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

Stormwater grants can cover up to 100% of the cost to design and construct 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 more than $15 million 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

Important Dates

Applications can be submitted at any time, and awards are made four times each year. The deadlines for each quarterly award period are shown below. PWD requires that all applicants schedule a pre-application meeting at least 2 weeks before the application deadline.