The Dow Chemical Company and national nonprofit Keep America Beautiful are extending the deadline for the 2018 Hefty EnergyBag grant program application period through Friday, June 29. A total of $100,000 in grants are provided to organizations to establish Hefty EnergyBag programs in their communities. The Hefty EnergyBag program offers an innovative approach to diverting plastics that cannot be recycled, such as chip bags and juice pouches, from landfills and converting the materials into valuable energy resources.

The 2018 grant program builds upon the success of last year, when Dow awarded two $50,000 grants to organizations in Cobb County, Ga., (Keep Cobb Beautiful Inc.) and the City of Boise, Idaho, to establish the program in their respective communities. This year, Dow will offer a total of $100,000 in grants to multiple communities across the nation.

The grant application is open to municipalities, nonprofits, materials recovery facilities and other qualifying organizations through June 29. Dow will provide grant recipients with the blueprint to develop successful Hefty EnergyBag programs and will facilitate planning and implementation. Recipients will manage their local programs and solicit involvement from key community stakeholders.