Climate Ready Rainscapes

The Climate Ready Rainscapes grant program provides financial assistance and technical support to homeowners to help manage rain at home through nature-based solutions, such as rain gardens or bioswales, dry wells or cisterns, rain barrels and permeable pavement. The program is funded by the Village of Oak Park through its Water & Sewer Fund.

The goals of the Climate Ready Rainscapes program are to:

• Better manage rain at home
• Reduce the burden on the local sewer by capturing rain where it falls
• Provide health and environmental benefits
• Educate residents about the benefits of nature-based solutions

To be eligible for the Climate Ready Rainscapes program, you need to:

• Be a resident of Oak Park
• Own and live in a single-family home with one dwelling unit in the principal building
• Have no outstanding Village obligations or building code violations
• Have not received a grant through the Village’s previous RainReady program
• Be willing to:
  ○ Disconnect downspouts from the Village’s sewer system
  ○ Maintain your installation for a minimum of three years
  ○ Participate in short, confidential evaluation surveys used to improve the program

   

The Rainscapes program contributes to design engineering as well as construction costs (labor, materials and equipment rental) for nature-based solutions. Homeowners may complete the installation themselves but will be reimbursed for the cost of materials only. The following are eligible nature-based solutions that may be covered as part of this program.

Rain gardens or bioswales

Let rain soak into a rain garden that uses porous soil and water-loving native plants. Rain gardens are bowl-shaped; bioswales are line-shaped.

Typical cost: $2,000–$5,000.

Dry wells or cisterns

Store rain in a below-ground dry well or cistern. Dry wells allow water to seep into the ground, while cisterns allow water to be pumped for reuse.

Dry well typical cost: $4,000–$15,000
Cistern typical cost: $10,000–$25,000+

Rain barrels

Store rain in a barrel that attaches to your downspout. Reuse the captured water for your garden!

Typical cost: $250

Permeable paving

Replace concrete or asphalt with interlocking permeable pavers that lets rain pass through.

Typical cost: Around $50 / square foot

Complementary downspout disconnections and French drains are also eligible when installed alongside another nature-based solution. Disconnecting downspouts from the municipal sewer system can help reduce the chances of backups into homes during heavy rain. French drains help convey water to other nature-based solutions. 

Ineligible costs that will not be paid for by the Rainscapes program include:

• Ongoing maintenance of nature-based solutions. This will be the responsibility of the homeowner.
• Private construction inspection services hired by the homeowner.
• Costs associated with utility staking.
• Any work not specifically within the approved scope of work, as determined by the Assess phase of the program.
• Project costs over and above the $2,000 cap paid by the Village must be paid for by the homeowner.

Apply for the Climate Ready Rainscapes program by submitting this interest form.

1. The homeowner will submit an interest form via the link above.
2. The Village will conduct an initial feasibility assessment of the property and notify the homeowner of their eligibility determination.
3. The homeowner will participate in a consultation call with the Village to further assess site eligibility and homeowner priorities for nature-based solutions.
4. The homeowner will complete a commitment form and submit any supporting documentation.
5. The Village will notify the homeowner if they were selected for this round of Rainscapes funding.

Please be aware that program resources are very limited, and the program will first prioritize 1). applicants waitlisted from the previous RainReady program; and 2). homes located in areas of high climate risk and social vulnerability as defined by the Climate Ready Oak Park Plan. Grants will be prioritized to income-eligible households, with a goal of awarding 40% of grants to income-eligible households. Submitting your interest early is recommended to increase the likelihood of a successful application.

For the purposes of the Climate Ready Rainscapes program, homeowners are classified as “income-qualified” if their annual household income is equal to or less than 80% of area median income (AMI) at the household level. To determine if you are an income-qualified homeowner, check the table below. Find the income amount listed below the number of persons in your household. If your household income is equal to or less than this amount, you are an income-qualified homeowner and are eligible for additional assistance in soliciting a bid and selecting a contractor for your project, and the Village will reimburse the contractor directly for its share of the cost.