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Committee approves $200,000 for PowerCycle microgrant pilot to grow local recycling businesses
Summary
The committee approved a $200,000 one-time innovation-fund grant to seed small recycling and materials-reuse businesses through a microgrant program intended to spur local circular-economy projects and position the city to compete for larger state funds.
The Innovation and Performance committee approved a $200,000 appropriation to fund a PowerCycle microgrant pilot that provides small grants to businesses and entrepreneurs working on material recycling and reuse projects.
A city presenter summarized the program—s objective: provide small, once-only awards to small businesses and community projects to prototype products made from recycled materials and to help those projects qualify for larger state grants. Examples shown to the committee included prototypes such as textile recycling and small-scale construction components made with recycled materials.
Presenters said funded projects must produce a final report summarizing results; those reports would be public and intended to help other businesses replicate successful approaches. The program also aims to generate evidence to attract larger state funding. Committee members discussed appropriate award sizes for microgrants and the distinction between this pilot funding and other recycling funding sources such as CalRecycle; presenters said the pilot is intentionally small-scale to create proofs of concept.
The committee recorded votes in favor by Councilmember Rodríguez and Councilmember Bloomenfield; the motion passed.
