About the Program
The “Make It Rain” program was created by Medina SWCD to financially provide assistance to people who want to install a rain garden.
Medina City homeowners can be reimbursed $250 for completing the program and designing and installing their rain garden properly to Medina SWCD specifications.
What is the goal?
To get more green infrastructure built in Medina County.
Capturing rain water protects our local streams and our land. Excess stormwater can cause many problems like erosion, pollution, flooding, fish kills, algal blooms, and more. This program aims to get 10 rain gardens installed within Medina City to limit the amount of stormwater that would become runoff.
Why limit who can apply?
Since this is the first time we’re offering this program, it is acting as a test run. We’re limiting who can apply to Medina City limits. However, we hope to expand to other parts of the county in years to come.
Requirements to participate:
- Must be a homeowner.
- Must live in Medina CITY limits.
- Must be willing to install a rain garden sign at the end of the installation.
- Must be willing to have photos of the rain garden shared on Medina SWCD’s social media.
To Apply:
- Make sure you meet the requirements above.
- Review the program details below.
- Make sure you’re willing to follow the steps to complete the program.
- Contact Medina SWCD to set up a site visit with staff to:
- Visit your property to inspect desired location
- Go through a checklist of different factors
- Have your location ranked to see if you are eligible
- Deadline for APPLYING is Friday November 15, 2024
- In December, the top 10 ranked applications will be chosen
After reading this page, to apply call 330-722-9322 and ask for Abby or Eric.
Program Details:
To be eligible for $250 in reimbursement, these steps must be followed.
- Before November 15th 2024: Apply and set up site visit.
- December 2024: Applicants will be notified of if they were chosen or not.
- January 2025: Get trained:
- In January, the top 10 eligible homeowners will attend either an in-person or digital training about how to properly install a rain garden.
- Medina SWCD staff can assist with pre-construction questions that remain.
- Spring 2025: Begin installing your rain garden:
- Call 811 before you dig.
- Keep reference or ticket number.
- Test your soil’s drainage (instructions provided).
- Size your garden.
- Amend soils as needed.
- Plant 50%-100% native plants.
- Take photos throughout these steps.
- Call 811 before you dig.
- Create seasonal maintenance plan.
- In June 2025: Set up Inspection:
- Get rain garden inspected by SWCD staff.
- Make adjustments if needed.
- Give yourself time to make adjustments and for a second inspection.
- The deadline to complete your garden is July 2nd.
- Install SWCD provided rain garden sign.
- Get SWCD staff approval for completion.
- DEADLINE FOR COMPLETION: JULY 2, 2025
- Receive $250 reimbursement.
- Checks will be mailed out at the end of July, after the July Medina SWCD board meeting.
- If a rain garden is not completed and signed off by SWCD by July 2nd, the participating homeowner will not receive a reimbursement check.
Disqualifying factors:
Some properties may not be suited for a rain garden. When staff come out for the initial site visit, they can determine if you are disqualified due to a property’s physical limitations. Some examples are if the rain garden would be too close to a building’s foundation or would be hard to install due to tree roots.
High ranking factors:
These are a few factors that could help you rank higher and make you more likely to be chosen:
- Installing a rain garden in the front yard.
- Having a downspout provide the rain garden’s water source.
- Having a roof of 200 square feet or larger drain to the rain garden.
- Living within Champion Creek’s watershed.
- This stream is Medina City’s hardest hit stream from development.
- Installing a rain garden in this area could be of great environmental benefit.
