Retailers in Cuyahoga County can now apply for Sustainable Store Grants of up to $5,000 to help eliminate plastic checkout bags from their operations. The initiative is being supported by the Cuyahoga County Departments of Consumer Affairs and Sustainability, as well as the Cuyahoga County Solid Waste District.
The grants are designed to help local retailers become more environmentally sustainable while also complying with the Disposable Bag Ban that became effective on Jan. 16, 2022. The grants are available to locally owned, independent, employee-owned or franchise retail stores located in Cuyahoga County, including convenience, grocery, supermarket, service station, drug stores and shops. International and national chain stores are not eligible for these grant funds.
Preference will be given to stores located within designated Equity Zones in Cuyahoga County, but all stores within the county are encouraged to apply. Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis, according to the evaluation criteria on the BYOBags website. Final approval of awards will be determined by the Cuyahoga County Plastic Bag Advisory Group.
The deadline for grant applications is Wednesday, March 15, 2023 at 4 p.m. Interested retailers can find the application form and other resources on the BYOBags website.
If you have additional questions or would like further guidance, please reach out to Economic Development & Incentives Partner Rich Morehouse (RAM@kjk.com; 216-736-7292).