Convenience Center Grant

Division of Solid Waste Management

Eligible Applicants:

Tennessee counties needing grant assistance for the purpose of establishing or upgrading convenience centers required by T.C.A. § 68-211-851 may apply.

There are three priorities for this grant:

• Applicants who are replacing and eliminating unmanned county collection systems (“Green Boxes”).
• Applicants that are establishing a new convenience center that provides access to an underserved area or applicants that do not meet the minimum level of service for the number of convenience centers under Rule 0400-11-01-.10 (2).
• Applicants who apply for a used automotive fluids grant for proposed convenience centers. 

Eligible Projects: 

Applicants can use this grant to cover the cost of building or upgrading convenience centers, but such funds may not be used for regular operation expenses of a recurring nature. Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:

• Land, paving, fencing, shelters for attendants, power connection, containers, and basic equipment, including, but not limited to, compactors, receivers, and identified collection containers
• Developing and printing of operating manuals
• Public education materials that promote waste reduction, including signage, “how-to recycle” pamphlets, and operational signage needed for center operation

If part of the grant project is the purchase of land, applicants must secure land prior to grant execution to be eligible. Applicants may apply for the Fiscal Year 2025 - 2026 Used Oil Grant, concurrently offered, which provides no match funding to assist in establishing used oil collection for do-it-yourselfers and augment the applied-for convenience center systems.

Furthermore, applicants previously awarded a grant of this type from the Solid Waste Management Fund in the last two years that are currently under contract with open balances or who have failed to meet the obligations of additional Division of Solid Waste Management grant contracts in the last two years are ineligible.

Funding & Matching Requirements:

Grant awards will be made based on the estimates included in the grant application and will not be increased. It is important that applicants research the equipment or facility they are seeking to purchase and obtain accurate price information prior to submitting their application. Only equipment or facility improvements identified in the application and awarded will be funded, so proper planning and research should be done by the applicant before submitting the application. This is a cost-sharing, match grant. No funding amount can exceed $125,000. 

• View currently offered Materials Management program grants

If you are interested in applying for this grant offering, please register and apply via the TDEC Online Grants System.