Funding: Urban Areas

A monarch garden planted with milkweed surrounded by a chicken wire fence.Looking for assistance establishing pollinator habitat in your yard, city, or town? There are many programs throughout Iowa that can offer financial assistance and guidance on establishing pollinator habitat! Below are a collection of opportunities that can help off-set establishment costs, provide cost-share options, or free materials for habitat establishment!

If you know of a program we missed, please let us know! Send us an email at monarchs@iastate.edu. 

State-wide Efforts

Iowa Department of Agriculture & Land Stewardship

  • Soil Conservation and Water Quality Cost Share
    • Includes funding for Stormwater Management projects like Rain Gardens
      • Generally covers 50 - 75% of the total project costs 
    • Contact your local Soil and Water Conservation District for more information

Iowa Department of Natural Resources

  • Resources Enhancement and Protection
    • Funding is available for city parks and open spaces, county conservation, and roadside vegetation
    • Contact your local DNR office to see if one of these programs might be right for your city

Monarch Watch

  • Bring Back the Monarchs
    • Provides free milkweed plants for schools and non-profits
    • Application process opens early October
      • Requires management plan for garden with administrative support
      • Must plan to add nectar resources to monarch garden, or have pre-existing flowers

Pollinator Partnership

  • Habitat Hero Plant Kits
    • Awards native plant kits to schools, institutions, or community organizations
    • Applications are open and plants are generally awarded in the fall

Project Wingspan

Sand County Foundation

County-specific Efforts

Black Hawk County

  • Dry Run Creek Watershed Project 
    • Up to 75% reimbursement for rain gardens and native plantings
    • Contact Black Hawk County Soil & Water Conservation District for more information 
      • Available to anyone living in the Dry Run Creek Watershed near Cedar Falls

Boone County

  • Mowing to Monarchs
    • New program for Boone County residents
    • Hopefully will be able to offer free native plants for pollinator gardens
      • Stay tuned for updates!

Cedar County

Dallas County

  • Pocket Prairie Program
    • Native prairie program for Dallas County residents
    • Participants will attend hands-on workshops and receive partial coverage for the cost of native plants
  • Waukee Stormwater Grant Program
    • 50% reimbursement up to $1,000 for rain gardens and native landscaping 

Dickinson County

  • "Opportunity" Rain Gardens
    • East Okoboji Lakes Improvement Board offers additional reimbursement on rain garden projects sponsored through the Dickinson County Soil & Water Conservation District
    • Can match an additional 25% reimbursement up to $500 on approved projects

Dubuque County

Humboldt County

  • Buzz & Bloom
    • Pollinator habitat program for Humboldt County residents
    • Provides free seed, education, and ongoing support for participants

Jackson County

  • Mowing to Monarchs
    • Pocket prairie program for Jackson County residents
    • Offers free native plants for participants
    • Email Jess Wagner for more details and to register

Johnson County

Linn County

  • Stormwater BMPs
    • Funding provided through REAP for residents who live in an approved designated watershed
      • Includes native landscaping and rain gardens
    • Call your Soil & Water Conservation District office for more information
  • Native Oasis Program
    • Pollinator habitat program for Linn County residents
    • Participants will attend hands-on workshops and receive partial coverage for the cost of native plants
  • Cedar Rapids Stormwater BMPs
    • 50% reimbursement up to $2,000 for rain garden and other stormwater projects
    • Includes option for commercial properties as well
  • Marion Stormwater Management
    • 50% reimbursement up to $1,000 for rain gardens and native plantings

Madison County

  • Stormwater BMPs
    • Funding provided through REAP for Madison County residents
    • Up to 50% cost share for native landscaping and rain gardens

Polk County

  • Stormwater BMPs
    • Funding provided through REAP for Polk County residents
    • Up to 50% cost share for native landscaping and rain gardens
  • Roadside Prairie Program
    • Assists Polk County residents with land adjacent to secondary county roads to establish native vegetation
    • Polk County Staff will prep the side, provide and plant the seed, and mow for the first 3 years
    • Landowners will assist with reporting and managing weeds and maintain mowing after the 3rd year
  • PLaNT Program
    • For Polk County residents living outside of the Des Moines Metro area 
      • Unincorporated Polk County and small towns without existing Rain Campaign programs
    • Funding for native landscaping, rain gardens, prairie restoration, roadside prairies, and invasive species management
      • DIY: 100% material rebate up to $2,000
      • Contractor: 50% contractor cost rebate up to $2,000
    • Must contact PLaNT Program before materials are purchased or contractor is hired
  • Easter Lake Watershed
    • For residents, businesses, and landowners within the Easter Lake Watershed
    • Cost share up to 75% for native landscaping and rain gardens
  • Ankeny Stormwater BMPs
    • 50% match up to $1,800 for native plantings and rain gardens
    • Must apply prior to starting the project
  • Clive Stormwater Assistance Program
    • 25-50% match up to $4,000 for native plantings and rain gardens
    • Must apply prior to starting the project
  • Des Moines Stormwater BMPs Program
    • 50% reimbursement up to $2,000 for native plantings and rain gardens
  • Johnston Stormwater Homeowner Grant Program
    • 50% match up to $1,250 for native plantings and rain gardens
  • Pleasant Hill BMP Reimbursement Program
    • 50% match up to $750 for native plantings and rain gardens
  • Polk City Stormwater Management Program
    • 50% match up to $1,000 for native plantings and rain gardens
    • Must apply prior to starting the project
  • Urbandale Stormwater Grant Program
    • 50% match up to $2,000 for native plantings and rain gardens
    • Must apply prior to starting the project
  • Urbandale Starter Tree Program
    • 2 native trees available for $25/tree per household
      • Can select spring blooming trees for pollinators
  • West Des Moines Stormwater Assistance Program
    • 50% match up to $1,500 for native plantings and rain gardens
    • Must apply prior to starting the project
  • Windsor Heights Stormwater BMPs Program
    • 75% match up to $1,000 for native plantings and rain gardens
    • Must apply prior to starting the project

Scott County

  • Stormwater BMPs
    • Funding available to Scott County residents
    • 50% reimbursement up to $2,000 for native plantings and rain gardens
  • Davenport Stormwater BMP Program
    • 50% cost share for native plantings and rain gardens
    • Must apply prior to starting the project

Story County

  • Ames Smart Watershed Rebates
    • Various rebates available for native plantings (up to $400) and rain gardens (up to $500)
    • Must apply prior to starting the project

Garden Registration Programs

Additional programs throughout Iowa allow you to register existing gardens and provide additional information about garden design.

Blank Park Zoo

  • Plant.Grow.Fly 
    • Allows anyone to register their pollinator garden
    • Provides information on plant selection, garden design, and purchasing plants
    • Gardens registered through here will be added to the IMCC's state-wide conservation efforts!

Cerro Gordo County

  • Monarch Mania 
    • Allows Cerro Gordo residents to register their monarch gardens
    • Provides information about monarch conservation and garden design

Scott County