How to Get the Rainwater Rewards Grant Program
City of Apple Valley · Dakota County, south Twin Cities metro, MN
What you get
The City offers financial assistance to landowners installing water quality improvement projects, paying 50 percent of the cost of the water quality improvement component of the project, up to $500 per lot or project. Rain gardens, shoreline buffers and native gardens all qualify. All funding is distributed first-come, first-served rather than through a capped lottery or a ranked competition, and no additional annual cap is published beyond the per-lot limit (City of Apple Valley Rainwater Rewards Grant Program page; last verified August 2026).
- Residential: 50% of the water quality improvement cost, up to $500 per lot or project
Are you eligible?
- Be a City of Apple Valley customer
- Property located in: Apple Valley
- Apple Valley landowner installing a rain garden, shoreline buffer, or native garden
- Only the water quality improvement component of the project is cost-shared, not the whole landscape project
- First-come, first-served while funding lasts
- Paid receipts and photos are required for reimbursement, under a grant agreement with the City
Before you start
Do not remove turf or begin work before you have written approval. This program requires pre-approval. Starting early can disqualify the project even if everything else is correct.
You may also be eligible for the Dakota County Soil and Water Conservation District's Landscaping for Clean Water program, a separate program with different funding.
The application checklist
How to apply for the Rainwater Rewards Grant Program
These are the steps this application actually takes.
- 1
Check eligibility
Make sure you qualify with City of Apple Valley before you start.
- 2
Get pre-approval if required
Some programs require approval before any work begins. Check with City of Apple Valley and take before photos of the existing yard first.
- 3
Do the work
Complete the project, take before and after photos, and save every receipt.
- 4
Submit your application
Send City of Apple Valley the completed application with your photos and receipts, then watch for the confirmation.
Get help applying
Want a hand with the application?
A 30-minute call with Stephen, the founder. He reads the Rainwater Rewards Grant Program rules with you, tells you what to photograph and file first, and answers anything this page does not cover.
Confirm your project ZIP first. If this program does not serve your address, do not buy; check your city or utility on the rebates page instead.
One-time $29.99. Guidance, not filing: you submit to the program yourself. Not legal or financial advice. Rebate amounts and approval are decided by the program.
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.
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.