Four local organizations were selected to receive a total of $300,000 in grants from the Regional District of Nanaimo's Zero Waste Recycling Funding (ZWRF) program for 2025.
They are Habitat for Humanity ($55,000), Lighthouse ($137,000), Loaves & Fishes ($101,000) and the Synergy Foundation ($7,000).
The recipients will use the funds to divert waste in the region through various activities, including re-purposing waste products, creating resources local businesses can use to become more sustainable and connecting organizations to share and develop zero-waste ideas for even greater impact.
“We are excited to see continued innovation by local organizations in reducing waste and supporting a sustainable circular economy," said Vanessa Craig, RDN chair. "Both the environment and our communities are benefiting from their efforts, and we are pleased to be able to support them through the RDN’s Zero Waste Recycling Funding program. These projects will help create a more sustainable future by addressing these challenges today.“
The ZWRF program provides grants to organizations that demonstrate innovative initiatives that increase waste diversion through the development of a circular economy and through actions of the zero-waste hierarchy of highest and best use, including but not limited to:
- Acting as a research and recycling hub for hard-to-recycle items,
- Operating programs that include the reduction and redesign of materials,
- Reusing, repairing, and reprocessing of materials, and
- Investigating barriers to recycling.
Projects were evaluated using several criteria, including maximizing waste diversion, encouraging innovation to develop markets and processes, and potential as a catalyst for a future sustainable program without ongoing funding. As the program was oversubscribed with requests totaling $751,659, the proposals were ranked on a comparative basis, and eligible funds were then distributed among the highest-ranked successful proposals in the order of their ranking until the funds were drawn down.
The Zero Waste Recycling Funding program is an initiative of the Solid Waste Management Plan (SWMP) and supports the RDN’s zero waste goals. This grant cycle is the final year of the three-year grant program. To learn more about the funding program, visit rdn.bc.ca/zero-waste-funding. To read the SWMP, visit rdn.bc.ca/solid-waste-management-plan. For tools and resources to help reduce waste in our community, visit rdn.bc.ca/rethink.
