The New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse and Recycling (NYSAR3) established a grant opportunity called the Green School Grant Program (GSG) for public and private K-12 schools for new or the expansion of projects implementing waste reduction, reuse, recycling or composting at their schools. Since 2005, NYSAR3 has awarded over 100 K-12 schools throughout New York State that have implemented a variety of successful programs that have benefited the schools and their students.
NYSAR3 is pleased to announce a new round of awards for 2025, for projects that will be implemented during the 2025-2026 school year. The maximum per award is $1,000. These funds will go towards developing new programs or supporting existing programs related to the 3 R鈥檚 (reduce, reuse, and recycle) and composting.
The NYSAR3 Green School Grant grant winners for the 2025-2026 school year are:
Amani Public Charter School, Mount Vernon, NY
Amani’s Making A Difference 鈥 Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!鈥
To reduce lunchtime waste by 95%, we are implementing a comprehensive plan that involves every student, faculty member, and staff member. This plan is designed to transform the way students interact with waste and food, from awareness-building to hands-on participation. By giving students the tools, knowledge, and responsibility to reduce waste, we are creating an environment where their actions matter, and where the positive impact of their efforts will be visible and felt in both the school and broader community.
Dunkirk Intermediate School (DIS) – Dunkirk City School District, Dunkirk, NY
鈥淒IS Composts!鈥
To heighten our gardening program, DIS will implement an outdoor composting system. The new initiative will allow students to collect cafeteria food waste from the student body and place it in the new outdoor compost bins. Through the grant we will be purchasing an outdoor, 3-bin composting system and in the building composting bins for the cafeteria.
Pine Valley Central School District, South Dayton, NY
鈥淧ine Valley Cafeteria Share Table Program鈥
The Pine Valley Cafeteria Share Table Program aims to encourage students at Pine Valley Central School District to consider 鈥渟haring鈥 unwanted food items by creating cafeteria Share Tables in the elementary and high school cafeterias. By allowing 鈥渟haring鈥 we anticipate an incredible reduction in food waste.
Public School 26, Staten Island, NY
鈥淕reen Roots: Growing a Sustainable School Community鈥
Our new K-8 school will launch a student-led initiative to implement a school-wide composting program, enhance recycling systems, and provide hands-on environmental education to promote long-term waste reduction and sustainability awareness throughout the school community.
Westminster Community Charter School, Buffalo, NY
鈥淔rom Scraps to Soil: Westminster’s Recycle & Composting Project鈥
The Westminster Waste Warriors Recycle and Compost Club empowers students in K-8 to support sustainability by partnering with our scratch kitchen team to collect and compost food waste. Through this hands-on initiative, students will participate in weekly composting and recycling efforts promoting waste reduction, while creating a culture of environmental stewardship and inspiring sustainable habits as a community school.
Public School/Intermediate School 48 Wilcox, Staten Island, NY
鈥淕reen Restart: Rebuilding a Culture of Sustainability鈥
Our project, Green Restart, will relaunch and expand our school鈥檚 sustainability efforts by re-establishing school-wide recycling systems, reviving student-led green teams, and integrating hands-on environmental science into classroom instruction. With a focus on restoring pre-pandemic momentum and deepening environmental literacy, this initiative will engage the entire school community in developing long-term sustainable practices.
P721K Roy Campanella Occupational Training Center, Brooklyn, NY
鈥淭he Share Table Project鈥
The 鈥淪hare Table鈥 project collects unused school breakfast items and redistributes them to local families and the nearby Salt and Sea Food Pantry, with the goal of reducing food waste and supporting those in need; the project is implemented through collection tables on each floor, student-led sorting and bagging, and regular deliveries. Funding will go toward purchasing a refrigerator to safely store perishable items and ensure a smooth transition and sustainability of the program during the summer months.
The Brooklyn Green Magnet School for Eco-Activism, Brooklyn, NY
鈥淏KG Consciously Composting鈥
Creating a composting site on campus to enhance our recycling by promoting the three R’s (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle) and optimizing waste management.聽 By identifying and diverting organic waste from traditional recycling streams, compost units will help reduce contamination, improve recycling efficiency, and create a valuable resource for soil enrichment.
Lake Shore High School, Angola, NY
鈥淐afeteria Food Waste Reduction through Composting鈥
Students intend to reduce cafeteria food waste through the creation of a composting system.聽 The compost will be used by the garden club to sustain the school community garden. This is part of the Capstone Project for students obtaining the Seal of Civic Readiness.
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