Community Stewards

Community Cleanup Forms

DSNY Tool Loan/Cleanup Trash Collection Form

We partner with NYC Department of Sanitation to provide a tool loan program for community groups to borrow brooms, shovels, rakes, bags and gloves for their own neighborhood cleanup projects.

Complete the DSNY volunteer cleanup application to request a loan or arrange a trash collection for your cleanup. It is not necessary to borrow tools from DSNY to receive trash collection for your cleanup.

Post Cleanup Form

Please complete this brief survey for every community cleanup you host, within 2 weeks of the event date, to help document your important work and impact.

Community Cleanup Webinar Training Series

Learn from the Sanitation Foundation, NYC Sanitation, and community cleanup group organizers from across the city as they share best practices for leading impactful neighborhood litter cleanups. Register for upcoming webinars and view recordings for our past webinars below. We are also working on providing Spanish and Mandarin versions of all our webinar recordings so stay tuned!

How to: Organize a Community Cleanup

In this introductory session, we cover:

  • Identifying a location for a cleanup 

  • Gathering tools and supplies 

  • Community outreach efforts

  • Volunteer recruitment

  • Event planning and impact reporting 

Cómo Organizar un Evento de Limpieza Comunitaria

La capacitación cubrirá las mejores prácticas para:

  • Identificar un lugar para limpiar

  • Elegir las herramientas y suministros necesarios

  • Realizar estrategias de promoción entre la comunidad

  • Reclutar Voluntarios

  • Planificar eventos e informes de impacto

How to: Create An Impactful Cleanup Event

Our second webinar offers organizers additional information and resources for engaging volunteers & community partners by covering:

  • Best practices for volunteer recruitment & retention

  • Ways to cultivate community partnerships

  • Available resources from DSNY & the Sanitation Foundation to support cleanup efforts

  • A panel discussion with community cleanup organizers

  • Opportunity for Q & A

How to: Access Community Cleanup Funding

Our third webinar will cover how to secure funding for your events—whether you are an individual, community group, or a registered nonprofit.

  • Overview of Organization Types

  • Applying for Grants

  • Grant Opportunities

  • Tools & Supply Donations

  • Fundraising

  • Registered Nonprofits

  • Panel Discussion & Questions

Sanitation Foundation Volunteer Hub

Your go-to destination for citywide volunteer cleanup opportunities.

Are you a community cleanup group currently organizing at least 3 litter cleanups/year in NYC? Joining our cleanup group network will allow you to use our volunteer management platform to easily share your group's information and events to a broader audience, and help your group with registering and managing your volunteers.
Please make sure to provide enough information about your group so that we are able to properly review your request. Not sure if your group qualifies? Reach out to us at communitystewards@sanitationfoundation.org and we can help with any questions you have.

Cleanup Tool Grant Opportunities

The Sanitation Foundation provides tools to cleanup groups throughout New York City as a part of its larger Community Stewards Program, which aims to support and empower local, community-led, neighborhood cleanup efforts.

Applications for our Cleanup Tool Grant opportunities will reopen in early 2025.

Click “Notify Me” to stay updated with any news about our Community Stewards program including when applications open in the future.

Just getting started or need a supply bundle with the basics? Apply for a Cleanup Tool Starter Kit.

Tool Starter Kit Grant Eligibility:

  • Grants are available to new and established cleanup groups located in NYC.

  • Groups can receive 1 grant / 12-month award period.

  • Grant recipients must commit to hosting 3 community events in one or more of the 5 boroughs over a 12-month time period, starting from the date that tools are received. These events must be listed in the Volunteer Hub and be free to attend and open to members of the public regardless of race, gender, religious identity, disability, sexual orientation, or the age of participants.

Tool Starter Kit Grants Include:

  • 5 Litter Pickers

  • 10 Pair of Gloves

  • 1 Broom & Dustpan Set

  • 25 Trash Bags

  • 1 Scale 

  • 1 Reusable Tote

  • 1 First Aid Kit

  • 1 Hand Sanitizer

Growing your group and need specific supplies? Established community cleanup groups can also apply for Customize-Your-Kit tool grants.

Customized Tool Kit Grant Eligibility:

  • Grants are available to established cleanup groups in NYC.

    To be considered an existing cleanup group, your group must meet at least one of the following requirements:

    • Group was awarded a Tool Starter Kit Grant and has completed all grant requirements within one year of application date.

    • Group has hosted at least 5 cleanups within one year of the application date.

  • Groups can receive 1 grant / 12-month award period.

  • Grant recipients must commit to hosting 6 community events in one or more of the 5 boroughs over a 12-month time period, starting from the date that tools are received. These events must be listed in the Volunteer Hub and be free to attend and open to members of the public regardless of race, gender, religious identity, disability, sexual orientation, or the age of participants.

Customized Tool Kit Grants Include:

Amounts of $300 will be awarded to use towards purchasing tools and supplies for each group. Selected grantees will be provided a list of tools and supplies to select from to use up their $300 credit. Supplies/tools needed outside of this list may be requested and are handled on a case-by-case basis.

THANK YOU

These resources were created in partnership with the New York City Department of Sanitation, in collaboration with Abuela Neighborhood Maintenance, Clean Bushwick Initiative, The Litter Legion & STR8OUTTABKLYN, and made possible with support by ABNY & NYC Service.