Beyond the Bin

Accepted Items – Goodwill: Olympics & Rainier Region

Items are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Events will end once collection trucks are full. No commercial drop-offs. Oversized, contaminated, damaged, or non-accepted items will not be accepted.

Examples of items Goodwill accepts include:

• Clothing and shoes
• Linens and bedding
• Small household appliances
• Dishes, utensils, pots and pans
• CDs, DVDs and records
• Art and collectibles
• Small antiques
• Sporting goods
• Luggage
• Books
• Toys
• Tools

Accepted Items – Habitat for Humanity: Tacoma/Pierce County

Items are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Events will end once collection trucks are full. No commercial drop-offs. Oversized, contaminated, damaged, or non-accepted items will not be accepted.

Examples of items Habitat for Humanity accepts include: 

• Dressers
• Bookcases
• Sofas
• Recliners
• Desks
• Tables
• Chairs
• Lamps
• Small household appliances
• Dishes, utensils, pots and pans
• Art and home decor
• Tools

Accepted Items – Northwest Center

Items are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Events will end once collection trucks are full. No commercial drop-offs. Oversized, contaminated, damaged, or non-accepted items will not be accepted.

Examples of items Northwest Center accepts include: 

• Clothing and shoes
• Linens and bedding
• Small household appliances
• Dishes, utensils, pots and pans
• CDs, DVDs and records
• Art and collectibles
• Small antiques
• Sporting goods
• Luggage
• Books
• Toys
• Tools

Accepted Items – Northwest Furniture Bank

Items are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Events will end once collection trucks are full. No commercial drop-offs. Oversized, contaminated, damaged, or non-accepted items will not be accepted.

Examples of items Northwest Furniture Bank accepts include: 

• Dressers
• Bookcases
• Sofas
• Recliners
• Desks
• Tables
• Chairs
• Lamps
• Small household appliances
• Dishes, utensils, pots and pans
• Art and home decor
• Tools

Strong grant applications will demonstrate benefits that: 

• Implement waste reduction practices such as reusing, repairing, repurposing, or sharing;  
• Improve community quality of life by supporting social well-being and affordability; and 
• Promote a clean, safe, and livable environment.  

Additional information:

• Applications that also benefit our local economy, support social equity, and address the causes or impacts of climate change will be given special consideration.
• Projects that help educate residents and/or businesses on the environment and sustainable, waste reduction practices are encouraged to apply.
• Collaboration with other groups, organizations, and agencies is not required but is highly encouraged. First time applicants may also be given preference. 
• Only not-for-profit organizations are eligible to apply.
• For-profit businesses are ineligible to apply. 

Questions?

Submission Instructions:  

1. Review grant requirements and Frequently Asked Questions. 
2. Complete the Beyond the Bin Community Grant Application Form
3. Email completed application to kwaind@tacoma.gov with the subject line “Beyond the Bin Community Grant Application” by February 28, 2026 at 11:59 p.m.

Awards will be announced on or before April 1, 2026.

Send completed applications to:

Eligible applications must have a non-profit (501 c) as lead applicant. Individual community members interested in applying must partner with a non-profit that will serve as the project’s fiscal sponsor.   

Applicants are not required to carry insurance at the time of application. However, the City of Tacoma’s Risk Manager will review all projects selected for funding and will determine if insurance will be required and what type(s) of insurance each organization needs. Typically, all organizations will be required to obtain Commercial General Liability insurance. 

Organizations who will be working directly and exclusively with youth under the age of 17, seniors, or people with disabilities as part of the proposed project will be required to obtain Abuse & Molestation insurance. This includes programming exclusively for youth, seniors, or people with disabilities such as workshops, live virtual programming, and one-on-one programming. This does NOT include all-ages or general audience programming, or virtual programming that is completely pre-recorded where there will be no live virtual interaction. 

Organizations who will be performing work on or around water that includes the ownership, maintenance, and/or use of watercraft as part of the proposed project will be required to obtain Marine General Liability insurance. 

Organizations who will use owned, rented, or leased automobiles to transport youth under the age of 17, seniors and/or people with disabilities as part of the proposed project will be required to obtain Commercial Auto Liability insurance. 

If the applicant is fiscally sponsored, the insurance may be held by either the sponsored group or the fiscal sponsor. If the fiscal sponsor holds the Certificate of Insurance, it will need to name both the City of Tacoma and the sponsored group as additional insured. If the sponsored group holds the Certificate of Insurance, it will need to name the City of Tacoma as additional insured. 

Organizations may only be awarded one Beyond the Bin Community Grant in a 12-month period. However, if an application is not accepted or approved and no funding is awarded, OR a grant is awarded, but the project is later delayed or cancelled and no funding was distributed, that organization may re-apply again in the next open application period. 

