Your city may pay you to plant natives.

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Cities and water utilities pay for turf-to-native yards. Enter your ZIP to see programs near you and what they pay.

Browse every rebate by state

A red brick house in early spring, with a strip of lawn between the circular driveway and the foundation shrubs, and two newly planted island beds of small shrubs in dark mulch — Our founder's front yard in Texas. The lawn along the house is now a mostly native planting bed.

The same house in late summer, with the lawn strip replaced by a planting bed of goldenrod, salvia, and grasses, a desert willow in bloom, and the island beds covered in frogfruit — Our founder's front yard in Texas. The lawn along the house is now a mostly native planting bed.

458

Programs run by a city, utility, or water district, each citing its official source. Last checked through 2026-09-29

States with at least one local program, plus DC. The rest link to the national finder

How it works

How rebate programs work.

Three things to know before you apply. Most rebate programs follow the same basic rhythm.

Apply before you remove turf

Most programs require pre-approval. Starting work before approval is the most common reason applications get denied. Submit before you cut anything.

Document with photos

Take clear before photos of the area you plan to convert. After the work is done, submit after photos from the same angles. Some programs also require a mid-project shot.

First-come, first-served

Annual budgets are limited and usually open in fall or early winter. Programs run out of money. The earlier you apply, the better your chances.

Read the step-by-step lawn replacement guide →

Real programs

What rebates look like in practice.

Three programs we currently track. Amounts vary widely by city and utility.

$3,000

Austin, TX

Austin WaterWise Landscaping Rebate

Austin Water pays homeowners to replace turf with native and adapted plants.

Rate: $1.50/sq ft

Requirement: Pre-approval required

Verified September 2026

How to apply

$150

San Antonio, TX

SAWS WaterSaver Landscape Coupon

San Antonio Water System issues coupons for native and drought-tolerant plants.

Rate: Coupon-based

Requirement: SAWS customers only

Verified September 2026

How to apply

$25,000

Los Angeles, CA

LADWP + MWD Turf Replacement

LADWP combined with Metropolitan Water District for one of the most generous turf programs in the country.

Rate: $5/sq ft

Requirement: Pre-approval, native plant minimums

Verified June 2026

How to apply

Browse by state

Rebate programs by state.

Featured state

Texas

Some of the deepest rebate coverage in the country. Austin, San Antonio, Georgetown, and major utilities all run native landscaping programs.

Find your Texas program →

programs tracked

open now

cities covered

providers

Alabama

3 programs

Alaska

2 programs

Arizona

18 programs

Arkansas

3 programs

California

70 programs

Colorado

22 programs

Connecticut

3 programs

Delaware

3 programs

Florida

14 programs

Georgia

7 programs

Hawaii

2 programs

Idaho

5 programs

Illinois

15 programs

Indiana

8 programs

Iowa

26 programs

Kansas

17 programs

Kentucky

10 programs

Louisiana

3 programs

Maine

4 programs

Maryland

13 programs

Massachusetts

9 programs

Michigan

5 programs

Minnesota

29 programs

Mississippi

2 programs

Missouri

5 programs

Montana

5 programs

Nebraska

5 programs

Nevada

4 programs

New Hampshire

3 programs

New Jersey

8 programs

New Mexico

6 programs

New York

6 programs

North Carolina

37 programs

North Dakota

4 programs

Ohio

10 programs

Oklahoma

3 programs

Oregon

11 programs

Pennsylvania

11 programs

Rhode Island

2 programs

South Carolina

2 programs

South Dakota

3 programs

Tennessee

4 programs

Texas

24 programs

Utah

9 programs

Vermont

3 programs

Virginia

31 programs

Washington

17 programs

West Virginia

2 programs

Wisconsin

12 programs

Wyoming

4 programs

FeaturedMultiple programsLimited coverage

FAQ

Rebate questions, answered.

Who pays for these rebates?

Cities, water utilities, and regional water districts. They fund programs to reduce outdoor water use, mostly in drought-prone regions but increasingly in other states. Funding usually comes out of the utility's annual conservation budget.

How much can I actually get?

Wide range. Smaller programs offer $500 to $2,000. Mid-tier programs (Austin, Georgetown) cap around $3,000 to $5,000. The most generous programs (LADWP, SNWA in Las Vegas) can reach $25,000 to $50,000 for large yards.

Do I have to apply before I plant?

Almost always, yes. Pre-approval is the most common requirement and the most common reason rebates get denied. If you remove turf or plant before approval, you usually won't qualify.

Can I stack multiple rebates?

Sometimes. Some programs explicitly allow stacking with regional or state-level rebates. Others don't. Read each program's rules carefully, and check whether your utility customer status qualifies you for layered programs.

What if my city isn't listed?

We track programs across the US and add new ones as we find them. Your zip code search helps us prioritize. You can also call your water utility directly. Some county and regional water districts run rebates even when your city does not.

Does Pollinator Patch handle the paperwork?

No. We help you find programs, understand requirements, and generate documentation for your yard (plant lists, layout plans). For a one-time $29.99 you can book a 30-minute call with Stephen, the founder, who goes through your program's rules and paperwork with you. On larger programs the same purchase also unlocks a ready-to-file packet in the app. Submitting the application is still on you, and the rebate is paid directly by the utility, not by us.

See a problem with a program? Report it

Programs change throughout the year. If something here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we'll check it against the provider.

Every listing links to the provider's own page and shows the date we last checked it. How we track these programs, including what our dates mean and how to report a listing that is wrong.

Every program listed cites its official source, and each program page shows the date we last verified it against that source. Program details change throughout the year, so always confirm requirements, amounts, and eligibility directly with the program before starting work. Pollinator Patch is not affiliated with any rebate program and does not guarantee approval.

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