VCAP is an urban cost-share program that provides financial incentives and technical assistance to property owners that install Best Management Practices (BMPs) in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay watershed. Types of BMPs that are eligible for reimbursement include rain gardens, permeable pavement, conservation landscaping, rainwater harvesting, green roofs, and many others. The City of Alexandria partners with the Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District (NVSWCD) to administer the Virginia Conservation Assistance Program (VCAP).
VCAP projects help to:
- Treat stormwater runoff
- Control and minimize erosion
- Conserve water within the landscape
- Improve riparian buffer areas
- Promote wildlife habitat
- Revegetate bare spots
- Stabilize drainage ways
- Restore problem areas on properties
To apply for VCAP financial assistance, contact the NVSWCD at 703-324-1460 or at conservationdistrict@fairfaxcounty.gov to discuss your interest in the program.
VCAP assists those that live and work within the City of Alexandria by helping them to address drainage issues and improve the quality of stormwater runoff leaving their properties before it enters the Potomac River and Chesapeake Bay. VCAP also helps the City to achieve its Chesapeake Bay TMDL goals by reducing the amount of phosphorous, nitrogen, and sediment that are found in stormwater runoff. All districts within the Chesapeake Bay watershed in Virginia qualify for VCAP and cost-share funding available on a first come, first serve basis.
VCAP only offers cost-share to individuals who are voluntarily installing practices on their properties. The program also does not help cost-share facilities if they are in response to the violation of local easements. New homes are not eligible for VCAP cost-share until 3 years after the residential occupancy permit has been issued.
To learn more about VCAP, visit the VCAP Website, contact the NVSWCD, or contact the City of Alexandria Stormwater Management Division at 703-746-4014.