REMOTE: Oct. 4, 2022: The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment will be hosting a webinar to answer questions about NextCycle Colorado and share information with those interested in joining the program.
The webinar will take place from 1 - 2 p.m., Oct. 18, 2022.
NextCycle challenges businesses, organizations, non-profits, universities, and entrepreneurs to pursue innovative projects that will boost markets for recycled, remanufactured, or recovered content in Colorado. Eligible applicants include businesses, or other entities that turn recovered materials into marketable products in Colorado. Recovered or remanufactured materials are materials that have reached the end of their current use and may include plastics, metals, fibers, organics (including food scraps), reuse, and construction and demolition debris.
CDPHE is committed to supporting projects that will help the state achieve a 45% statewide landfill diversion rate by 2036. NextCycle Colorado supports accepted teams as they develop their business plans, make connections across the state, identify feedstocks, secure funding, and drive their projects towards shovel-ready status. At the end of NextCycle, teams pitch to an audience of public sector decision-makers and private sector investors. NextCycle Colorado graduates also receive additional points toward their applications when applying for State of Colorado recycling grants. To date, CDPHE has provided over $1 million in grant funding to previous NextCycle teams.
Table to Farm Compost, a Durango-based alliance of businesses, residents, economic development institutions, climate activists, and farmers, joined NextCycle Colorado in 2018. The team aimed to recover organic waste through a local subscription pick-up service and convert it into high-quality organic compost. During their involvement with NextCycle, the team conducted market research, developed a business plan, sought out a soil specialist, and established a land and site development plan for a facility. In fiscal year 2021, CDPHE awarded Table to Farm Compost a Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity grant for $187,850, which helped them develop the first Class III compost facility in the southwest region of the state.
"NextCycle was critical in the development of Table to Farm Compost as we grew our business from a start-up to a more established compost hauler and soil producer,” said Monique DiGiorgio, managing member at Table to Farm Compost. “The program provided the technical expertise, space, and support to build our artisan soil line and determine a value proposition for this aspect of our business. It was also a great way to meet entrepreneurial colleagues in the waste reduction and recycling end-market space."
Applications for the six-month program will open on October 18 and close on December 1. The program will start in January 2023. NextCycle Colorado is funded by CDPHE’s Recycling Resources Economic Opportunity grant program and is facilitated by Resource Recycling Systems, a sustainability and recycling consulting firm.
To sign up for the informational session, learn more about the program, or to apply, please visit the NextCycle website or email nextcycle@recycle.com.