Topic – How and When to Apply for Federal Funding

March 16, 2022

The National Recycling Coalition will highlight the results of research it has been conducting on the availability of Federal funding for waste reduction, reuse, recycling and composting. This webinar will include Requests for Proposals (RFPs) currently underway at the US Environmental Protection Agency. It will also provide an update on when regulations and RFPs to implement the new Infrastructure funding adopted by Congress will be available. Finally, this webinar will provide tips on how to prepare and apply for federal funding, including clearly articulating grant goals, objectives, outcomes and evaluation plans and early identification of potential collaborative grant partners (e.g. public agencies, private businesses, and nonprofit subcontractors and consultants).

When: March 16, 2022 – 2:00-3:15pm EST / 11:00am-12:15pm PST

Webinar Presenters

Mya Sjogren, Analyst, Office of Resource Conservation and Recovery, US Environmental Protection Agency.
Bob Gedert, President, National Recycling Coalition
Laurie McQuay Peninger, Associate Vice Chancellor, Grants & Economic Development, Riverside City College
Michele Amhaz, Program Manager, Pollution Prevention and Source Reduction, US Environmental Protection Agency.
Nina Bhattacharyya, Assistant State Conservationist for Partnerships and Initiatives for the Florida Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS)
Sachi Segan, Sustainability Coordinator, National Recycling Coalition
Havala Schumacher, Detailee, USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production

Registration Link: https://psu.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_-OhICFqAReGIJcYL6FpAIQ

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Presenter Biographies

Mya Sjogren works on advancing sustainable materials management at the US Environmental Protection Agency. She leads the EPA team that is helping enhance the US recycling system. Prior to joining EPA in 2007, Mya worked in the private sector and academia. She holds finance and urban planning degrees and is dedicated to collaboratively creating a sustainable world.

 
 
 

Bob Gedert is the President of the National Recycling Coalition. Bob was the lead author of the American Recycling Infrastructure Plan (ARIP) for the Recycling Is Infrastructure Too Campaign. He is now supervising research on the availability of federal funding for projects listed in the ARIP. Bob also has had a 40+ year career in guiding communities toward sustainable materials management through a systems approach, bridging recycling best practices and sustainability with local economic development practices. He is currently writing a book on actions one can take to slow the effects of climate change and teaches a class on climate change at Xavier University in Cincinnati.

 

Laurie McQuay-Peninger is the Executive Director of Grants and Sponsored Programs at Riverside Community College District with over 20 years of grant development and management experience. In 2010, she obtained a $5 million grant for Santa Monica College to help fund the development of a Recycling and Resource Management Certificate program for 3 colleges in the Los Angeles area. That grant also included funding to explore the development of a National Standards Certification Board (NSCB) to accredit programs such as this around the country. The NSCB was formed as a result of this effort and is now part of the National Recycling Coalition. She is a strong advocate for collaboration both within the organization and externally, believing that it really does take a community to create the future. Through collaboration, organizations and communities can build upon their individual and collective strengths to facilitate change and improve outcomes.

 

Michele Amhaz serves as the program manager for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Pollution Prevention and Source Reduction Assistance grant programs, including funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Act adopted last year. These programs provide funding opportunities to help businesses and others adopt and implement pollution prevention practices. Michele also works closely with regional P2 programs on priority setting and planning. Michele has over 21 years of experience in grant program management and administration

 

 

 

Nina Bhattacharyya is on detail to the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP). She is assisting OUAIP with the Compost and Food Waste Reduction pilot project, agreements, and interagency collaboration. Her permanent role is Assistant State Conservationist for Partnerships and Initiatives for the Florida Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

 

 

 

 

Sachi Segan is the sustainability coordinator for the National Recycling Coalition (NRC). She is researching the availability of federal funding for projects listed in the American Recycling Infrastructure Plan that was developed by NRC as part of the Recycling Is Infrastructure Too Campaign. She is working to find available federal funding listed in Grants.gov and by contacting different federal agencies. She is also compiling funding that will become available as infrastructure bills are adopted by Congress.

 
 

 

 

Havala Schumacher is on detail to the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Urban Production, where she is engaged in coordinating grant and cooperative agreement funding opportunities and development of an enhanced Urban Agriculture toolkit. Her home office is the NRCS Projects Branch, where she coordinates with states and recipients of Conservation Innovation, Wetland Mitigation Banking Program, and Voluntary Pubic Access-Habitat Incentive Program grants.