PREP Grants

As of October 1, 2020, all stores in Howard County are required to charge a Plastic Bag Fee of 5 cents per disposable plastic bag used. Businesses keep one cent from every five-cent fee and the remainder is collected by Howard County Government and put into a Disposable Plastics Reduction Fund. In 2021 the Office of Community Sustainability began a new grant program for Plastics Reduction and Environmental Protection (PREP). Environmental non-profits in Howard County can apply for funding projects that will make our community cleaner and greener.

2023 PREP Grant Application

The 2023 PREP grant application is now available and can be found here. Applications are due by 5pm Wednesday, April 26, 2023. Please send in applications and any questions to OCS@howardcountymd.gov.

PREP Grant Projects

In 2021 and 2022 a total of 22 projects received funding through the PREP grant program, amounting to over over $608,521 awarded. Click the links below to learn more about the 2021 and 2022 PREP grant projects.

• 2021 PREP Grant Projects
• 2022 PREP Grant Projects