How to Get the Homeowner Native Plant Garden Grant Rebate

What you get

HGCNY reimburses homeowners in Onondaga, Cayuga, Cortland, Oswego, or Tompkins counties up to $200 for native plants purchased from the HGCNY Native Plant Shopping Guide to enhance wildlife habitat, including rain-garden and lawn-to-native conversion projects. Recipients purchase plants first and submit receipts for reimbursement after selection. Applications are reviewed annually against required and preferred criteria, with ties broken by earliest submission (HGCNY; last verified July 2026).

• Residential: Up to $200 reimbursement for native plants purchased from the HGCNY Native Plant Shopping Guide

Are you eligible?

• Be a Habitat Gardening in Central New York (HGCNY), a Wild Ones chapter customer
• Property located in: Syracuse, Auburn, Cortland, Oswego, Ithaca
• Homeowner in Onondaga, Cayuga, Cortland, Oswego, or Tompkins county
• Plants purchased from the HGCNY Native Plant Shopping Guide only
• Application includes project description, planting plan, site-prep status, maintenance-commitment plan, and a before-photo
• Reimbursement grant: purchase plants first, then submit receipts
• Annual competitive selection cycle; most recent cycle deadline was March 31, 2026

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. 1

   Apply and get written approval first

   Submit your application to Habitat Gardening in Central New York (HGCNY), a Wild Ones chapter and wait for written approval before you remove any turf or start work. Starting early is the most common reason a rebate is denied.

2. 2

   Do the conversion

   Replace your lawn with the qualifying landscaping, following the eligibility requirements above.

3. 3

   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.