Illinois-Indiana Sea Grant provides training to communities interested in building rain gardens, using a curriculum developed by Purdue Extension. Rain gardens lead to reduced stormwater runoff and improved water quality. Through workshops, Master Gardeners and other community members learn about rain gardens and other residential-scale green infrastructure techniques. In 2019, University of Illinois Extension piloted a Rainscaping training event at the Jackson County Extension Office in cooperation with the Greater Egypt Regional Planning Commission. The event proved successful, educating eight attendees and building a demonstration rain garden. In 2020, the Purdue Rainscaping Education Program was officially adopted by University of Illinois Extension through a memorandum of agreement to expand it throughout Illinois. Curriculum materials were updated and rebranded by Extension. Due to COVID-19, workshops were also switched to an online format.
