How to Get the Rain Garden Cost Share Program
City of Owatonna · Steele County, Southern Minnesota, MN
What you get
The City of Owatonna reimburses 50% of the cost of an approved residential rain garden, up to $500. The City provides a preliminary site visit, layout and plant selection help, and technical assistance. Homeowners may use a City-provided design or submit their own site plan with a plant layout. Reimbursement is paid by check after installation, a final site visit, and submission of receipts (City of Owatonna, Rain Garden Cost Share, last verified September 2026).
- Residential: 50% reimbursement up to $500
Are you eligible?
- Be a City of Owatonna customer
- Property located in: Owatonna
- Garden installed on a residential property owned by the applicant within Owatonna city limits
- Request a preliminary site visit from the Stormwater Specialist to confirm the planting location
- Submit a reasonable cost estimate and a feasible design plan for approval before installing
- Final site visit approval, then submit all receipts for reimbursement
- Allow City staff to photograph the garden for educational purposes
- Maintain the garden for at least 5 years
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.
Site visit requests and applications are both submitted as online forms on the same page.
The application checklist
How to apply for the Rain Garden Cost Share Program
These are the steps this application actually takes.
- 1
Check eligibility
Make sure you qualify with City of Owatonna before you start.
- 2
Get pre-approval if required
Some programs require approval before any work begins. Check with City of Owatonna 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 Owatonna the completed application with your photos and receipts, then watch for the confirmation.
Get help applying
Want a hand with the application?
A 30-minute call with Stephen, the founder. He reads the Rain Garden Cost Share Program rules with you, tells you what to photograph and file first, and answers anything this page does not cover.
Confirm your project ZIP first. If this program does not serve your address, do not buy; check your city or utility on the rebates page instead.
One-time $29.99. Guidance, not filing: you submit to the program yourself. Not legal or financial advice. Rebate amounts and approval are decided by the program.
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.