Information and Forms
For Landowners:
- Round 2026 Application
- Round 2026 Landowner Guide
- Round 2026 Contractor List
- Septic System Remediation Application
For Contractors:
Maps:
- Verify your eligibility with this NEW interactive map! Enter your address to see if you are located within one of the Program Focus Areas. Note, these areas are shaded purple within the purple Deer Creek Watershed boundary.
- Focus Area 1 Map
- Focus Area 2 Map
- Focus Area 3 Map
- Focus Area 4 Map
Resources:
- Missouri Botanical Garden Rainscaping Guide
- Rainscaping Resources
- Cost Comparison Presentation
- Sample Itemized Budget
- Sample Landscape Drawing
- Graph Paper
- List of Invasive Species and Native Alternatives
- Invasive Honeysuckle Removal
- Native Plant Sources
- Percolation Test Instructions
- Rainscaping Maintenance Schedule
- Rainscaping Flyer
- Stream Teams United Video: Native Urban Landscaping in the Deer Creek Watershed
- DCWA Steering Committee Chairman's RCSP Project
Round 2026 is now open!
The purpose of this program is to improve water quality and benefit aquatic life in Deer Creek and its tributaries by installing rainscaping—landscaping strategies that manage stormwater by capturing rain where it falls, instead of allowing water to run off-site. Rainscaping can solve a drainage problem, increase aesthetic appeal, improve property values, attract birds and butterflies, and more. Rainscaping features slow down, soak up, and reuse rainwater before it carries pollutants to a local stream.
Each landowner with property located in one of the Program Focus Areas may apply to receive a rebate of 75% of approved and documented costs up to a maximum of $4,500 for project design, implementation, and/or maintenance costs incurred for Rainscaping Cost-Share funded feature(s). Institutional applicants are eligible for a rebate of 60% of approved and documented costs up to a maximum of $6,000.
Verify your eligibility with this NEW interactive map! Enter your address to see if you are located within one of the Program Focus Areas. Note, these areas are shaded purple within the purple Deer Creek Watershed boundary. Residential, commercial, and institutional landowners are eligible to participate. If your address is not located within one of the Deer Creek Watershed Program Focus Areas, you may qualify for the MSD Rainscaping Small Grants Program instead. There is some overlap in the Deer Creek and MSD program areas, and you may qualify for both programs. Landowners may only receive ONE award from ONE of these rainscaping programs. Landowners may not receive multiple awards from one program or an award from both programs.
Applicants must complete a landowner orientation to learn more about the Rainscaping Cost-Share Program. Orientation attendees have two years to apply to the program, after which they must re-attend.
Register for an upcoming Orientation Session:
In-Person: February 19, 2026, 6:00 - 8:00 PM at the Commerce Bank Center for Science Education. Click HERE to register!
Virtual: February 25, 2026, 2:00 - 4:00 PM on Zoom. Click HERE to register!
If you have questions, need an accommodation to complete your orientation requirement, or want to verify your participation has been recorded please contact:
(314) 577-0202 or
[email protected]
Note, please reserve your questions until after you have attended an orientation session and/or carefully reviewed the information and forms for landowners in the blue box at the top right-hand side of the page.
| Rainscaping Cost-Share Program Timeline | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 2023 | Round 2024 | Round 2025 | Round 2026 | |
| Applications Due | 6.2.23 | 6.7.24 | 6.6.25 | 6.5.26 |
| Notifications Out | 7.14.23 | 7.19.24 | 7.18.25 | 7.17.26 |
| Planting Time | Fall 2023 or Spring 2024 | Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 | Fall 2025 or Spring 2026 | Fall 2026 or Spring 2027 |
| Receipts and Completion Forms Due | 10.13.23 for Fall 2023 installs; 6.14.24 for Spring 2024 installs | 10.11.24 for Fall 2024 installs; 6.13.25 for Spring 2025 installs | 10.10.25 for Fall 2025 installs; 6.12.26 for Spring 2026 installs | 10.9.26 for Fall 2026 installs; 6.11.27 for Spring 2027 installs |
| Cost-Share Funds Dispersed to Landowners | Within 12 weeks of receipt of Project Completion Forms | |||
| Quality Control/ Ground Truthing/ Completion Forms Processed | Within 8 weeks of receipt of Project Completion Forms |
|||
| Maintenance Payment Request Forms Due | 5.17.24 for Fall 2023 installs; 11.15.24 for Spring 2024 installs | 5.16.25 for Fall 2024 installs; 11.21.25 for Spring 2025 installs | 5.15.26 for Fall 2025 installs; 11.20.26 for Spring 2026 installs | 5.14.27 for Fall 2026 installs; 11.19.27 for Spring 2027 installs |
Applications are accepted via hand-delivery or physical mail only; electronic submissions will not be accepted. Please make a copy of your application for your records and keep your receipt as proof of mailing. We cannot take responsibility for applications lost in the mail.
Mail applications to:
Deer Creek Watershed Alliance
c/o Missouri Botanical Garden – Sustainability Division
CBEC – West
4651 Shaw Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63110
Can't participate this year? Register here to be notified when the next round starts and orientation sessions become available in the future.
For more information about how to incorporate rainscaping in your yard, visit the Missouri Botanical Garden's online Rainscaping Guide.
The Deer Creek Watershed Alliance Rainscaping Cost-Share Program is administered by Missouri Botanical Garden and funded by Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District, Mabel Dorn Reeder Foundation, the Holton family, and US EPA Region 7 through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (subgrant number G22-NPS-09), under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act.