Homeowners can apply for grants for stormwater projects

Interested in reducing stormwater runoff on your property? You might be able to get public funds for that under Virginia and Fairfax County conservation assistance programs (VCAP/CAP).

These programs help property owners implement environmentally friendly best practices to reduce polluted stormwater runoff into local streams and the Chesapeake Bay. Community associations and HOAs can apply, as well as homeowners.

The Virginia legislature approved $4 million for the statewide program for 2023-25. Fairfax County provided an additional $75,000 in the FY 2022 budget.

Eligible projects include impervious surface removal, rain gardens, dry wells, bioretention, infiltration, and conservation landscaping. Learn more about the allowable projects here.

VCAP/CAP grants generally cover 80 percent of the cost of a project.

“Projects that capture and treat stormwater are the most expensive to install but also have the highest potential cost share,” says Judy Fraser, the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District’s VCAP/CAP coordinator. “For example, a large bioretention project could receive up to $20,000.”

Most projects are simpler. A rain garden or an area of conservation landscaping can receive up to $7,000.

To apply, homeowners should submit a site visit request to the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District, Fraser says. The agency will then determine whether the project might be eligible for a grant, schedule a site visit, then determine whether the applicant can apply for cost-share funds.

If the applicant is approved by the NVSWCD board, the property owner can begin installing the improvements. After the project is completed, the agency will inspect it and complete the reimbursement process.

The NVSWCD encourages residents of certain communities, including Annandale Acres, and those who live near certain waterways, including Accotink Creek, to apply.

All grant recipients also receive free technical advice from NVSWCD staff. “Participants may find the technical assistance we provide helps them to address their issues without having to take on a big project,” Fraser says.

“Grants are based on the contribution a project will make to the water quality of our streams,” she says.

No work can start until the application has been approved. Grant recipients must agree to maintain the project for 10 years.

While NVSWCD is an independent agency and not part of the Fairfax County government, it works closely with county staff to align the conservation assistance program with the county’s watershed management projects, the Climate Action Plan, and Resilient Fairfax.