Skip to main content
Back to Blog

Virginia's VCAP Pays 80% for Conservation Landscaping, Delivered by Your Local District

by Stephen
A Virginia front yard conservation landscaping project with native shrubs and perennials replacing a section of turf, a colonial-style home in the background

The short version

  • The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program reimburses 80 percent of project cost, up to $7,000, for conservation landscaping on a property inside Virginia's Chesapeake Bay Watershed (vaswcd.org/vcap).
  • VCAP is delivered locally: you apply through your county's Soil and Water Conservation District, and more than a dozen districts across the state currently participate.
  • A site visit and written approval from your local district are required before installation begins.
  • Funding is subject to annual state budget approval, so confirm current availability with your local district before planning a project.

The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program reimburses 80 percent of project cost, up to $7,000, for conservation landscaping, delivered locally by more than a dozen Soil and Water Conservation Districts across the state.

Key takeaways

  • VCAP reimburses 80 percent of project cost, up to $7,000, for conservation landscaping (vaswcd.org/vcap).
  • The property must be inside Virginia's Chesapeake Bay Watershed, with buildings at least a year old.
  • You apply through your local Soil and Water Conservation District, not one central office.
  • Funding is subject to annual state budget approval, so rates can vary by district and by year.

How the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program works

The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program, run through the state's Soil and Water Conservation Districts, reimburses 80 percent of project cost, up to $7,000, for conservation landscaping that reduces stormwater runoff and improves water quality. A site visit and written approval from your local district are required before installation begins; the program does not reimburse work started ahead of approval.

Eligibility requires the property to sit inside Virginia's Chesapeake Bay Watershed, which covers most of the state, and the buildings on it to be at least a year old. Because VCAP funding is subject to annual state budget approval, both the availability of funds and the exact reimbursement rate can vary by district and by year, so confirming current terms with your local office is part of applying, not an afterthought.

Who this program is for

VCAP is a statewide program delivered locally: you apply through the Soil and Water Conservation District that covers your county, and more than a dozen districts across Virginia currently participate, each handling their own intake and site visits. Contact your local district first to confirm current funding and next steps.

See the Virginia rebates page for participating districts and program details.

See a finished plan for a yard like this