Iowa Native Landscaping Rebates

Refunds up to 75% of the cost of installing a stormwater management practice, including native gardens, rain gardens, permeable driveways, and wetlands. Eligibility is limited to properties inside the Dry Run Creek Watershed (confirm via the city map or by phone). The city page does not publish a fixed dollar cap (City of Cedar Falls; last verified July 2026).

The City of West Branch's Stormwater BMP Reimbursement Program reimburses residential property owners up to $500 or 50% of the total project cost, whichever is less, for an approved best-management-practice project: rain garden, bio-retention, porous pavement, or soil quality restoration. Applicants must schedule a pre-project appointment with the Stormwater Coordinator and get the project approved before work begins; reimbursement follows submission of receipts and a signed maintenance agreement (City of West Branch; last verified July 2026).

The City of Waukee Stormwater Grant Program pays 50% of qualifying expenses for rain gardens, bio-retention cells, and native landscaping, up to a maximum contribution of $5,000 per individual single-family or townhome property (soil quality restoration is handled separately via the city's Healthy Lawn Grant, not part of this figure). Grants must be approved and awarded before any work has started (City of Waukee; last verified July 2026).

Covers materials up to $1,000 or 50% of the total project cost, whichever is less, for rain gardens, bio-retention swales, permeable paving, and streambank restoration. Requires a formal application; funding renews annually (July 1 to June 30) and covers materials only (City of Dubuque; last verified June 2026).

This project has ended and is no longer accepting applications. It was a special project that offered cost share on rainscaping practices only to landowners inside the Easter Lake Watershed. The same practices are now cost-shared at 50% anywhere in Polk County through Polk SWCD's REAP P Urban Stormwater Cost Share, and residents of unincorporated Polk County and small towns without their own Rain Campaign program can also apply to the PLaNT Program (confirmed by Polk SWCD staff, October 2026).

Many Iowa water utilities offer rebates for EPA WaterSense smart irrigation controllers and for converting spray to drip. Amounts and eligibility vary by provider. Search by zip code at the EPA WaterSense Rebate Finder to see programs in your area.

Rebate finder links to utility-specific programs. Smart controller and drip conversion rebates are common in water-stressed regions.

Many utilities in Iowa offer incentives tied to water efficiency improvements. Turf replacement rebates and native landscaping incentives vary a lot by provider. Use the national rebate finder below to see what is available near your zip code.

This entry is a starting point for finding applicable programs. Specific amounts and requirements depend on the utility and your address.

Reimburses property owners up to half the cost of a stormwater project, up to $2,000, for rain gardens, bio-retention cells and swales, infiltration trenches, pervious paving, and soil-quality restoration. Applications must be approved by the City before the work is done; first-come, first-served, and funding renews July 1. A contractor quote is required (City of Coralville; last verified July 2026).

Reimburses half of a practice total cost, up to a maximum of $3,000, for residential rain gardens. Native vegetation is not required. Applications must be pre-approved before work begins, with photos of each project stage and receipts submitted; a final inspection follows completion. Funding is first-come, first-served and usually lasts through the fiscal year, replenishing each July (City of Iowa City; confirmed by program staff, last verified August 2026).

Reimburses North Liberty property owners half the cost of an approved stormwater-quality BMP, up to a maximum of $2,000. Eligible practices include rain gardens, bioswales, soil quality restoration (marketed as "Your Best Lawn"), bank stabilization, and other approved infiltration practices. City approval is required before work begins (City of North Liberty; last verified July 2026).

Reimburses 50% of qualifying expenses, up to $2,000 per project, for rain gardens, native landscaping, and stormwater infiltration BMPs that conform to the Iowa Stormwater Management Manual and/or the Iowa Rain Garden Design and Installation Manual. Pre-approval required before work begins; reimbursement after completion and a City inspection (City of Cedar Rapids; last verified June 2026).

Reimburses Marion property owners 50% of eligible costs, up to $1,000, for each of: a rain garden, a soil quality restoration project, or native plantings, plus up to $50 per newly purchased tree (up to three per property). Pre-approval and a Rebate Application Form are required for each practice; a Maintenance Agreement is required for rain gardens and native plants (City of Marion; last verified July 2026).

The City of Clive Stormwater Assistance Program (SwAP) reimburses residential property owners 25-50% of project cost, up to $4,000, for rain gardens, native landscaping and turf conversion, permeable pavers, erosion/drainage-control practices, and retention basins. City approval is required before any work begins; installation without approval is not guaranteed reimbursement (rain barrels and cisterns are handled separately at lower caps, not counted in this figure) (City of Clive Public Works; last verified July 2026).

Reimburses up to a 50% match on BMPs constructed, with a maximum of $1,800 per property address, for rain gardens, native landscaping, soil-quality restoration, and other BMPs (rain barrels capped at $75). City approval required before work begins; reimbursement after costs are incurred (City of Ankeny; last verified June 2026).

Reimburses property owners 50% of the total project cost, with a reimbursement limit of $2,000, for rain gardens, native landscaping, soil-quality restoration, and streambank stabilization (rain barrels also eligible). City of Des Moines; last verified June 2026.

