB). 

Information meeting

Prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend a virtual information meeting on Thursday, September 10 at 2 p.m.

Register for the September 10 virtual information meeting

How to apply

You need to be registered to submit an application. There has been an upgrade to the Supplier Portal, so you may need to register or re-register. For detailed instructions on how to register and submit an application, including video tutorials and more, visit the Supplier Portal information page.

Access the RFP and apply

  • Visit the Supplier Portal.
  • Under Contracting opportunities, view the application materials by selecting business waste prevention grants.
  • Submit materials through the supplier portal before 3 p.m. on the application due date. 

Waste prevention project examples

See our project examples for how waste prevention grant funding could be used at your business.

Reporting information for current grantees

Grantees are to submit a final report (for Container and Accelerated grant recipients) or both an interim report and a final report (for Competitive grant recipients). These reports provide crucial information for Hennepin County to evaluate and continue the program. Grant managers will provide templates to grantees.

For more information see an example of a grant report (PDF, 1MB).

Recently awarded grants

Waste prevention grants awarded in 2026

In August 2026, the county awarded ten Business Waste Prevention grants totaling $182,143. Grant projects will take place in five cities. 

The grants will:

  • Help businesses reduce waste by giving them money to buy reusable items like dishes, cups, and cleanroom gear instead of using disposable ones.
  • Support creative reuse projects that turn trash into useful products, like recycled plastic or salvaged goods for resale.
  • Teach people useful skills like sewing and mending, so they can fix things instead of throwing them away.
  • Make eco-friendly upgrades like fixing water systems or collecting pottery waste, so businesses can be more sustainable.

Angel Food

$9,442 for a dishwasher and reusable food serving ware to reduce single-use plastics.

Birdie's Table

$4,639 for reusable steel hotel pans to replace single-use aluminum pans.

Bruhaven Brewery

$2,812 for reusable cups to replace single-use plastics.

CROSS

$9,750 to improve their reuse space in Sweet Repeat Boutique to better promote clothing, shoes, and household items to clients with low incomes.

HiBAR

$30,000 for durable, reusable molds in their production of an environmentally-friendly product line that includes waterless shampoos and alternatives to plastic packaging.

Liberty Packaging

$50,000 for equipment to improve recycled-paper production to reduce waste from inefficient equipment.

Mercury Mosaics

$34,400 to repurpose ceramic tile waste back into sellable products.

Nature's Syrup Hair and Skin Care

$18,400 for a product-refill station and refillable bottles to reduce single-use plastics.

Nice Repair

$10,000 for equipment to increase mending repairs.

Old School by Steeple People

$12,700 to drive store traffic at reuse store.

Bin and compostable bag grants awarded in 2026

This year, the following small businesses and organizations have received grants and technical assistance for bins and compostable bags to start or improve recycling and organics recycling.

  • A2D Academy, Edina
  • Abubakar As-Saddique Islamic Center, Minneapolis
  • Apotheco Pharmacy Minnetonka, Minnetonka
  • Boulder Options, Minneapolis
  • Casa Maria Foodshelf of St. Nicholas Episcopal Church, Richfield
  • Cedar Isles Dean Neighborhood Association, Minneapolis
  • Evergreen Café, Minneapolis
  • Extreme Noise Records, Minneapolis
  • Faith Lilac Way Lutheran Church, Robbinsdale
  • Hibi, Minneapolis
  • Inspire Change Clinic, Minneapolis
  • Lowry Hill East Neighborhood Association, Minneapolis
  • New Creation Baptist Church, Minneapolis
  • North Star Sustainability, Minneapolis
  • PRISM Food Shelf, Golden Valley
  • Prevailing Medical, Plymouth
  • Proximity Collective, Minneapolis
  • Radish Farm Stop, Minneapolis
  • T & T Childcare, Minneapolis
  • The American National Red Cross, Minneapolis
  • The Bright Spot, Mound
  • The Sota Fountain, Minneapolis
  • Zach Fetzer State Farm, Bloomington

Related pages

Contact

Business recycling program specialist