MSD Project Clear Rainscaping Small Grants 2026

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

St. Louis, Missouri Water Rebates

MSD Project Clear runs its Rainscaping Small Grants Program with the Missouri Botanical Garden. It reimburses up to $4,000 for projects that slow and soak up stormwater, including rain gardens, native plantings, and permeable patios. Two things trip people up. You have to complete the orientation before you apply, and you have to wait for a Notice to Proceed before you install anything.

Up to $4,000 · Verified July 2026

Rainscaping Small Grants Program

Open the official program site

How to apply

Confirm your property is in the MSD Project Clear service area on the online map
Watch the orientation video and complete the survey
Plan your rainscaping project using the Landowner Handbook
Submit your application by mail or hand delivery
Wait for approval and a Notice to Proceed before installing anything
Complete the project, then submit receipts for reimbursement up to $4,000

What you'll need

Service-area confirmation from the online map
Orientation survey completion
Project plan or design
Notice to Proceed
Itemized receipts for reimbursement

Pollinator Patch can help: It picks St. Louis-appropriate Missouri natives for the rain garden, designs an HOA-friendly layout that fits the rainscaping requirements, and assembles your plan and plant list for the application packet.

Avoid these mistakes

Don't start installation before you receive your Notice to Proceed. Early work is not reimbursed.
Don't skip the orientation video and survey. They are a prerequisite to applying.
Don't apply for both the MSD grant and a Deer Creek Watershed Alliance award for the same project. A landowner may receive only one.

St. Louis Water Rebate FAQs

How much does the MSD Project Clear rainscaping grant pay?

Up to $4,000, paid as a reimbursement after the project is completed, for rain gardens, native plantings, permeable pavement, and similar stormwater features (MSD Project Clear / Missouri Botanical Garden, verified June 2026).

Can I start my rain garden before applying?

No. You have to complete the orientation, apply, and receive a Notice to Proceed before any installation. Work started early is not reimbursed.

Can I get both the MSD grant and the Deer Creek Alliance award?

No. A landowner may receive an award from only one of the two programs for the same project, not both.

How do I submit the application?

By mail or hand delivery only. The program does not accept online submissions. Contact the Rainscaping Team at rainscaping@mobot.org or 314-577-0202 with questions.

Free step-by-step help with every rebate above

Every program above comes with a free guided checklist in the Pollinator Patch app: the steps in order, warnings before the mistakes that disqualify applications, and a photo locker that keeps your before and after photos and receipts together. A few high-value programs also offer an optional ready-to-file application packet for a one-time $29.99.