H-GAC Livable Centers Applicants: Notice of Intent Due May 9

Reminder: The deadline to submit a Notice of Intent to Apply for H-GAC's call for planning study sponsors for the Livable Centers Program is Thursday, May 9. Final applications are due Thursday, July 8.   

H-GAC seeks to identify and fund Livable Centers studies and Focused Livable Centers studies. Livable Centers studies will be scaled at a community level, and Focused Livable Centers studies will focus on a smaller geographic area and/or specific issue (e.g., transit-oriented development, first/last mile connections). 

Sponsors are limited to local governments or other eligible entities in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, or Waller counties. This is not a request for proposals from consulting firms. 

H-GAC hosted an Application Assistance - Pre-Submittal Q&A Meeting in March. Presentation slides and a recording of the event are available online. Information about deadlines, specific application content, and important dates is also available online. 

For more information or questions about upcoming deadlines, email [email protected] or contact Sarai Osorio. 

Trash Bash® Celebrates 30 Years of Waterway Cleanups

On March 23, the River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash® held its 30th annual litter cleanup event. A total of 2,184 volunteers helped remove 53.23 tons of trash and 226 illegally dumped tires from 79 miles of shoreline in the lower Galveston Bay watershed.

When combined, volunteers have removed 2,505 tons of trash and 12,410 illegally dumped tires since the first event in 1994.

Learn more about Trash Bash® online.

H-GAC Launches Trail Mapping Application

H-GAC has created an online tool to inform future decision-making. The Take A Hike tool displays data on existing trails, walking paths, and cycleways. Several data layers are also available for reference. Users can use the tool to identify gaps in trail networks and opportunities for connectivity. If we missed any existing trails, please let us know.

Explore the Take A Hike tool.

Natural Resources Advisory Committee – May 2 (Hybrid) 

H-GAC's Natural Resources Advisory Committee (NRAC) will meet from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, May 2, at H-GAC Bumblebee Conference Room (second floor) and on Microsoft Teams.  

Registration is requested, but not required, to attend in person. Participants can join the Microsoft Teams meeting at the time of the meeting without registering.  

Participants at this meeting will hear updates on regional activities related to natural resources. 

The NRAC serves as a forum to advise the H-GAC Board of Directors and local decision-makers.

For more information, contact Rachel Windham. 

Elder Abuse Training Events – May 8-10, 21-22 (In Person) 

H-GAC’s Elder Justice Program is bringing national experts in identifying, treating, and prosecuting elder abuse, to train criminal justice, legal, medical, and non-profit professionals who have regular contact with seniors. All sessions are free, but capacity is limited and advance registration (and confirmation) is required. Sessions are from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. unless otherwise indicated on the registration page. Continuing education credits are available in multiple disciplines. For more details and to register, visit H-GAC's Elder Justice Training webpage.  

For Crime Victim Advocates and Shelter Staff  

May 8: Candace Heisler on “Different than Domestic Violence: What Every DV Advocate Needs to Know About Elder Abuse in the Face of the Silver Tsunami” at the Harris County Department of Education, Houston.  Register for the May 8 training.

For Medical Professionals  

May 9 and May 10: Dr. Patricia Speck and Candace Heisler on “Distinguishing Elder Abuse from Neglect for Forensic Nurses and Medical Professionals” on May 9 at United Way of Greater Houston—Fort Bend Center, Stafford, and on May 10 at Houston Methodist Hospital West, Houston. Register for the May 9 training. Register for the May 10 training.

For Prosecutors and Investigators  

(Note: State Bar of Texas [SBOT] or Texas Commission on Law Enforcement [TCOLE] license number is required to register for these sessions.)  

May 21 and May 22: Kathy von Olst and Candace Heisler on “Winning Convictions for Felony Elder Abuse: Joint Prosecutor/Investigator Exercises” on May 21 at Gus George Law Enforcement Academy, Richmond, and on May 22 at The Woodlands Emergency Training Center, Conroe. Register for the May 21 training. Register for the May 22 training.

