Virginia Native Landscaping Rebates

Cost-share program covering up to 80% of installation costs (max $7,000) for rain gardens and conservation landscaping (native plantings, meadows, mulched beds, tree plantings). Available to residential properties in Virginia's Chesapeake Bay Watershed.

VCAP funding is subject to annual state budget approval. Check with your local Soil and Water Conservation District for current availability and rates, which may vary by district.

An ongoing credit on the stormwater utility fee (not a one-time rebate): combined eligible credits, including rain gardens / bioretention on single-family and townhome lots, reduce the fee by up to 50%. Apply annually December 1 to February 15 (City of Alexandria; last verified June 2026).

Financial and technical assistance for conservation landscaping, rain gardens, and stormwater management, reimbursed at 80% of estimated project cost up to a $7,000 maximum. The Conservation Assistance Program (CAP) funds projects not eligible for the state VCAP program or when VCAP funds are limited, and NVSWCD also offers all VCAP-approved practices to residents of Fairfax County, the Town of Herndon, the Town of Vienna, and the City of Fairfax. NVSWCD staff review the property to determine eligibility.

Fairfax County also promotes the Plant NOVA Natives campaign, with native plant guides at NativePlantCenter.net. NVSWCD also holds a separate annual seedling sale for low-cost native trees and shrubs, outside this cost-share program.

Falls Church credits 10 percent off the annual stormwater utility fee to a residential property that earns at least 10 points from the City's stormwater practice toolbox. A rain garden of 100 square feet or more earns the full 10 points on its own, a rain garden of 50 square feet or more earns 5, and converting turf to conservation landscaping earns 3 points per 100 square feet, so practices can be combined to reach the threshold. This is an ongoing bill credit rather than a one-time cash rebate, and it has to be renewed annually. The current fee is $20.77 per 200 square foot billing unit, which the City puts at roughly $291 a year for an average residential property, so the credit is worth roughly $29 a year at that fee (City of Falls Church Stormwater Credits Program page and Credits Manual; last verified August 2026).

You install the qualifying practice first and then apply for the credit, since no pre-approval is required.

Prince William Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

Arlington County's Stormwater Utility Credit Program offers single-family residential property owners a fixed-percentage credit for voluntary stormwater-reducing actions: 10% for a rain garden, 5% for conservation/native landscaping (minimum 150 sq ft), 5% for tree planting, and 10% for a permeable driveway or patio, capped at 35% per property. The credit is applied to the following year's real property tax bill. Applications are accepted November 1 through January 31. Credits require recertification with photos every 2 years (Arlington County Stormwater Credit Program; last verified September 2026).

A cost-share program administered by the Thomas Jefferson Soil and Water Conservation District for Charlottesville homeowners. Most stormwater and conservation practices, including rain gardens and native plant landscaping, are eligible for a 75% financial reimbursement, and participating practices may also lower the property stormwater utility fee. The city page does not publish a per-project dollar cap (City of Charlottesville / Thomas Jefferson SWCD; last verified June 2026).

Cost-shares up to 75% of a conservation-landscaping project, to a maximum of $3,500, for converting poorly draining or eroding turfgrass to native plants that capture stormwater runoff. Requires enrollment in the River Star Homes program and a 5-year maintenance commitment; a $100 design deposit is applied to project costs (Elizabeth River Project; last verified June 2026).

Reimburses 100% of project cost: up to $3,500 each for Turf-to-Trees and Turf-to-Meadow conversions, and up to $30,000 for bioretention (rain gardens), with a $30,000 annual cap per applicant. A reimbursement program (the applicant pays for the work, then is reimbursed); distinct from the city stormwater-fee-credit program (City of Harrisonburg, administered by Shenandoah Valley SWCD; last verified June 2026).

An ongoing credit on the stormwater utility fee (not a one-time rebate): by installing and maintaining BMPs including rain gardens, residents can reduce their fee by up to 50%. This is separate from the Harrisonburg HCAP reimbursement (also in the directory) (City of Harrisonburg; last verified June 2026).

