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.
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.
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.
Existing RainWise Contractors – Sign up for RainWise Events here! 
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!
- Recording: Building a RainWise Rain Garden
- PDF of presentation: Building a RainWise Rain Garden
- PDF of RainWise design specs: Design Details for Rain Gardens and Cisterns
“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!
- Recording: Getting Your RainWise Business Online
- PDF of presentation: Getting Your RainWise Business Online
- One-pager of useful tips: Getting Your RainWise Business Online
“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.
- Recording: Design Challenges – How do you make it work?
- PDF of presentation: Design Challenges – How do you make it work?
“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!
- Recording: Cistern Installation Basics – Dry fit and Pipe Gluing
- Sign up for future GRiP meetings here: 700milliongallons.org/about/green-infrastructure-partnership-grip/
- For more resources, check out venturesnonprofit.org which is a Seattle-based nonprofit that empowers aspiring entrepreneurs with limited resources and unlimited potential.
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!
Rebate Paperwork
- Contractor Overview and FAQ – inspection request email and phone number
- Before RainWise Construction Begins – Customer Understanding – This form must be completed by the property owner before construction begins. Submit this form with your pre-inspection request or Notice of RainWise Project.
- Before RainWise Construction Begins – Customer Understanding Example
- RainWise Project Complete – Rebate Instructions and Forms
- RainWise Project Complete – Rebate Instructions and Forms Example
- Infiltration Test Form
- Warranty Form for Cisterns and Rain Gardens
- Notice of RainWise Project Only for contractors approved to have their pre-inspection waived.
- Vendors for Cistern & Rain Garden Plumbing Supplies
- Map of RainWise Basins
- Maps of rain garden eligibility – Maps of each basin showing which properties are likely eligible for rain gardens.
- Big Roof Rebates/Large Facility Agreement – Over 2,000SF – For facilities over 2,000 square feet, the Property Owner is required to sign this 10-year commitment instead of the Homeowner Agreement.
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:
- RainWise FAQs in English.
- RainWise One Pager in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Traditional Chinese, Somali, Tigrayan.
- Cistern Fact Sheet available in English, Cambodian, Traditional Chinese.
Design Specifications:
- Rainwise_Rebate_Calculator
- Design Details for Rain Gardens and Cisterns
- How to install a pump to a cistern
Guides for Plant Selection:
Use these plant suggestions and plans to simplify your design process and share options with customers.
- Sightline Institute – Using Cistern Water for Edibles
- RainWise Planting Plan
- SPU Natural Drainage Systems Plant Palette 2000-2006
- Seattle Green Factor Plant List
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.
- Rain Garden and Cistern Maintenance Guide (English)
- Rain Garden and Cistern Maintenance Guide (Spanish)
- Rain Garden and Cistern Maintenance Guide (Vietnamese)
- Rain Garden and Cistern Maintenance Guide (Traditional Chinese)
- Rain Garden and Cistern Maintenance Guide (Cambodian)
- Rain Garden and Cistern Maintenance Guide (Somali)
- Rain Garden and Cistern Maintenance Guide (Tigrinya)
Reference materials
- RainWise Contractor Program Participation Criteria
- Seattle stormwater manual seattle.gov/dpd/codes/dr/dr2009-17.pdf
- Rain garden handbook for western Washington fortress.wa.gov/ecy/publications/publications/1310027.pdf
- Seattle right-of-way improvements manual seattle.gov/transportation/rowmanual/manual/
- Seattle standard specifications and plans seattle.gov/util/engineering/standardspecsplans/
- Seattle side sewer permit requirements seattle.gov/dpd/permits/permittypes/sidesewer/
- Seattle director’s rules web6.seattle.gov/dpd/dirrulesviewer/
- Seattle land use code seattle.gov/dpd/codesrules/codes/landuse/
- Additional resources from western WA 12000raingardens.org/resources/#