Clive, Iowa Pays Up to $4,000 for a Rain Garden or Native Landscaping Project
The short version
- Clive's Stormwater Assistance Program (SwAP) pays 25 to 50 percent of project cost, up to $4,000, for landscaping practices (cityofclive.com).
- Eligible practices include rain gardens, native landscaping and turf conversion, permeable pavers, erosion and drainage control, and retention basins.
- City approval is required before any work begins; installing a project first is not guaranteed reimbursement.
- Rain barrels and cisterns are handled separately, at lower caps, and do not count against the $4,000 landscaping figure.
The City of Clive, in the Des Moines metro, pays 25 to 50 percent of project cost, up to $4,000, for a rain garden, native landscaping and turf conversion, permeable pavers, or other stormwater best-management practice on a residential property.
Key takeaways
- Clive's Stormwater Assistance Program (SwAP) pays 25 to 50 percent of project cost, up to $4,000, for landscaping practices (cityofclive.com).
- Eligible practices include rain gardens, native landscaping and turf conversion, permeable pavers, erosion and drainage control, and retention basins.
- City approval is required before any work begins. Installing a project first is not guaranteed reimbursement.
- Rain barrels and cisterns are handled separately, at lower caps, and do not count against the $4,000 landscaping figure.
How the Clive rebate works
Clive Public Works runs the Stormwater Assistance Program (SwAP) on a first-come, first-served basis. For landscaping projects, rain gardens, permeable pavers, native landscaping and turf conversion, erosion and drainage control, and detention or retention basins, the City reimburses 25 to 50 percent of project cost, up to a maximum of $4,000. Rain barrels are handled on a separate schedule (full reimbursement up to $75 per barrel, maximum six) and cisterns are reimbursed at 50 percent up to $1,500, both outside the $4,000 landscaping cap.
Get approval before you start
City approval is required prior to any work occurring, and installing a project without that approval is not guaranteed reimbursement. The application process starts with downloading the SwAP application form and watching the program's explainer video, then calling Public Works about the specific project before breaking ground.
Who this program is for
Clive sits in the western Des Moines metro, an area where several neighboring cities, including Johnston, Waukee, Windsor Heights, and Pleasant Hill, each run their own version of a BMP cost-share program rather than pointing residents to a single shared county rate. Clive's own 25 to 50 percent rate and $4,000 cap make it worth checking directly.
See the Iowa rebates pagefor the current application link and Clive's program details alongside other Des Moines metro and statewide rebates.