Reimburses 75% of cost for most VCAP practices (rain gardens, conservation landscaping); some practices pay a flat incentive up to the installation cost. The statewide VCAP delivered through the Headwaters SWCD, serving Staunton, Waynesboro, and Augusta County (Headwaters SWCD; last verified June 2026).

Reimburses up to 80% of the entire project cost for rain gardens, conservation landscaping, and other VCAP best-management practices. The statewide VCAP delivered through the Henricopolis SWCD for Henrico County residents (Henricopolis SWCD; last verified June 2026).

Reimburses up to 80% of costs, to a maximum of $7,000, for rain gardens and conservation landscaping. The statewide VCAP delivered through the Lord Fairfax SWCD, serving Winchester and Clarke, Frederick, Shenandoah, and Warren counties (Lord Fairfax SWCD; last verified June 2026).

Reimburses 75% of cost for most VCAP practices (rain gardens, conservation landscaping); some pay a flat incentive up to the installation cost. The statewide VCAP delivered through the Loudoun SWCD (Loudoun SWCD; last verified June 2026).

Hanover-Caroline Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

James River Soil and Water Conservation District delivers VCAP, Virginia's urban cost-share program, to non-agricultural property in Chesterfield and Prince George counties. The district's own page states that most practices are eligible for 80 percent cost-share. Under the statewide VCAP practice caps the district administers, conservation landscaping and rain gardens are reimbursed at 80 percent up to $7,000, bioretention at 80 percent up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000. VCAP is a retrofit program, so the property has to be at least three years past construction, a site visit and approval come before installation, and the practice has to be maintained for five to ten years under a maintenance agreement (James River SWCD VCAP page, with per-practice caps per the statewide program owner vaswcd.org; last verified August 2026).

Monacan Soil and Water Conservation District reimburses up to 80% of the total actual cost of a VCAP practice after completion invoices are submitted, covering conservation landscaping, rain gardens, and other urban stormwater practices in Goochland and Powhatan counties. Practices are designed for a 1 inch rainfall event and up to a 2,500 square foot drainage area, and applications need a minimum ranking score of 65 (Monacan SWCD VCAP fact sheet; last verified July 2026).

Peter Francisco Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

An ongoing credit on the stormwater utility fee (not a one-time rebate): a single approved stormwater control measure earns 20%, and combined measures up to a 50% maximum. Rain gardens are explicitly eligible; the credit is valid 3 years and subject to inspection (City of Richmond Dept. of Public Utilities; last verified June 2026).

Blue Ridge Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

An ongoing credit on the stormwater utility fee (not a one-time rebate): up to a 50% credit for residential best-management practices including rain gardens (Level II BMPs). Application deadline is June 1 for the credit to take effect on the following October bill (City of Roanoke; last verified August 2026).

Shenandoah Valley Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

This program serves Rockingham and Page counties.

The City of Waynesboro credits a single-family residential stormwater utility account 10% of the annual fee for each approved Level 1 practice and 20% for each Level 2 practice, up to a maximum of 50% of the total annual fee. Conservation landscaping following the Homeowner Guide for a More Bay-Friendly Property is a Level 1 practice, and rain gardens are Level 2. The credit runs for 5 years with owner maintenance (City of Waynesboro Single-Family Residential Utility Credit Guidance; last verified July 2026).

Eastern Shore Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

Virginia Dare Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

This program is open to Virginia Beach and Chesapeake residents through Virginia Dare SWCD.

Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

This program also covers Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, and Poquoson through a cooperative agreement with Colonial SWCD.

Three Rivers Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

Northern Neck Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

This district's practices also include living shorelines, and applications are accepted on a monthly deadline cycle.

Tri-County/City Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).

Piedmont Soil and Water Conservation District administers the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program locally, reimbursing 80% of the cost of conservation landscaping (turf converted to meadows, mulched beds, native tree plantings, filter strips, or riparian buffers) or a rain garden, up to $7,000 per practice. Bioretention is reimbursed at 80% up to $30,000, and impervious surface removal at $5.00 per square foot up to $20,000 (Virginia Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts VCAP practice pages, plus the district's own program page; last verified July 2026).