Improving Water Quality by...

PROVIDING COST-SHARE TO INSTALL RAINSCAPING PRACTICES

Funding Assistance

Receive Funding For Your Next Rainscaping Practice!

All residents, businesses, or others owning land within the Easter Lake Watershed are eligible for funding assistance for conservation practices. Not sure if you live in the watershed? Check this map.

If you live outside of the watershed, funding resources for conservation practices are available throughout Polk County and the Des Moines Metro area. Visit the Rain Campaign website to learn about these funding resources.

What Practices Are Eligible For Funding?

Permeable Pavement
Bioretention Cells
Bioswales
Native Turf
Downspout Redirect
Other practices meeting specifications in the Iowa Stormwater Management Manual or Natural Resource Conservation Service’s guidelines.

Application Process

Funding for conservation practices has been made available by our project partners and is administered by the Polk Soil & Water Conservation District. PRE-APPROVAL IS REQUIRED.

Receiving funding is easy, but it is important to follow the application process. The best way to ensure success is to work closely with the Watershed Coordinator (contact info below). Additionally, you can set up a site visit with the Watershed Coordinator which is an in-person meeting to learn more about the different types of conservation practices that fit your property and funding resources.

The Easter Lake Watershed Project funding program operates as a reimbursement for pre-approved projects. Here are the basics:

Choose a conservation practice you want to implement
Submit an application to the Watershed Coordinator
Get pre-approved for funding
Installation
Submit receipts/ paid invoices
Get reimbursed

Pre-approval is required. Do not have any installation work completed for your conservation before your application is approved. The watershed project cannot provide funding without pre-approval.

For each conservation practice you would like to install, the following forms are needed to submit your application for approval:

Itemized project estimate
Designs & design review checklists (if needed)
W-9*
Assistance Request Form
Request for Assistance Form (generated at our office once we have received the 4 items listed above)

*A W-9 form is needed because funding received from the Easter Lake Watershed Project is subject to income tax.

Once your application has been submitted, your project will be on the agenda for approval at the next Polk Soil & Water District Commissioner Board Meeting. Meetings are held on the 3rd Tuesday of each month. Once approved, you will be notified and then can begin installation.

For rain barrel rebates and soil quality restoration, you may not feel the need for a site visit. Click the links below to learn more about how to get funding specifically for rain barrels and soil quality restoration (SQR).