Electric Leaf Blower Rebate Program

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible to receive a rebate under the Electric Leaf Blower Rebate Program.

General Requirements:

• The individual submitting the application must be at least 18 years of age.
• Business, nonprofit, or public entitiy must be based in Rhode Island.

Eligible Business and Nonprofit Entities:

• Must be based in Rhode Island.
• Must be either:
  • A professional landscaping business,
  • A business whose operations involve extensive use of leaf blowers for outdoor maintenance, cleaning, or debris removal (e.g. pest management, grounds maintenance),
  • A business or a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization that provides commercial scale landscape maintenance in-house.
• Must also meet one of these two requirements:

1. The business must be registered and in good standing with the Rhode Island Secretary of State.
2. If the business is not registered with the Rhode Island Secretary of State, it must fall into one of the following categories: Sole Proprietorships, Partnerships (LPs and LLPs), C Corporations, S Corporations, B Corporations, Cooperatives, Limited Liability Companies (LLCs), or a registered 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. 

Eligible Public Entities: 

• Must be a federally recognized Tribe, municipality, public school district, or fire district
• Must perform commercial scale landscape maintenance in-house or use leaf blowers for routine maintenance of public grounds, fields, parks, schools, or public facilities.  

To qualify for a rebate under the Electric Leaf Blower Rebate Program, applicants must purchase leaf blowers that meet the following eligibility requirements:

1. Electric, battery-powered leaf blowers are eligible.
2. Handheld and backpack leaf blowers are eligible.
3. Additional batteries purchased for the intended use of powering the leaf blower are eligible to count towards total costs.
   • Limit of 2 batteries per leaf blower.
   • Proof of battery purchase must be submitted within the initial application and cannot be submitted additionally at a later date.
4. Leaf blowers must be purchased new from a physical retail store located in RI, either online or in-person. Leaf blowers purchased from private sellers are not eligible.
   • Online purchases will be considered valid only if made directly through the website of a retail store with a physical location in Rhode Island.   

Lawn mowers, string trimmers, and any other landscape equipment or accessories that are not leaf blowers are not eligible for rebates.

Leaf blowers must be purchased on or after the program launch date, August 25, 2025. Rebates are not retroactive to past purchases.

The Electric Leaf Blower Rebate Program uses an online application portal. Here’s what to expect when applying:

1. Review program & confirm eligibility
   • Review program requirements including applicant and equipment eligibility requirements.
   • It is the applicant's responsibility to review eligibility prior to purchasing equipment.
2. Purchase equipment & prepare documents
   • Gather proof of age, proof of business, nonprofit, or public entity forms (or IRS forms), purchase receipt, and equipment details.
   • Draft letter detailing how leaf blowers are used in your operations if you are a business, nonprofit, or public entities that is not a professional landscaping business.
   • Scan or take photos of required documentation so it is ready to upload into your application.
3. Start online application
   • Provide applicant information including business, nonprofit, or public entity name, address, and contact information.
   • Be prepared to upload a copy of the applicant's license, and the business, nonprofit, or public entities required tax or related documents at the end of the application.
4. Provide purchase details
   • Enter the serial number, manufacturer, model, purchase date, and purchase price of your leaf blower(s) and related batteries.
   • Be prepared to upload a copy of the sales receipt at the end of the application.
5. Make program pledges
   • Maintain ownership and operation of the equipment for at least three years.
   • Use the equipment in Rhode Island for commercial purposes.
   • Cover any costs beyond the rebate amount.
6. Review and submit
   • Check that all information is accurate.
   • Submit the application electronically through the portal.
7. After submission
   • OER may contact you by email for additional information.
   • If approved, you will receive a rebate check within 4–6 weeks of final approval (processing times may vary).
   • Applications are reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted.

The rebate amounts for the electric leaf blower rebate program are based on percentages of eligible costs, up to a maximum amount. Please note that the electric leaf blower rebate program will award the recipient whichever amount is less. 

Standard Rebate: 

Save $1,500.00 or 75% (whichever is less) of the purchase price of an electric leaf blower and 2 additional related batteries. Each leaf blower rebate is limited to 2 related batteries, in addition to any batteries that come with the blower. Applicants may receive a maximum of 2 rebates in total.

High Asthma Rate Increased Rebate: 

Save up to an additional $250.00 of the purchase price of an electric leaf blower and related batteries. Limited to qualified businesses that are located in the following municipalities with the highest rates of asthma-related emergency department visits¹:

• Central Falls
• Pawtucket
• Providence
• Westerly
• Woonsocket

Applicants must contribute at least 10% of total cost of equipment.

¹ Municipalities with the highest asthma rates in the state are determined by RIDOH data on Rhode Island Cities/Towns by Rate of asthma-Related Emergency Department Visits, 2022.

