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Illinois Rebates

Illinois Native Landscaping Rebates

Illinois native landscaping programs are concentrated in the Chicago metro. Chicago proper currently has no native plant rebate; the Sustainable Backyards program ended. The five collar counties each have stormwater programs. DuPage County's Rain Ready program is the most developed for homeowners. Cook County suburbs often run their own programs under the MWRD framework.

Last updated: June 2026 · 2 programs tracked

The quick version

  • Chicago Sustainable Backyards has ended: the application closed in 2012 and the city program page has been removed (chicago.gov, checked June 2026). No replacement announced.
  • DuPage County Rain Ready: rebates for rain gardens and impervious surface removal. Check rainreadydupage.org.
  • Lake County Stormwater and Kane/McHenry SWCDs offer periodic native plant cost-share; programs vary by year.

Is the Illinois turf rebate still active in 2026?

Yes. 2 of 2 tracked Illinois turf-replacement rebate programs are currently active, with payouts up to Varies. Details below were last verified June 2026. Confirm the current amount and deadline with each provider before you apply, since program funding can change mid-year.

ProgramMax rebateStatusVerified
Smart Irrigation & Drip RebatesLocal utilities (EPA WaterSense)Varies by utility ($50–$500+ typical)ActiveJun 2026
Illinois Collar County Conservation & Stormwater ProgramsDuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, and Will County Conservation Districts50% up to $5,000 (DuPage cost-share)ActiveJun 2026

See the vision

From turf to a native front yard.

A typical turf-grass front yard before conversion
Before
A Patch Vision rendering of the same front yard replanted with native plants
After

An illustrative Patch Vision rendering of a turf-to-native front yard. In the app, every plan is generated from a photo of your own yard, for your sun, soil, and HOA strictness.

How to apply for Illinois rebates

  1. 1.Apply for pre-approval before you start. Starting work first is the most common reason applications get denied.
  2. 2.Take before photos of the area you plan to convert, then matching after photos from the same angles once the work is done.
  3. 3.Apply early in the fiscal year. Many programs are first-come, first-served. Each program below links to the provider for current rules. See our step-by-step lawn replacement guide.

Chicago Suburbs

1 program available

Illinois Collar County Conservation & Stormwater Programs

DuPage, Lake, Kane, McHenry, and Will County Conservation Districts

Native plantingRain garden
50% up to $5,000 (DuPage cost-share)

The five collar counties around Chicago each have a Soil and Water Conservation District and/or a stormwater management agency that periodically offers homeowner programs. DuPage County Stormwater runs a Rain Ready DuPage program. Lake County Stormwater Management provides homeowner stormwater resources and has offered cost-share for native plantings and impervious cover removal. Kane and McHenry SWCDs offer periodic native plant cost-share and rain barrel programs.

Naperville, Aurora, Elgin, Waukegan, Wheaton, Downers Grove, Bolingbrook, Joliet, Crystal Lake, Lake Forest, Libertyville, Barrington

DuPage County Stormwater Management: dupagecounty.gov/government/departments/stormwater_management (Rain Ready DuPage program — rebates for impervious surface removal and rain gardens). Lake County Stormwater: lakecountyil.gov/1083/Stormwater-Management-Commission. Kane County SWCD: kcscd.org. McHenry County Conservation: mccdistrict.org. Will County SWCD: willcountysoilandwater.com.

View full guideOfficial siteVerified Jun 2026

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Common questions

Does Illinois have a native landscaping rebate?
Illinois native landscaping programs are concentrated in the Chicago metro, and they are county and municipal stormwater programs rather than city rebates. DuPage County's Rain Ready program offers rebates for rain gardens and impervious surface removal. Lake County Stormwater and the collar county SWCDs run periodic cost-share programs. Chicago proper has no current native plant rebate. There is no statewide cash rebate for turf replacement in Illinois as of 2026.
Is the Chicago Sustainable Backyards rebate still available?
No. The Sustainable Backyards rebate form stopped accepting applications in 2012, and the program page has been removed from chicago.gov (checked June 2026). The old rebate PDF still circulates online, but the city no longer offers these rebates and no replacement program has been announced. Chicago residents looking for cost-share should check the MWRD and Cook County suburb stormwater programs instead.
What is the DuPage County Rain Ready program?
Rain Ready DuPage is a stormwater management program offering rebates for rain gardens, permeable pavers, and downspout disconnection for DuPage County residents. Rebate amounts vary by project type and available funding. Applications are at rainreadydupage.org. Projects must meet DuPage County Stormwater Management guidelines. Pre-approval is required before starting work.
What native plants work in Illinois?
Illinois sits in USDA zones 5a to 6b. Prairie natives that perform well across the state include Little Bluestem, Purple Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan, Wild Bergamot, Prairie Dropseed, and Rattlesnake Master. For shade, Trout Lily, Wild Ginger, and Jack-in-the-Pulpit work in woodland edges. The Illinois Native Plant Society (ill-inps.org) and Chicago Botanic Garden publish regional guides.
Does Illinois law protect homeowners who remove turf in HOA communities?
Illinois does not have a statewide equivalent to Texas §202.007 or California AB 1164 as of 2026. Some Cook County municipalities have adopted water conservation ordinances that can support a reasonable-use argument. If your HOA's CC&Rs have a vague "neat and attractive" standard, document your maintenance plan and get your DuPage Rain Ready approval in writing. That paperwork helps establish that your project meets a utility or county program's standards.

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Plan a native yard with Pollinator Patch.

Pollinator Patch helps you pick the right native plants for your region, plan an HOA-friendly layout, and generate the documentation that rebate programs ask for.

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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.

We compile these programs from utility and city pages, and not every amount here has been independently confirmed. Program details also change throughout the year. Always verify requirements, amounts, and eligibility directly with your water utility before starting work. Pollinator Patch is not affiliated with any rebate program and does not guarantee approval.