Applicants may begin their project whenever they would like. However, any expenses made prior to the grant contract start date will not be eligible for reimbursement. The contract start date will be clearly indicated on your Community Funding Agreement (contract), and will determine the timeline for contracting and project completion.

Grant money can be applied toward costs identified in the approved project budget, submitted with your grant application. These costs may include materials, transportation, equipment rental, and other approved expenses. Please reference the sections below for details regarding eligible and ineligible project elements and activities.  

Eligible applications must:  

• Focus on waste reduction – preventing waste of valuable materials through efforts to reuse, repair, repurpose, share, and otherwise minimize consumption 
• Demonstrate project readiness with a clearly defined scope, schedule, and budget 
• Be located within and/or take place within Tacoma city limits 
• Have a non-profit (501 c) as lead applicant; individual community members interested in applying must partner with a non-profit that will serve as the project’s fiscal sponsor  
• Not charge the public for services, materials, or goods funded by the Beyond the Bin Community Grant 
• Submit a Final Report and invoice by one-year contract end date 
• Have written permission from the property owner if project is to occur or be located on private land 
• Meet all permit requirements and public agency permissions (if applicable) 

 Ineligible activities and elements include: 

• Applicants or organizations that received Beyond the Bin Community Grant funds in the past 12 months 
• Project elements required by law, municipal code, or ordinances (Example: fees associated with required permits or insurance liability requirements are not eligible for reimbursement) 
• Purchases of computers, digital cameras, video cameras, or other portable electronics (Rental fees for electronic equipment necessary to the project are acceptable) 
• Anything that could be construed as being for private benefit or gifting to an individual or organization 
• Political organizing or election-related activities and events 
• Promotion or endorsement of any specific religious affiliation 
• Discrimination against any group 
• Purchase of alcohol or drugs 
• Activities that require waste collection for disposal, such as litter clean-up projects 

Questions?

Waste reduction includes any efforts that prevent the waste of valuable materials through efforts to reuse, repair, repurpose, share, or otherwise minimize overconsumption and disposal. Waste reduction helps our community keep useful items out of landfills, support social well-being and affordability, and promote a clean, safe, and livable environment.   

 Examples of projects that focus on waste reduction include, but are not limited to:   

• Initiating, maintaining, or growing community composting systems  
• Building food share and/or rescue resources, infrastructure, or systems  
• Planning community events or creating programs that support waste reduction through swapping, repairing, upcycling, or creative reuse   
• Establishing community sharing spaces, networks, or “Libraries of Things” to encourage local sharing, lending, and reuse  
• Designing educational campaigns or resources that promote waste reduction  
• Implementing systems that replace disposable materials with durable and/or reusable alternatives  
• Developing programs that promote a circular economy by increasing the reuse or repurposing of salvaged or hard-to-recycle materials 

Projects that address climate change either help our community adapt to the impacts or mitigate the causes of climate change. Most projects that focus on waste reduction do have a connection to climate resilience. Project examples that promote climate change resilience might include diverting food waste from landfills via food rescue or composting, salvaging wood materials for reuse or repurposing, or building a more circular economy to decrease emissions along supply chains.  

Historically underserved or underrepresented communities include individuals and groups that have faced systemic barriers, discrimination, and low access to opportunities, resources, or services due to factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, economic status, or limited English-language proficiency. The City of Tacoma is committed to an Antiracist Systems Transformation, affirmed by City Council Resolution 40622. By adopting this resolution the City aims to reverse the inequities caused by the negative impacts of discriminatory policies, practices, and zoning. This will require diligence, persistent determination, and intentional anti–discriminatory management of investment – including prioritizing funding for projects that benefit historically underserved and underrepresented communities.   

Effective in 2021, all grant recipients will need to create an account and become a “vendor” in SAP Ariba – online software the City of Tacoma now uses for all contracting and funding transactions. This process will take place during the initial contracting phase of your grant award. If you or your fiscal sponsor have conducted business with the City of Tacoma in the past, you may already be signed up as a vendor in Ariba. All invoices must be directly uploaded to Ariba by the grant recipient or fiscal sponsor. No invoices sent via email will be accepted. City staff will be available to answer questions and assist with the process of getting set-up in Ariba after grants have been awarded.

Once you have submitted an invoice through Ariba, funds will be distributed 30 days from the invoice date. Funds will be distributed directly to the individual or organization listed on the Beyond the Bin Community Grant contract. 

For questions or more information, email kwaind@tacoma.gov or call (253) 502-2100. 

Additional information:

• Beyond the Bin Community Grant – Program Flyer

• Beyond the Bin Community Grant – Application Form