Round 2025 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. If you have not attended an orientation session, follow the steps below to meet your orientation requirement.

Online Orientation Completion:

Step One: CLICK HERE to watch the recording of this year's orientation.

Step Two: CLICK HERE after you watch the video to fill out our survey (ten questions). Our system will record your name and email address to confirm that you have completed this
required step, so make sure it matches what will appear on
your application.

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.

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.