Virginia Conservation Assistance Program
The Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP) is a financial assistance program that helps HOAs, individual homeowners, schools, places of worship, and other communities with urban soil erosion and water runoff.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
VCAP has a new planting tool called VCAP Planting Planner! Excellent for selecting native plants and verifying coverage requirements.
Application Process
Please note that our VCAP is available to Prince William County, City of Manassas, and Manassas Park residents!
How to apply:
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Determine if you have an erosion or water quality problem on your property
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Look at the options available at https://vaswcd.org/vcap/.
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Fill out and submit a Site Visit Request Form:
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Electronically submit a Site Visit Request. (Please note that photos/videos are required and you must have a Google account to fill out this form.)
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Fill out a .pdf (link coming soon). Then you can:
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e-mail the .pdf form and photos/videos to alexmurphy@pwswcd.org and/ or nicoleethier@pwswcd.org.
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Snail mail them or drop them off at our office:
Prince William SWCD, Attn: VCAP, 8850 Rixlew Lane, Manassas, VA 20109
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Remember, the more details you can provide, the better!
When submitting a Site Visit Request Form, here are some things we look for:
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A significant water quality/erosion problem that needs to be addressed
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Properties that are adjacent to a waterbody/waterway
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Visibility to the public (can someone casually driving by see it?)
If you are unsure about your project, remember that it never hurts to apply! Do your best and fill out what you can.
What happens after you submit a Site Visit Request Form
See the VCAP application process for the next steps. As we want to see your project succeed, we will work with you every step of the way!
If you have any questions, please contact the District at 571-379-7514, or e-mail alexmurphy@pwswcd.org or nicoleethier@pwswcd.org.
Important Notes:
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If you start/finish a VCAP practice before your application is approved, you may not be eligible for VCAP for that particular practice.
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You will be responsible for finding a contractor or doing the work yourself. If you need a list of potential contractors, please contact alexmurphy@pwswcd.org or nicoleethier@pwswcd.org.
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VCAP is a reimbursement program. You will get reimbursed after your practice has been confirmed to be installed according to your approved plan.
Calculators
Use these calculators to help determine sizes/amount of materials, depending on the particular practice. Please note that clicking on a link will open an Excel file.
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Plant Density Calculator - use for practices that require a 75% plant density, like conservation landscaping. As plant classifications can be subjective, this calculator is simply meant as a guide.
Resources
(PY = Program year, which runs from July 1-June 30)
Documents needed for application (don't worry about this until after a site visit has been conducted)
Getting started
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VCAP website (for landowners) <- Good place to start!
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Guide from the District - includes information on seeds, plugs, nurseries, etc. <- Useful information!
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* NRCS Virginia Plant Establishment Guide excellent guide in selecting the right native plants for your project
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* Digital Atlas of the Virginia Flora use this to verify that the plants you want are native to your area
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PercTest - RiverSmart Homes PercTest Worksheet (use for Infiltration Test)
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Watershed Stewards Academy Rainscaping Manual
*Excellent resource for designing conservation landscaping, rain gardens, permeable pavement, infiltration practices, rainwater harvesting, and green roofs!
Conservation Landscaping
Rain Gardens
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Rain Garden Intro YouTube Video from Native Plant Symposium 2023
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Rain Garden Design from Iowa
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Rain Garden Manual for Homeowners from the Geauga Soil and
Water Conservation District
Contractors
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For a list of contractors, please e-mail alexmurphy@pwswcd.org or nicoleethier@pwswcd.org. Please keep in mind that the District cannot recommend specific contractors.
Sample Application Forms
Does the application process look too intimidating? Then check out these applications other people have submitted for their VCAP projects! Huge thanks to the Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (VASWCD) and other soil and water conservation districts throughout Virginia for these excellent examples!
Personal information for these sample applications have been omitted. We will still help you with your application before submitting it to our Technical Review Committee; see Step 3 above.
