Waste Not Washington School Awards

The Waste Not Washington School Awards (School Awards) promote sustainability by rewarding schools that build and expand waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting programs and lessons. As of the 2025-2026 award cycle, each award can receive up to $10,000 in funding.

We encourage schools to be environmental stewards for their students and communities. Across the state, schools are finding ways to carry out their educational missions in a less wasteful manner. These awards celebrate Washington schools for their environmental efforts and help fund their waste reduction projects.

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Funding cycle

Amount of funding available: $260,000 for the 2026 – 2027 cycle
Grant award limit: Up to $10,000 per project
No matching funds required.

Deadlines and Award Limits

The School Awards are annual.

Applications are accepted from August 1 until 5 p.m. on October 31 each year. All applications must be received by 5 p.m. on Oct 31 to be considered for that year’s award cycle.

For more information on how to apply, see the Application information section on this webpage.
To promote equitable access to funding and ensure representation from schools across Washington State, a limit has been placed on the number of awards that may be granted per school and school district:

Individual schools are eligible for one award per award cycle.
School districts with 29 or fewer schools may receive one award per cycle.
School districts with 30 or more schools may receive up to two awards per cycle.

The School Awards help build and improve waste reduction, reuse, and recycling programs and curricula in Washington schools.

A crucial issue that children face is the uncertainty of the world they will inherit. Schools that teach and practice sustainable behavior are important role models to children and their communities. These schools provide students knowledge and skills to understand and respond to a rapidly changing world.

Bringing environmental issues into classrooms is challenging when working within basic education requirements. Waste reduction programs are an opportunity for students to learn about environmental impacts of materials and waste — including climate, financial, and social impacts.

As students learn to take ownership of the future and hone their abilities to make improvements, they in turn will model leadership behavior and find opportunities to educate their fellow students, families, and communities about the impacts of waste. Dedication and support from all members of the school and the greater community are key components of a successful program. Your school can be part of the effort to teach these important principles to tomorrow’s leaders.

Application information

Applications are open annually from August 1 until 5 p.m. on October 31.

Ecology has fillable Word and PDF forms that applicants can use to apply to their choice of school award category. Applicants should download and save a local copy of the application to their computer and save often as they complete the application form. These forms do not automatically save.

Applicants are also encouraged to use Ecology’s budget and planning templates if needed for their application:

Submit applications by email

Applicants can submit their application by emailing the completed form and any required supporting documents to schoolawards@ecy.wa.gov. Please title the email as directed in the application’s instructions.

Submit applications by mail

Applicants can submit their application by mailing the printed and completed form and any required supporting documents to:

Standard Mail (USPS):
Solid Waste Management Program
Attn: School Awards
Department of Ecology
PO Box 47600
Olympia, WA 98504-7600

Priority Mail (All other carriers):
Solid Waste Management Program
Attn: School Awards
Department of Ecology
300 Desmond Drive SE
Lacey, WA 98503

Applicants may be eligible to receive awards if they meet the following criteria:

Applicant must be a teacher or staff member of a K-12 public, private, tribal school, or school district applying on behalf of a school or classroom
Projects must show a sustainable focus relevant to the award category they apply for. You can find more information on award category descriptions, eligibility, funding allocations, and examples of projects in the Award Categories section of the School Awards Guidelines document.

Eligible projects for these awards include those focused on waste reduction, organics management, recycling, and waste assessments. Some examples include, but are not limited to:

Switching to reusable trays, plates, silverware, or cups
Implementing food share tables and food waste reduction campaigns
Replacing single-use milk cartons with bulk beverage dispensers and reusable cups
Implementing a recycling collection program for appropriate materials
Generating lessons and curriculum on waste reduction education

For more examples of eligible projects per award category, read the Award Categories section of the School Awards Guidelines document. The guidelines document also has an extensive list of eligible and ineligible costs.

A graphic depicting funding distribution of the Waste Not Washington School Awards

Award guidelines and template documents

School Award Guidelines - These guidelines include information on:
- Timelines and deadlines
- Eligible and ineligible costs
- What to know when applying for an award
- Award category details, including project examples
- Scoring criteria and score cards
- Example budget, planning document, and letter of support
Template Budget
Template Planning Document

Categories: Waste Prevention and Reduction Award; Organics Management and Recycling Award; Waste Assessment Award; Continuing Success Award

Consider these tips when applying for a Waste Not Washington School Award:

Start early.
Read the Waste Not Washington School Awards Guidelines.
Attend the scheduled webinars or office hours to ask questions.
- Office hours are available by registering for Zoom calls at these scheduled times:
Line up partners committed to the project within the school for greater chances of success.
Plan ahead for the required documents (budget, planning document, and sometimes report document) and any optional supporting documents (prior waste assessment documentation or letters of support) you wish to include with your application.