Native plants and pollinator habitat · New Hampshire

AWWA Shoreline Vegetated Buffer Cost-Share Program

Run by Acton Wakefield Watersheds Alliance (AWWA), funded by NH Charitable Foundation Great Bay 2030 Initiative

OpenPlan requiredLast checked October 17, 2026
What you get
$500 for letting the buffer grow unmowed; $500 back for planting projects costing up to $1,000; for projects over $1,000, half the cost up to $1,000
Maximum
$1,000 per household
Who qualifies
Owners of lakefront property in New Hampshire or Maine on the five listed lakes who want to add or improve a vegetated buffer within 50 ft of the water.
Where
Owners of lakefront property in NH or ME on Great East Lake, Horn Pond, Lake Ivanhoe/Round Pond, Lovell Lake or Wilson Lake.
Status
Open. Page shows no end date; funding restricted to grant money, availability not stated.
Type of payment
Cost share
Official program page

What you do

Plant native shrubs, trees and plants, or stop mowing and let natural vegetation grow, in a buffer within 50 feet of the lake's edge.

Requirements

  • Buffer within 50 feet of water's edge
  • Property cannot be for sale or in foreclosure
  • Must fully own the property or be current on mortgage or loan
  • Homeowner does the planting and ongoing care
  • AWWA works with you to design a planting plan; advises on where to buy plants

The plan or design it asks for

AWWA helps the homeowner design a planting plan fitting the property; timing not published.

Make the plan in Sow

Draw the layout and build the plant list

Sow places plants on a photo of your yard and keeps a list of everything you add. Check AWWA's rules for exactly what to submit.

Start a plan in Sow

How to apply

  1. 1Confirm your lake is one of the five listed
  2. 2Fill out the online application (Airtable form linked from the program page)
  3. 3Work with AWWA on a planting plan
  4. 4Plant and maintain the buffer
  5. 5Payment steps and timing not published; call (603) 473-2500 or [email protected]

Timing and deadlines

not published

not published

Sources

Last checked October 17, 2026. See something out of date? Tell us.

Sow is not affiliated with any of these agencies or utilities. Amounts and rules change, often at the start of a fiscal year, so confirm the details on the official page before you start a project. How we research these programs