How to Get the Native Plant Cost-Share Program
Lake County Conservation District · Lake County, Montana, MT
What you get
The Lake County Conservation District reimburses 50 percent of eligible native plant purchases, up to $75 per household per year, for plantings in Lake County. A minimum 2-plant purchase applies and only plants qualify, not soil, mulch, or other materials. Plants must be straight native species of western Montana (west of the Continental Divide); cultivars and nativars are not eligible, which is worth checking at the till because many nursery labels are cultivars. Apply online within 30 days of purchase with a receipt identifying the species plus before and after photos. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis for as long as funds last, and are not approved for plantings made during peak summer heat or winter (Lake County Conservation District, Native Plant Cost-Share Program; last verified August 2026).
- Residential: 50% of eligible native plant purchases, up to $75 per household per year
Are you eligible?
- Be a Lake County Conservation District customer
- Property located in: Ronan, Polson, St. Ignatius, Pablo, Charlo, Arlee, Big Arm, Dayton, Elmo, Proctor
- Lake County, Montana property owner or long-term tribal lease holder
- Minimum 2-plant purchase
- Straight native species of western Montana only; cultivars and nativars are not eligible
- Plants only, not soil, mulch, or other gardening materials
- Apply online within 30 days of purchase with a receipt identifying the native species
- Before photo and after photo showing 2 or more plants in the ground
- Avoid planting during peak summer heat or winter freeze; off-season plantings are not approved
Before you start
Application window: Rolling, for as long as funds are available. Apply within 30 days of purchase.
Found during the 2026-08-10 discovery sweep and independently re-verified against the district page and its own 2026 application form. Small cap, noted plainly above so the listing never oversells: consistent with the settled rule that the trivially-small floor is a fee-credit rule, not a conversion-rebate rule (compare Mount Werner CO at $75, already listed). The district also runs a separate Rain Garden Initiative page that is purely educational with no funding attached, which was checked and rejected this run. The district page and its application state the seasonal window two different ways (July-August in one place, late June to early September in another), so the copy above uses neutral wording rather than picking one.
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.
The application checklist
How to apply for the Native Plant Cost-Share Program
These are the steps this application actually takes. The Pollinator Patch app walks you through each one free, with reminders and a photo locker.
- 1
Check eligibility
Make sure you qualify with Lake County Conservation District before you start.
- 2
Get pre-approval if required
Some programs require approval before any work begins. Check with Lake County Conservation District 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 Lake County Conservation District the completed application with your photos and receipts, then watch for the confirmation.
In the app
Track this rebate free in the Pollinator Patch app
Free step-by-step guidance for the Native Plant Cost-Share Program, warnings before the mistakes that disqualify applications, and a photo locker that keeps your before and after photos, receipts, and notes together for the months a rebate takes.
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.