Enhance your property.
Reduce your monthly bill.
Clean up Philadelphia’s waterways.

Stormwater grants can pay for the design and construction of stormwater retrofit projects on non-residential properties in Philadelphia. Stormwater retrofit projects provide an opportunity to add new landscaping, fix drainage problems, and improve the appearance of a property. After a project is complete, the property owner qualifies for lower stormwater charges on his or her monthly bill.

These stormwater retrofit projects are a cost-effective way for the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) to reduce stormwater pollution in Philadelphia’s creeks and rivers. PWD partners with the Philadelphia Industrial Development Corporation (PIDC) to award millions in stormwater grants every year.

Project Models

Anyone can apply for a stormwater grant with permission from the property owner. When a project is awarded a grant, the applicant is responsible for signing an agreement with PIDC and handling the administration of the grant.

PWD offers three options for interested applicants to receive a stormwater grant:

• Standard SMIP: the property owner or tenant applies for and manages the grant
• Alternative SMIP: a community group, non-profit organization, or vendor applies for and manages the grant
• GARP: a vendor bundles multiple properties into a single application

Application Deadlines

Applications can be submitted at any time, with grant awards made once a year. The deadline to apply for the next grant period is March 6th, 2020. PWD will review the applications during the spring and announce awards in May.

Pre-application meetings with all property owners and project team members are required for each grant application. If intending to apply for the March 6th, 2020 deadline, a pre-application meeting must be held by February 7th, 2020.