The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program

Take a minute to picture your house and yard after a heavy rain…is there a spot in your yard that always seems oversaturated? Does your driveway or street become a mini river from the rain runoff? Maybe the place underneath your gutter spout is a problem to landscape? These occurrences are more than unsightly and frustrating – they’re actually part of a huge soil and water conservation problem that Virginia faces!

Our leading cause of poor water quality is from “nonpoint source pollution;” in other words, the water runoff we just described. The runoff carries toxins like fertilizers, pesticides, oils and bacteria into our lakes, rivers and coastlands and eventually ends up in our drinking water. However, Virginia is determined to help our environment and is offering an impressive incentive for you to help, too!

In 2016, a nonprofit called The Virginia Association of Soil & Water Conservation Districts (VASWCD) created The Virginia Conservation Assistant Program (VCAP) for reducing the cost of installing conservation improvement projects. Participating home and property owners who install conservation practices on their properties receive a reimbursement incentive from VCAP - up to 75% of the cost is reimbursed.  Practices like impervious surface removal, conservation landscaping, rainwater harvesting, green roofs and permeable pavement are just a few of several eligible projects included in the VCAP. 

The VCAP is barely two years old, yet it’s already become incredibly popular with individuals and organizations, alike. While this is great news for conservation efforts, VCAP funding is limited, however. Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity to give back to your environment while improving the appearance of your home or property! 

Want to know more about the VCAP? Already have a project in mind? Then give us a call! Our team is here to provide you with the high-quality civil engineering services your conservation project deserves. From start to finish, we’ll guide you through the VCAP process and together, we can help our environment. 

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