How to Get the Sebago Lakescaping Program
Portland Water District · Sebago Lake watershed, Cumberland County, Maine, ME
What you get
Portland Water District offers matching grants of up to $1,500 to homeowners on Sebago Lake or one of its major tributaries for work that reduces erosion, stormwater runoff, and nutrients reaching the lake. The process starts with a free Lakescaping consultation and a written Lakescaping Report of recommendations; following them is voluntary. Eligible expenses include native shoreline plants (the District names purchasing plants as a grant-eligible expense) and practices such as rain gardens, dripline and infiltration trenches, infiltration steps, and runoff diverters. Lake associations, commercial summer camps, and municipalities are eligible for up to $2,500 (Portland Water District, Sebago Lakescaping Program, last verified September 2026).
- Residential: Matching grant up to $1,500 per homeowner
Are you eligible?
- Be a Portland Water District customer
- Property located in: Standish, Sebago, Naples, Raymond, Casco, Windham, Frye Island
- Property on Sebago Lake or one of its major tributaries
- Schedule a free Lakescaping Consultation with Portland Water District (sebagolake@pwd.org)
- Receive the Lakescaping Report, then apply for the grant
- Install the recommended improvements after receiving a grant award letter, yourself or with a contractor
- Schedule a PWD inspection of the completed work before the grant is paid
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.
The program page does not list eligible towns; the cities array is the set of towns bordering Sebago Lake and is a matching aid, not a stated eligibility list. Properties on major tributaries outside these towns may also qualify. The page describes a matching grant without stating the match ratio, so no percentage is published here. Sector-specific $2,500 ceiling for lake associations, camps, and municipalities is mentioned in coverage only; no commercial row was created because there is no separate application track.
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 Portland Water District 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 Sebago Lakescaping 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 Portland Water District before you start.
- 2
Get pre-approval if required
Some programs require approval before any work begins. Check with Portland Water 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 Portland Water 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 Sebago Lakescaping 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.