The Philadelphia Water Department offers incentives to property owners, project managers, and developers to keep and increase stormwater management on their property for lower costs.
What is the Stormwater Grants Program?
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 their monthly bill through the Stormwater Credits Program.
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. The Stormwater Grants Application Guide is a critical resource for learning more about how to apply for a Stormwater Grant.
Stormwater Grants and resulting stormwater credits lower a property owner’s monthly stormwater bill. To learn more about how stormwater bills are calculated or to address a bill you think is incorrect, visit the Stormwater Billing page →
The Stormwater Grants Program is one type of Stormwater Incentive offered by the Philadelphia Water Department and managed by the Stormwater Incentives team. Learn about other types of Stormwater Incentives →
What’s New
Summer 2024
- Our next grant deadline is Oct. 18th at 5pm. Pre‑application meetings for this round open August 1st and must be requested by September 20, 2024.
- FY24 Grant Awardees Announced
August 2023
- Check out the blog post about the FY23 Grant Awardees.
- Our next grant deadline is Oct. 18th at 5pm. Pre‑application meetings for this round can be held now and must be requested by September 15, 2023.
June 2022
We launched our new Stormwater Connect tool to help Stormwater Retrofit Vendors and Property Owners find each other. Read the blog post →
March 2022
Stormwater Projects Blog Post and Grant Updates!
- Check out the blog post about the FY22 Grant Awardees.
- Additional applications will be accepted on a rolling basis from April 15 to June 10.
February 2022
Our next grant deadline will be October 15, 2022. Pre-application meetings will open in the summer.
Resources for Applying for a Stormwater Grant
| Title | Description | Last Updated | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property Owner Fact Sheet | A quick introduction for property owners to learn about PWD’s Stormwater Grant Program and GSI tools. | ||
| Stormwater Grants Application Guide | Manual describing what properties are eligible for Grants, how to develop a project team, and requirements for the Stormwater Grant application. | ||
| Get ready to apply: Pre-Application Checklist | Checklist to assist property owners and project teams to apply for a Stormwater Grant for a stormwater retrofit project. | ||
| Common Mistakes: Pre-Application Checklist | Checklist with common Stormwater Grant application errors to assist project teams applying for a Stormwater Grant. This checklist should be used with the “Get ready to apply” checklist to complete the application fully and correctly. | ||
| Stormwater Grants Application Worksheet | Intended to help project teams prepare to fill out the online form. This form should not take the place of an official Stormwater Grant application. | ||
| Subgrant and OM Agreement Template: Property Owner as Grant Manager | Template legal documents that must be signed by property owners awarded a Stormwater Grant. | ||
| Subgrant and OM Agreement Template: Vendor as Grant Manager | Template legal documents that must be signed by property owners and project managers awarded a Stormwater Grant. | ||
| Stormwater Management Guidance Manual | The Philadelphia Stormwater Management Guidance Manual (the Manual, or SMGM) is a comprehensive resource for the development community in complying with the Philadelphia Water Department (PWD) Stormwater Regulations (Stormwater Regulations) and designing stormwater management on private property. Contains information on technical design, submission, construction, and post-construction requirements. | web/pdf |
If you have any questions about this program, please contact the PWD Stormwater Incentives team at 215-685-6070 or PWD.StormwaterCredits@phila.gov