Wriiten by ECOSS Staff
Giang Nguyen has been a RainWise contractor for 8 months, installing cisterns in the Vietnamese community and running a landscaping business. After receiving RainWise training in the fall of 2018, Giang completed his first RainWise cistern installation. The Vietnamese homeowner was so happy that they spread the word about the RainWise program, leading to many new clients for Giang from just this one homeowner. Many clients were not located in a RainWise-eligible basin, so Giang was happy and grateful for the Mini-Grant fund that helped pay some or all of the homeowners’ installation costs. Without the Mini-Grant funding, Giang believes many community members wouldn’t be willing to pay out of pocket for installations. Giang has also contacted his existing landscaping clients for potential cistern installations and to educate them on why it is important to slow and reduce the amount of rain water going into the storm drain and sewer system. When Giang learned that the Mini-Grant funding ran out, he felt sad.
Giang would like to say to the funders, “Please continue to fund the Mini-Grant program because there are lots of people in my community who are moving away from Seattle and live in a cheaper area who really want to capture their rainwater for gardening and are willing to disconnect the downspout to go into their lawn. The Mini-Grant has made my landscaping business grow financially and knowing more people who I have not met before expanded the potential landscaping work. I love the simple Mini-Grant paperwork process and I get paid faster, which is so important when I have to upfront the cost for the installation. Also, there is no W-9 form for the homeowner, which makes it easier and reduce the burden and stress on the homeowner when they should not have to worry about their income tax later on. That is why I was able to complete more installations through the Mini-Grant program than the RainWise program, and I do hope that the RainWise Program will eventually be as easy as Mini-Grant in the future.”
The Mini-Grant has been critical for Giang’s business, helped residents in King County learn about stormwater pollution and provided financial support for homeowners and home renters. Giang’s experience shows why more funding for Mini-Grants is vital.