Rainscaping mission-driven properties in St. Louis

MSD’s Rainscaping Large Grants Program

Greenprint has managed several green infrastructure (GI) projects under the Metropolitan St. Louis Sewer District’s (MMSD) Rainscaping Large Scale Grants Program. This program is part of MSD’s broader Project Clear initiative developed with the EPA and the Missouri Coalition for the Environment. Project Clear aims to improve water quality and address wastewater issues in the St. Louis region. Rainscaping (or GI) is a key part of the initiative as a tool to help reduce the risk of basement flooding and combined sewer overflows.

In 2017, Greenprint received a grant from the Kresge Foundation to review the MSD Rainscaping Grant Program to evaluate program barriers for property owners in low-income communities. We found that community institutions — like houses of worship and schools — are ideal program participants. However, these groups required more support to participate in a grant program of this scale. These property owners are committed to community improvement, making their projects valuable for both stormwater management and the wider community. By assisting them in securing grant funding, we saw an opportunity to increase participation and help MSD achieve its stormwater management goals.

Greenprint continues to support the program by identifying eligible properties in areas draining into the Mississippi River and River Des Peres. We work closely with interested property owners and guide them through every phase of a project’s development — from planning and funding to permits and construction — ensuring each project effectively addresses the site’s specific stormwater management issues while also meeting community needs. We also manage the grant application process to ensure that all program requirements have been met prior to submitting a complete application to MSD on a landowner’s behalf. Greenprint has successfully completed nine projects, with four more underway. Our success highlights the importance of a community-centered approach in advancing a city’s broader stormwater management goals.

“This represents one of the largest investments MSD has made in a historically black community in St. Louis, and shows that we are leaders in creating a more sustainable and prosperous community.”

– Dr. Donald Ray McNeal, Senior Pastor, Hopewell Missionary Baptist Church