The Food Rescue & Composting Subaward Program awarded nearly $8 million to 12 Virginia colleges and universities, supporting a wide variety of food waste prevention, food rescue, and composting initiatives. The funded projects are listed below. 

Christopher Newport University was awarded $176,000. This award includes support for an in-vessel composting system and additional supplies and equipment that will support food waste diversion.

College of William & Mary was awarded $41,121. This award includes funding support for the purchase and installation of an industrial blast chiller to freeze excess food for repurposing.

George Mason University was awarded $1,062,825. This award includes support for creating a dedicated food rescue hub, piloting waste tracking software in dining operations, and creating a new full-time compost coordinator position.

James Madison University was awarded $243,387. This award includes support for the expansion of compost collection at catered events, the purchase of a dedicated food recovery vehicle, and funding support for student interns who will focus on reducing food waste.

Radford University was awarded $203,000. This award includes support for an in-vessel composting system and hiring students to assist with food recovery operations and training.

University of Mary Washington was awarded $432,215. This award includes support for food waste prevention education and outreach and the establishment of a campus-wide composting program in partnership with a new regional compost business.

University of Virginia was awarded $536,539. This award includes support for food storage equipment, funded student positions for food rescue and composting operations, and new community compost drop-off locations to increase access to composting for Charlottesville residents.

Virginia Commonwealth University was awarded $1,045,196. This award includes support for a coordinated university-wide initiative focused on food waste reduction and diversion on both VCU’s main campus and within the university’s hospital system.

Virginia Institute of Marine Science was awarded $232,969. This award will help expand the diversion of research fish for composting, and support for staff and students who will focus on food waste prevention education and outreach. 

Virginia Tech was awarded $3,530,497. This award will support the construction of an industrial scale composting facility with an intended yearly processing capacity of 2,700 tons, processing campus food waste and improving VT’s manure management practices.

Virginia Wesleyan University was awarded $140,000. This award includes support for compost collection, and a subscription to Free Food Alert, an app-based system that prevents food waste by alerting students when there is available food left at the end of an event.

Washington and Lee University was awarded $324,829. This award includes support for expanding the capacity of food rescue and composting efforts and providing training and resources to event hosts that will focus on food waste prevention and diversion.