Happy Spring, RainWise Contractors! 

My name is Carrie Schaffner and I joined SPU as the RainWise Program Coordinator in January. I’ll be supporting the program in a number of ways, including being a resource for all of you! You can reach me through rainwise@seattle.gov or directly at carrie.schaffner@seattle.gov.

News & Updates

2024 By The Numbers Thanks to your work last year, there are now over 2,500 completed RainWise projects, controlling over 36 million gallons of stormwater each year! Check out the full summary for more details. See 2024 by the Numbers

New Eligible Areas are Coming! New basins opening in May King County is excited to announce the opening of two new basins at the beginning of May – one in Southeast Seattle (Rainier Valley) and one in Southwest Seattle (Chelan). These areas have been identified as new priority areas to help limit the number of overflow events happening in the Duwamish River. The success of improving water quality and reducing CSO events in these areas, as always, is dependent on our amazing contractors! We anticipate a lot of energy and interest among eligible community members in these areas, with an increase in calls and emails to all of you as we start to promote RainWise in these neighborhoods. We will send you an email when these basins are officially open and the online eligibility map has been updated. For questions, please reach out to either Amelia Bahr (abahr@kingcounty.gov) or Savannah Jane Duncan (savduncan@kingcounty.gov)

Welcome New Contractors!

In January and February, we onboarded six new contractors to the RainWise program. A warm welcome to Earthworks Land Care, Hemlock Ecoworks, Osprey Exterior, Rutheo Designs, and Trillium Landscape Design, and welcome back to The People’s Gardening Collective! We’re thrilled to have you as part of the program and hope to see you at some of our in-person events this spring and summer!

Participation Requirements for Contractors

With the addition of so many new faces to this community, now is a good time to remind everyone of participation requirements which include:

• Completion of orientation
• One installation in your first year in the program, and one every two years thereafter
• Current state & city business licenses
• Abiding by RainWise best practices

You can find the complete guide here. If you ever have questions, or worried that you might not be able to meet a requirement, please reach out – we’re here to help!

Review Participation Criteria

Online Rebate Calculator We will be transitioning to using the web-based calculator exclusively within the next couple of weeks, ending use of the Excel version. You can expect an email notice when use of the online tool becomes a requirement. If you haven’t tried out the new tool yet, go ahead and get to know it now, and use it for the most accurate calculations! If you have any questions or feedback on the online calculator, please let us know at rainwise@seattle.gov. Try the web-based rebate calculator

Updated Rain Garden Handbook

Before installing your next rain garden, be sure to check out the newly updated Rain Garden Handbook for Western Washington.

While this is an excellent reference, please make sure your RainWise installations also align with the RainWise Design Details which do differ in places from those found in the handbook. The handbook is available in English and Spanish.

Outreach Events

Meet a Contractor Fair at the Tilth Edible Plant Sale

Saturday, May 10th from 9am-3pm at the Meridian Playground in Wallingford.

With thousands of attendees, the Tilth Edible Plant Sale is one of Seattle's busiest outdoor gardening events. Sign up for a 2-hour time slot with the RainWise outreach team and create a display with photos and/or plants to engage with potential customers. This event is popular and will fill up quickly – book your spot today!

In-Person Workshop 

Wednesday, April 30th from 6.30-7:30pm (arrive by 7 pm) at Our Lady of Guadalupe, Walmesley Center

The best way to solicit new customers is through an in-person event like these educational workshops for interested customers. Workshops are limited to 3 contractors who will directly engage with customers and answer questions. Customers often don't look any further for someone to work with on their RainWise installation. We expect lots of interest with new basins opening up! Sign up here.

If you are a new contractor in 2025 and would like to listen in on the April workshop, please email us at rainwise@seattle.org. Check the sign up page for additional dates in May and June!

Sign up for Outreach Events

Announcements

Contractor Roundtable - Tuesday, September 9, at King St Center

Save the Date! Join us in the fall for an exclusive in-person contractor event! You’ll have the chance to see how past feedback has shaped the program, exchange knowledge with peers and program staff, and help us prioritize new resources that support your business. This 2-3 hour investment of your time will ensure your needs drive our future collaboration. Email us at rainwise@seattle.gov if you have a preference for the time of day.

Quick Links

Looking for reference materials, paperwork or other resources? Check out the Contractor Resources page on the RainWise website.

Contractor Resources

Questions? Feedback? Email rainwise@seattle.gov