Polk Soil & Water Conservation District cost-shares 50% of eligible or estimated expenses, whichever is less, for urban stormwater practices on non-agricultural land anywhere in Polk County: rain gardens, native landscaping, bioretention cells, bioswales, green roofs, permeable pavement, soil quality restoration, and detention basins. These practices have no per-project dollar cap. Homeowners and businesses can apply. The office uses your project estimate to set the cost-share amount up front, and taxes on an invoice are not eligible. Most practices carry a 10-year recorded maintenance agreement (20 years for detention basins). REAP P can be combined with city or other programs up to 75% of the total cost, as long as you tell the office about the other cost share. New funding arrives each July and applications are first come, first serve; apply any time, with May to July suggested so the office has time to plan (Polk SWCD program staff; last verified October 2026).

Reimburses a 50% match, up to $1,500 total per property, for rain gardens, native landscaping, and soil-quality restoration. New housing developments are not eligible. First-come, first-served, and City approval is required before any work begins (City of West Des Moines; last verified July 2026).

Reimburses 100% of materials for a do-it-yourself project up to $1,999, or 50% of contractor costs up to $1,999, for rain gardens, native landscaping and prairie, native trees and shrubs, and soil-quality restoration. Open to residents of unincorporated Polk County and small towns without their own Rain Campaign program. A site visit is required before applying, and residents must contact the program before purchasing materials or hiring a contractor. Polk SWCD processes applications and does the technical work, and no maintenance agreement is required (Polk County Water Resources and Polk SWCD staff; last verified October 2026).

Polk City reimburses property owners 50% of the cost of an approved stormwater practice, up to $1,000 annually. Eligible practices include bioretention cells, rain gardens, approved native plantings and landscaping, soil quality restoration, and permeable pavement. Rain barrels are capped separately at 50% or $75. The City issues a pre-approval letter before work begins, except for rain barrels, and practices must meet the design criteria in the Iowa Storm Water Management Manual. The $1,000 cap runs on the calendar year, and the City accepts applications year round (City of Polk City Public Works; administrator reply October 2026, last verified October 2026).

Reimburses up to 50% of qualifying out-of-pocket costs (materials, permits, contractors, engineering; homeowner labor excluded) for stormwater-management projects, including soil quality restoration or native landscaping designed to manage rainwater (up to $2,000) and rain gardens, up to an overall cap of $10,000 per individual single-family or townhome property per grant year, inclusive of any soil-quality-restoration funds. Purely decorative landscaping not designed to manage rainwater is explicitly excluded (City of Urbandale; last verified August 2026).

The City of Johnston Homeowner Grant Program provides up to a 50% match on best-management-practice projects, with a maximum reimbursement of $1,250, covering rain gardens/bioretention cells, native planting gardens/buffers/swales, and soil quality restoration (rain barrels are funded separately at a $75 max, once per address). Funding is first-come, subject to Community Development approval, and can be used across multiple fiscal years for different BMP projects (City of Johnston; last verified July 2026).

The City of Pleasant Hill's Best Management Practice cost-share program reimburses installation of most BMPs (rain gardens, bioretention cells, permeable paver systems, native planting buffers/swales) up to 50% or $750, whichever is less, and rain barrels up to 50% or $75, whichever is less (one rain barrel reimbursement per address). Funding is first-come, subject to Community Development staff and director approval (City of Pleasant Hill; last verified July 2026).

The City of Windsor Heights Stormwater Best Management Practices Program cost-shares private-property projects at rates set by practice: 75% for soil quality restoration, 40% for rain gardens, 40% for native plantings, and 50% up to $75 for a rain barrel, with other practices decided case by case. Total reimbursement is capped at $1,000 per property per fiscal year and one project per property per fiscal year may be accepted. Three inspections are required (before approval, during installation, and at completion), contracted labor may be reimbursed but the property owner's own labor may not, and all stormwater fees on the property must be current (City of Windsor Heights BMP Program Application; last verified July 2026).

Provides grants for up to 50% of the cost to install eligible stormwater infiltration practices on private property, including rain gardens, bioretention cells, pervious pavement, native landscaping, and soil-quality restoration. The city page does not publish a fixed dollar cap; one project per owner per year. Practices must conform to the Iowa Stormwater Management Manual or the Iowa Rain Garden Manual, and a maintenance agreement is required. The grant is awarded before installation; funding renews July 1 (City of Davenport; last verified July 2026).

A 50/50 cost-share of up to $2,000 for soil-quality restoration, rain gardens, native turf and landscapes, bioretention, permeable paving, and green roofs, available to Scott County residents. Administered by the Scott County Soil & Water Conservation District and documented on the City of Davenport financial-aid page (Scott County SWCD; last verified July 2026).

Reimburses single-family homeowners for materials to install stormwater practices: up to $500 for a rain garden, up to $400 for native landscaping, up to $400 for soil-quality improvements, and $100 per native tree up to $200 total. Rebates cover materials only and native/tree species must come from the Ames approved list. Funding is limited and the City approves the application before reimbursement (City of Ames Smart Watersheds; last verified July 2026).

Norwalk reimburses homeowners up to 50% of a project cost to a maximum of $1,500 per property for stormwater practices including rain gardens, infiltration practices, grassed swales, erosion control, and soil quality restoration. Rain barrels are capped separately at 50% or $75, one per address. City staff must pre-approve the project before any material is purchased or work begins, and applications are reviewed first-come, first-served with funding not guaranteed (City of Norwalk Community Development; last verified August 2026).