Circular Arizona announces 2023 grant winners

Since 1993, Circular Arizona (formerly the Arizona Recycling Coalition) has awarded over $280,000 to nonprofit organizations, local governments, tribal nations, schools, entrepreneurs, and local businesses to increase recycling and divert waste from landfills.

Circular Arizona is thrilled to announce three grant winners for 2023 and looks forward to their presentations at our annual meeting on Thursday, Feb. 15 in Phoenix.

“The quality of grant applications was impressive, and we wish we had the funds to support all of them,” says board chair Terry Gellenbeck. “All three grants will support Circular Arizona’s goal of an equitable circular economy for a sustainable Arizona.”

Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology

Arizona Students Recycling Used Technology’s Digital Empower: My Own Computer program will address the unmet need for low-income Arizona residents to request a free, refurbished laptop via a lottery request program in 2024. This new program will combine the organization’s circular economy approach to diverting electronic waste from landfills with its existing refurbishment program.

Prescott Unified School District

The Prescott Unified School District (PUSD) will construct a three-bay composting system and supplemental storage solutions to support its Farm to School program's ongoing efforts, helping students divert local food scraps from their school and district facilities.

Town of Queen Creek

The Town of Queen Creek will expand its public space pilot program of Bigbelly trash and recycling containers with strategic messaging to increase recycling rates, reduce staff time monitoring and emptying waste receptacles, and collect public space recycling data for future improvements.