2026–27 Love Our Community Recognition Award and Community Grants
Keep America Beautiful, with Dollar Tree, is accepting nominations for its 2026–27 Love Our Community Recognition Award. The program recognizes elected public officials leading innovative, evidence-based solutions to community litter problems and provides grant funding for communities to implement or expand those efforts. This is a competitive community-project funding program, not personal compensation to the elected nominee.
Individual community grant amounts
Three awards will total $50,000 across recipients. The individual awards are determined by community population: $25,000 for communities over 250,000 people; $15,000 for communities of 101,000–250,000; and $10,000 for communities of 100,000 or fewer. The $50,000 program total is not an individual applicant maximum. No universal matching contribution is stated in the official published 2026–27 guidelines.
Eligibility and nominations
Each nomination must recognize an elected official (such as a mayor, council member, county supervisor or elected tribal/state official) who has implemented an eligible litter solution. The program is open nationally, including communities without Keep America Beautiful affiliate status. An eligible individual may self-nominate, or a local government, nonprofit, partner organization or other individual may nominate the elected official; a team, organization or agency itself is not the nominee. Only one nomination is accepted per community.
Required existing project
The highlighted project must already be underway or have been completed (including recent work within the past 12 months), and funding may support expansion, an additional phase or implementation of the ongoing litter solution. Unstarted proposals are not eligible. Examples include innovative tire or vehicle debris reduction, micro-litter programs, cardboard and single-use plastic reduction, difficult coastal cleanups, litter education, data collection and local infrastructure for waste reduction. Favorable proposals identify a local need, measurable outcomes, a replicable design and lasting community benefits.
Funding restrictions and follow-through
Grant funds may support implementation infrastructure, supplies, outreach, recycling/disposal services, technology, program contractors, volunteer supports and appropriate protective equipment. The guidelines recommend allocating no more than 10% to overhead, staff and administration. Funds cannot personally benefit or compensate the nominated elected official. Awardees will be recognized at the February 2027 Keep America Beautiful Summit, must finish the supported work by December 31, 2027, and submit a brief final report by January 31, 2028. The funder describes its general award disbursement practice as 70% following agreement/invoice and the final 30% following approved final report/invoice; applicants should verify this award’s final terms.
How to nominate
Review the current award guidelines and FAQ, identify an eligible elected official whose litter program is already underway or completed, prepare evidence-based information about local litter challenges, participation, outcomes, budget and expansion, and submit the online nomination by November 6, 2026. No exact deadline hour/time zone is published on the current award page. Official sources: Keep America Beautiful grant applications, 2026–27 Love Our Community Guidelines, and official FAQ. Verified October 26, 2026.