Dream, Build, and Launch your Collaborative Compost or Recycling Projects with NextCycle Michigan 

Do you know how your community can waste less and find long-term solutions to prevent organic and recyclable materials from ending up in landfills? That’s where it starts! Ideas, passion, and a little coordination can help you apply to EGLE’s free accelerator program called NextCycle Michigan, facilitated by RRS.  

You can get a head start in your community through participation in NextCycle Michigan. Whether you are a village, township, city, or partner with these government authorities, NextCycle Michigan can help you launch your collaborative idea.  

Understanding Materials Management Planning (MMP) 

Now is the time to seize the moment. Michigan counties are beginning to update their materials management plans with the State funding public initiatives aiming to reduce waste, compost materials, and recycle or reuse products. In the next 5 years, there will be increased financial investment and technical assistance to local communities to participate in meeting material management plan goals.   

Taking the Leap: Initiating Collaborative Projects  

Local governments are working with nonprofits, universities, and school districts for a better future. Are you ready to join the movement? Work collaboratively on projects that impact generations to come, get involved with NextCycle Michigan and the MMP process. Here’s why: 

Fueling Innovation through NextCycle Michigan

NextCycle Michigan, a dedicated program supporting circular economy initiatives, offers a specific track focused on intergovernmental partnerships – the Intergovernmental Initiatives and Public-Private Partnerships (I2P3) Accelerator Track. This track is tailor-made for collaborative projects centered around recycling, reuse, composting, and anaerobic digestion. It’s a perfect playground for communities to receive free professional support and consultation in preparation for planning and implementing your local MMP.  

About NextCycle Michigan

Selected applicants participate in a six-month track that provides individualized project planning and technical support to move projects toward investment-attractive and implementation-ready status. Programming includes a two-day in-person workshop-based event, followed by six months of (mainly virtual) strategic training opportunities and access to expert coaches and industry experts. There is no fee to apply or participate in the program. Selected participants simply commit their time and effort. The program culminates with an in-person showcase event where participants pitch their projects to a live audience with the chance to attract investors, win monetary awards, and generate publicity.

Currently, the Intergovernmental Initiatives & Public-Private Partnerships (I2P3) Accelerator Track is seeking applications for public-sector materials management projects focused on collaborative waste reduction, reuse, recycling, composting, and anaerobic digestion in Michigan. Projects can include scaling recycling systems, opening a drop-off center, developing a multi-community authority, expanding recycling access for multi-family, and many others. A public entity must lead teams in the I2P3 track with at least one partner; partners may be businesses, institutions, non-profits, or other governments/tribes/agencies.

Success Stories Inspire Action

The program has already witnessed successful collaborative initiatives:

• North Oakland County Resource Recovery Authority (NOCRRA): Townships and municipalities around Pontiac leveraged NextCycle Michigan to explore forming a new resource recovery authority, demonstrating the potential for cost savings and improved local recycling systems. 
• The U.P. Recycling Collaboration: Upper Peninsula neighbors collaborated through NextCycle Michigan, developing a joint plan to expand recycling access in the region after applying individually. 
• Mt Pleasant Anaerobic Digester: Central Michigan University and the city of Mt. Pleasant partnered to ramp up anaerobic co-digestion of food waste and sewage treatment sludge, producing biogas fuel and improving biosolids for fertilizer. 
• Storm and Disaster Debris Management Plan: The Resource Recovery and Recycling Authority of Southwest Oakland County (RRRASOC) and SOCRRA developed a strategic Storm and Disaster Debris Management Plan to aid in sustainable cleanup in emergency situations. 
• Explore more projects from NextCycle Michigan Alum Teams.

NextCycle Michigan’s I2P3 Accelerator Track

As a local entity interested in collaborative projects, follow these steps to apply: 

• Explore Project Ideas: I2P3 project types include recycling systems, funding mechanisms, multi-family housing access, community reuse centers, and more.  Projects prioritized by the gap analysis include super drop offs for hard to recycle materials (think: e-waste, paint, mattresses, tires, bulky plastics, pallets, batteries), multi-family recycling, commercial recycling programs, and food scrap collection and composting.   
• Build Collaborative Teams: Teams must be led by a public entity with at least one additional partner, which may be businesses, institutions, non-profits, or other local governments. 
• Prioritize Equity: NextCycle Michigan encourages applications from traditionally underserved communities, including rural, low-income areas, and teams with minority and/or women-owned businesses. 

Apply for NextCycle

Let us seize this moment, unite our communities, and pave the way for innovative, sustainable projects that will shape Michigan’s circular economy for generations to come!

Apply to NextCycle Michigan for additional support with planning and implementation of collaborative projects. Applications for the Intergovernmental Initiatives & Public-Private Partnerships are due March 31! Learn more about the upcoming I2P3 NextCycle Michigan cohort.