DC’s Riversmart Homes Program
The Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay and DC’s DOEE administer the Riversmart Homes grant, and we’re proud to have been a part of this program since 2017. We’ve installed hundreds of Riversmart projects across the District, including Bayscapes, rain gardens, rain barrels, and permeable pavers.
DC residents must first apply through the Riversmart Homes website. There is a backlog of folks signed up, and the wait is typically between 6 months to 2 years to have a site audit. The site audit will determine which stormwater management practices your home is eligible for.
Rain Gardens: copayment of $200 per 50 square foot rain garden (limit two gardens per property)
BayScaping: copayment of $200 per 120 square foot conservation landscape (limit two gardens per property)
If you do not want to have to wait for a site audit, you can instead apply for a partial rebate after your project is completed. You will still need to complete a percolation test and have a pre-construction inspection done before funding can be approved, but the process is overall much faster than waiting for the grant funding approval.
Rain gardens: Must use native plants, be at least 50 sq ft, and redirect water from at least 400 sq ft of impervious surface area (aka, a rooftop). Rain gardens are eligible for a rebate of $41/square foot, up to a maximum of $3,000.
Permeable pavement: $6,000 maximum rebate per property for properties located within Wards 7, 8, and/or the Municipal Separate Storm Sewer System (MS4) Area. You can check whether or not your home is eligible on this map.
