RAINWISE

Contractor Resources

RainWise is a rebate program that helps eligible property owners manage stormwater by installing cisterns and/or rain gardens on private property. Contractors must go through our Orientation or Academy program to install for RainWise. Contractors must also be licensed. See Contractor Licensing Requirements for more information.

Please email rainwise@seattle.gov with any questions. 

Become a RainWise Contractor: Three Day Orientation

Want to become a RainWise contractor and learn the requirements to install cisterns and/or rain gardens on private property in specific Seattle neighborhoods? Attend our next free 3-day RainWise Contractor Orientation for contractors and landscape professionals. This orientation is required to perform RainWise installations. Email us for updates on the next orientation.

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RainWise Contractor Academy: 12 Week Training

Need more than an orientation? Attend the RainWise Academy for an in-depth, 48-hour free training over 12 weeks to help you become an independent contractor for RainWise. You will learn small business, customer service, and marketing skills, RainWise design and construction of rain gardens and cisterns and more! Email us for updates on the next training.

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  Existing RainWise Contractors – Sign up for RainWise Events here!    Sign Up!

Become a RainWise Contractor – Next Steps

After you attend the 3 day orientation, refer to these documents to become a RainWise contractor:

Contractor Skill-Building Webinars

These webinars are for current and prospective RainWise contractors and are held virtually using the Zoom Webinar platform. Recording are located on YouTube.

“Building a RainWise Rain Garden”

Watch the recording to learn the basics of Building a RainWise Rain Garden with Kat with a K Landscaping. You will learn the basics of preliminary planning and design, excavation best practices, and how to complete the installation for a rain garden. BONUS: How to connect a cistern to a rain garden!

“Getting Your RainWise Business Online”

Watch this recording of the Contractor Skill-Building Webinar to learn strategies to getting your RainWise business online. Join RainWise outreach team members to go through useful platforms such as LinkedIn, Facebook Business, Yelp, Houzz, and more!

“Design Challenges – How do you make it work?”

Watch this webinar with RainWise contractor Roseann Barnhill of Dirt Corps to learn more about the challenges when installing a RainWise project. Also, you will learn how to complete an initial site design for a RainWise project.

“Cistern Installation Basics – Dry fit and Pipe Gluing”

Watch this webinar where you will join Jake Harris of Stone Soup Gardens to learn about the basics of installing a cistern system. At this webinar, you will learn how to dry-fit a cistern installation, pipe-gluing techniques, and more!

Contractor Newsletter

The RainWise Program emails and mails its Contractor News and Tips Newsletter to RainWise contractors. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide contractors with important program updates and events. If you are a RainWise contractor and you are not receiving the newsletter by mail or email, please contact us at rainwise@seattle.gov to let us know. Please also let us know if you change your address. We want to make sure we are mailing the newsletter to the right place!

Visit this page for the contractor newsletter archive.

Rebate Paperwork

RainWise Rebate Paperwork_Customer Packet

RainWise Rebate Paperwork_Contractor Packet

Financial Support Options

For contractors:

  • Vendor Payment Option – Use this form for homeowners who choose to have the RainWise rebate go directly to their RainWise Contractor.
  • RainWise Pilot Access Loan – 12000raingardens.org/rpal/
  • Craft3 provides pre-construction rebate advances to RainWise contractors. This program expands access to the RainWise program by enabling contractors to work with customers who cannot pay upfront for the work. Visit Craft3.org/RainWise to learn more.
  • If you choose to participate in this program, please fill out the Rebate Assignment Option form with the homeowner.

For property owners:

  • RainWise Access Grant: The RainWise Access Grant provides up to an additional $1000 for RainWise eligible homeowners and non-profit community organizations (including religious groups) to bridge the gap between rebate amount and actual project costs for income limited and underserved communities. Note income limitations. 12000raingardens.org/rainwise-access-grant/
  • Access Grant and Mini-Grant in Spanish, Traditional Chinese, Korean

Marketing, Design and Maintenance Materials & Resources

Marketing:

Design Specifications:

Guides for Plant Selection:

Use these plant suggestions and plans to simplify your design process and share options with customers.

Maintenance:

Teach your customers how to maintain their cistern and rain gardens. Use our maintenance guide or “how-to” videos. These are all available in English, Spanish and Vietnamese.

Additional Information