CNT helped Oak Park start a local RainReady program and managed it with Village funding from 2017-2021. Below is a record of the program’s documents and some examples of the program’s work with residents’ homes.

RainReady Program Documents

• Frequently Asked Questions (PDF)
• Grant Agreement Packet (PDF)
• Grant Reimbursement Packet (PDF)

Program Resources

• Presentation: RainReady Oak Park - Creating and Caring for Smart Landscaping (PDF)
• Presentation: RainGarden Maintenance (PDF)
• Tool: My RainReady Home Assessment
• Factsheet: Making your yard RainReady (PDF)
• Factsheet: Seven techniques for capturing rain (PDF)
• Factsheet: Get RainReady with native plants (PDF)
• Factsheet: Get RainReady with trees (PDF)
• Factsheet: Disconnect gutters to reduce chances of basement flooding
• Video: RainReady Solutions in Action: Rain Garden

Examples of RainReady in Oak Park

Grass And Concrete

Many urban yards look like this one – grass and concrete. When it rains, water runs off into sewers. When the sewer system is overwhelmed, this can cause flooding. RainReady Oak Park was created to help change this.

Hidden Flood​ing

RainReady assesses each home to find ways to reduce runoff and flooding. At this home, erosion around the downspout caused water to seep into the basement.

Natural Solutions

Natural solutions can help prevent flooding. Here, a landscaper tests backyard soil for a new rain garden.

Sinking Rain Where It Falls

The native plants in this garden keep rain in the yard, instead of overwhelming the sewer and backing up into streets and basements.

Keeping Water Out Of Homes

Can you spot the disconnected downspout hidden in a rain garden? By sending rain away from the home, the downspout helps prevent basement seepage, and waters the plants at the same time.

The Village Leads

Through RainReady Oak Park, homeowners received grants to install rain gardens and other natural solutions.

Interested in learning more? Explore RainReady here.