How to Get the Sustainable Backyards Rebate
City of Chicago · Chicago Metro, IL
What you get
50% rebate on locally-purchased native plants, up to $60 total. Also covers rain barrels, compost bins, and trees. Free workshops on installing and maintaining native plants and sustainable features.
- Residential: 50% off native plants, up to $60
Are you eligible?
- Be a City of Chicago customer
- Property located in: Chicago
- Must be a Chicago resident
- Submit rebate form with original purchase receipt
- Plants must be purchased from local retailers
Before you start
Amount confirmed from the official City of Chicago rebate form (Native Plants $60, Compost Bins $50, Rain Barrels $40, Trees $100; 50% of cost), which is still live at chicago.gov/dam/city/depts/cdot/SustainableBackyards/ (browser-checked June 2026). The old sustainable_backyards.html program landing page is gone, so the rebate form PDF is the live application; confirm current submission process with CDOT (sustainablebackyards@cityofchicago.org) before applying.
What applying usually looks like
A general guide. Always confirm the exact steps on the official program page, since each provider runs its process a little differently.
- 1
Do the conversion
Replace your lawn with the qualifying landscaping, following the eligibility requirements above.
- 2
Submit your claim
After the work is done, submit your claim on the official program page. Confirm the exact forms, receipts, and any photos they require there, since those vary by program.
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.
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 If something here is out of date or wrong, tell us and we'll check it against the provider.