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
Request a site visit
Submit the site visit request form. The Stormwater Specialist will visit to confirm the planting location works. Describe where you want the garden and any drainage problems you see. You can also emai
- 2
Pick a design and build a budget
Choose one of the six city rain garden designs (Butterfly, Prairie, Shade, Shrub, Sunny, or Swale), or use your own plan. Your own design needs a site plan that shows the plant layout. Then write a re
- 3
Apply online with your design and budget
Sign up for a free account on the city OpenGov portal, then submit the Rain Garden Cost Share Application. Upload your site plan, plant layout, and cost estimate with it, or shortly after. The city re
- 4
Install during the next growing season
After approval, install the garden during the growing season. Water right after planting, then twice a week for one to two months. Keep every receipt. City staff may photograph the garden during const
- 5
Final site visit, then send your receipts
Request the final site visit from the Stormwater Division. Once it passes, submit all your receipts. The reimbursement is paid by check. Plan to maintain the garden for at least 5 years: weed two to t
The call below also unlocks the ready-to-file packet for this program in the app.
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.
What people report after they apply
We ask people who filed Rain Garden Cost Share Program whether it was approved, what they were paid, and how many days it took. A public payout time appears here only after 5 reports include a day count. Your dollar amount is stored and is not published on this page.