Support for Reusables at Events and Venues

Eligible participants include events occurring prior to April 30, 2025 with a permit and permanent venues within the arts and entertainment industry. They must be open to the public and be located in the City and County of Denver.

Applicants accepted into the program as first-time participants will receive up to $2,500 worth of service from our partner, r.World. This support is to implement a returnable reusable cup and/or food ware system to be used at their event or venue prior to April 30, 2025.

Applicants that received support for their event in 2023 and are accepted into the 2025 program can receive up to 50% of their total costs (not to exceed $1,250) worth of service from r.World. Cost of service for your event or venue will be billed directly to the City and County of Denver for payment. However, lost cup/food ware fees are not eligible for payment through the city and will be the responsibility of the event or venue.

These are fees associated with reusable cups or food ware provided by r.World to an event or venue that are not returned at the end of service. These fee amounts will be noted in your r.World quote and then again on your invoice. The amount is based on how many cups or food ware items you don’t return. The city will not pay any lost cup/food ware fees that an event or venue is charged by r.World.

No. Organizations that plan multiple permitted public events and venue may only apply once.

Yes. You may apply again in 2025, even if you received support in 2023. You are eligible to receive incentives that cover up to 50% of your total costs with r.World. The total incentive you receive in your second year cannot exceed $1,250. This support does not cover lost cup or food ware fees from r.World.

A return rate looks at three things:

• The number of reusable cups or food ware handed out at an event or venue
• The number of reusable cups or food ware returned by attendees to the collection bins provided
• The number of reusable cups or food ware that are lost or not returned.

The higher the return rate the better the system is working to benefit the environment. If a reusable cup or food ware item is not returned to be used again within the reuse system, then that item would be no better for the environment than a disposable product. Return rate (sometimes referred to as a harvest rate) is determined by dividing the number of returned items by the total number of items given out. Program participants will receive a report from r.World that provides this data.

No. This program is focused on stopping waste before it starts by investing in return systems for reusables. While recycling and composting are good options, the best option is to avoid creating waste in the first place.