Applicants must submit all the applicable documents below with their rebate application to be eligible to receive a rebate from the electric leaf blower rebate program.

• Valid Driver’s License, or State Issued ID.
• If registered with the Secretary of State, proof of business registration through the Rhode Island Secretary of State.
• If the business is not registered with the Rhode Island Secretary of State, applicants must provide one of the following documents as proof of business operation:
  • IRS Schedule C (Form 1040)
  • IRS Form 1065
  • IRS Form 990
  • IRS Determination Letter
• Businesses, nonprofits, and public entities that are not professional landscaping businesses must provide a letter explaining how leaf blowers are used in their operations. Additional proof may be requested.
• Electric leaf blower sales receipt that includes the purchase date and purchase price.
  • Provide sales receipt that includes the purchase date and purchase price for all related batteries, if applicable.
• Copy of the manufacturers or retail store document (or specification sheet) that includes the electric leaf blower’s serial number, manufacturer, and model.
• A completed and signed W-9 Form.

Items can be uploaded as photos, screenshots, or PDFs.

As a condition for receiving a leaf blower rebate, you (the applicant/purchaser) must comply with the requirements below. Eligible applicants must meet requirements that include the following:

Rebate Specifics:

• Standard Rebate: $1,500.00 or 75% (whichever is less) of the purchase price of an electric leaf blower and 2 additional related batteries.
• High Asthma Rate Increased Rebate: Save an additional $250.00 of the purchase price of an electric leaf blower and related batteries.
• To qualify for the high asthma rate increased rebate qualified businesses must be located in these municipalities with the highest rates of asthma-related emergency department visits[1]:

1. Central Falls
2. Pawtucket
3. Providence
4. Westerly
5. Woonsocket

• Each leaf blower rebate is limited to two (2) related batteries, in addition to any batteries that come with the blower.
• Applicants are limited to two (2) rebates total over the lifetime of the program. ‘Applicant’ refers to a single business entity, defined by entity name, address, ownership, and tax identification number (e.g., TIN). Multiple submissions from the same entity using different contact information or TINs will not be considered separate applicants unless they represent two legally distinct entities.
• Only purchases made on or after the program relaunch date of August 25, 2025, are eligible.
  1. The online application portal will close at 11:59 PM on June 16, 2026. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be eligible for a rebate—no exceptions. Applicants are strongly encouraged to act promptly to secure funding, as this program operates on a limited budget and is expected to reach capacity quickly.
• Applicants must maintain ownership and operation of the electric leaf blower for at least 3 years after purchase.
• Applicants must contribute at least 10% of total cost of equipment.

Applicant Requirements:

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible to receive a rebate under the Electric Leaf Blower Rebate Program.

• Applicants must meet the applicant eligibility outlined above.
• Applicants must commit to using the equipment for which they receive a rebate primarily within Rhode Island for commercial purposes.
• Applicants must provide all required documentation found in the “Required Documents” section above, including sales receipts, proof of age, and any additional documentation requested by the program administrators.

Equipment Requirements: 

• Equipment must meet the equipment eligibility outlined above. 

Additional Information:

• Applicants must purchase an eligible electric leaf blower before applying for the electric leaf blower rebate program.
• Rebates will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis, pending available funds.
  • This is a reimbursement program. Applicants must cover expenses upfront and provide proof of payment for reimbursement.
• Only purchases made on or after the program relaunch date of August 25, 2025, are eligible. The online application portal will close at 11:59 PM on June 16, 2026. Applications submitted after this deadline will not be eligible for a rebate—no exceptions.
• Applicants are strongly encouraged to act promptly to secure funding, as this program operates on a limited budget.
• OER will provide updates on available funding throughout the program period; however, OER is not responsible if applications cannot be processed before the program’s deadline of June 16, 2026, if funds are exhausted prior to that date. We strongly encourage applicants to apply as soon as possible to improve their chances of securing a rebate while funds remain available.
• Applicants are responsible for checking all leaf blower related emails and program website for status updates and requests for additional information or documents required to complete the application.
• Applicants independently select and purchase their equipment and assume all liability.
• Applicants will receive follow-up surveys six (6) and twelve (12) months after receiving their rebate to share feedback on their experience with the new equipment.
• Residents are not eligible for rebates under this program.
• Lawn mowers, string trimmers, and any other landscape equipment or accessories that are not leaf blowers are not eligible for rebates.
• Learn how to dispose gas-powered leaf blowers at https://atoz.rirrc.org/items/leaf-blowers.

The OER is not liable for any damages or costs associated with the purchase, maintenance, or use of the electric leaf blowers or related batteries. The OER reserves the right to modify or terminate this rebate program at any time. Funding is limited.

[1] Municipalities with the highest asthma rates in the state are determined by RIDOH data on Rhode Island Cities/Towns by Rate of asthma-Related Emergency Department Visits, 2022.