How to Get the Rain Garden Rebate
City of Northfield · Rice County, southern Minnesota, MN
What you get
The City reimburses homeowners 50 percent, up to $250, for the cost of materials used in rain garden construction and the rental of any construction equipment. Design and labor are not named as covered costs. Funding is annual and finite rather than always-on: grants are awarded to the highest ranking projects until the fiscal year cost-share funding is spent, so applying early in the year matters (City of Northfield Rain Garden Rebate page; last verified August 2026).
- Residential: 50% up to $250 for materials and construction equipment rental
Are you eligible?
- Be a City of Northfield customer
- Property located in: Northfield
- Property owner inside Northfield city limits with a Northfield utility account
- Covers materials and construction equipment rental; design and labor are not listed as eligible costs
- Projects are ranked, and grants are awarded to the highest ranking projects until the fiscal year funding is spent
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.
Found during the 2026-08-17 discovery sweep and independently re-verified against the live City page. Funding status is recorded as limited rather than open on the strength of the City's own ranking-and-exhaustion language, even though the page carries no closure notice today, because a homeowner who applies late in the fiscal year can find the money gone. The $250 ceiling is small enough that it is probably not worth a paid application concierge; noted for completeness rather than as a concierge candidate.
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
Apply and get written approval first
Submit your application to City of Northfield 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
Do the conversion
Replace your lawn with the qualifying landscaping, following the eligibility requirements above.
- 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.
The application checklist
How to apply for the Rain Garden Rebate
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 City of Northfield before you start.
- 2
Get pre-approval if required
Some programs require approval before any work begins. Check with City of Northfield 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 Northfield 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 Rain Garden Rebate, 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.