Applications Open for 2027 Garden Grants

October 1, 2026 – ROCHESTER, MINN. – The City of Rochester is now accepting applications for the 2027 Rochester Garden Grants program. The program provides funding to help create pollinator habitats and rain gardens that add beauty to neighborhoods while providing important environmental benefits. 

Rain gardens and pollinator plantings can support pollinators, reduce stormwater runoff that can carry pollutants to local waterways and help lessen flooding during heavy rains.   

Applications will be accepted through December 31, 2026, with funding available for gardens established during the 2027 growing season. Eligible expenses include garden design, plants, mulch, soil amendments and related materials. The grant program is open to Rochester residents, community organizations and schools.  

Planning resources, including design templates, plant lists and how-to guides, are available through ⁠Blue Thumb and the ⁠University of Minnesota Extension. Applicants may also request guidance from ⁠Extension Master Gardener volunteers. Additional free pollinator habitat technical assistance and Minnesota native pollinator seed mixes are available through the Monarch Joint Venture. 

Launched in 2020, the Rochester Garden Grants program builds on the City’s previous “Realize Rain Gardens Rochester” program, which operated from 2009 to 2019. The expanded program continues to encourage rain gardens to help manage stormwater, beautify neighborhoods and provide habitat for songbirds and butterflies, while also supporting pollinator plantings and helping reduce financial barriers to creating gardens. 

For more information and to review the full grant criteria, visit the Garden Grant webpage.