SEATTLE (Recycling Monster): Metro has awarded the first round of multiyear Reuse Impact Fund grants to 16 Portland-area nonprofits dedicated to repairing, reusing, and sharing goods, strengthening the region’s circular economy. The funding supports flexible operations and services that keep usable items in circulation, helping reduce waste and limit the environmental impacts associated with manufacturing new products.

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Each nonprofit will receive between $10,000 and $150,000 annually for three years, contingent on Metro’s annual budget approvals. The pilot program is part of Metro’s broader strategy to manage the regional garbage and recycling system, protect environmental and human health, and reduce waste through long-term policy, services, and investments. The Reuse Impact Fund is an implementation action under the Regional System Facilities Plan, adopted by the Metro Council in 2025.

The grants respond to a growing need for reliable, flexible funding to support reuse, repair, and share organizations, which collect, transport, repair, and redistribute items that would otherwise end up in landfills.

Metro Councilor Juan Carlos Gonzalez said the funding ensures essential items like furniture, clothing, bicycles, and building materials remain affordable and accessible. The pilot cycle prioritizes textiles, furniture, appliances, electronics, tools, bicycles, and building materials.