Basin Steering Committee Meeting – May 28 (Hybrid) 

The H-GAC Clean Rivers Program Basin Steering Committee will meet from 2 to 4 p.m. Tuesday May 28, in H-GAC Conference Room D, second floor, and on Zoom.  

Registration is required to attend online. 

The meeting will include a screening of the final 2024 Basin Highlights Report and an overview of the FY25 coordinated monitoring schedule. There will also be updates on current Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) Projects and Watershed Protection Plan (WPP) Developments in the region.  

For more information, contact Todd Running or Jean Wright.

Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable Park Tour – May 15 (In Person)  

Join us for the Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable park tour on Wednesday, May 15, for a tour of Chrysalis Lake and Longwing Landing. We will learn more about the award-winning projects in Bridgeland.

We will meet at 10 a.m. at Chrysalis Lake, off Peek Road near Bridgeland Creek Parkway in Cypress for a tour, then drive to Longwing Landing at 21206 Flower Nectar Court, 2 miles away. The event will conclude at 11:30 a.m.

Transportation will NOT be provided to Chrysalis Lake or to Longwing Landing. Carpooling is encouraged.

Registration is requested, but not required, to attend.

For more information, contact Andrea Tantillo. 

BIG Annual Meeting – June 11 (Hybrid)  

Make plans to attend the Bacteria Implementation Group (BIG) Spring meeting on Tuesday, June 11.  

The meeting is from 1 to 3 p.m. at H-GAC, second floor conference rooms, and on Zoom.  

Registration is required to attend online. Registration for the in-person meeting will open soon.

Topics will include the BIG Implementation Plan (I-Plan) revisions and Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) updates.  

For more information or to submit public comment, contact Steven Johnston.  

Disaster Debris Training – June 11, July 10 (Hybrid, Online)  

Mark your calendars for two Disaster Debris trainings this summer. H-GAC’s annual Disaster Debris Workshop will be from 9 to noon Tuesday, June 11. This workshop will be at H-GAC, second floor conference rooms, and on Zoom. Registration is required to attend online. Registration to attend in person will open soon. Check in begins at 8:30 a.m.

A disaster debris webinar will be from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Wednesday, July 10, on Zoom. Registration is required to attend.

For more information, contact Erin Livingston.

Livable Centers Roundtable and Workshop Series – June 20, September 19 (In-Person)

H-GAC invites you to attend the second and third events in a three-part 2024 Livable Centers Roundtable and Workshop Series—Exploring Community Conscious Planning Practices.

The next events will be an in-person roundtable on June 20 and the third event is H-GAC’s Annual Livable Centers Land Use and Transportation Workshop on September 19.

• Roundtable – Exploring Human-Centered Metrics for Success and Community Satisfaction within Transportation Projects, 1 p.m. Thursday, June 20. Space is limited. Registration is requested.
• Annual Workshop – Incremental Steps Toward Transportation, Environmental, and Social Equity, 8 a.m., Thursday, September 19. Registration is requested.

All events will be held at H-GAC, second floor conference rooms.

Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable – July 23 (In Person) 

Save the date for the next Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable from 9 a.m. to noon Tuesday, July 23, at the West Columbia Civic Center, 512 E. Brazos, West Columbia. Networking and check in begin at 9 a.m. The program begins at 9:30 a.m. Registration will open soon.

The Bringing Back Main Street initiative offers local communities a place to share best practices and engage in a regional dialogue about revitalizing and supporting vibrant downtown spaces. Each quarter, community leaders gather for a roundtable on topics ranging from small business support to sidewalk infrastructure.

For more information, contact Andrea Tantillo. 

Great Texas Birding Classic Habitat Conservation Grants Deadline is May 1 

The mission of the annual Great Texas Birding Classic is to increase appreciation, understanding, and conservation of birds through education, recreation, nature tourism, and conservation fundraising. The Birding Classic is a cost-recovery event, so once minimal event costs are covered by sponsorships and registration fees all remaining funds go to conservation grants in Texas. Conservation grants in the amounts of $1,000, $5,000, or $10,000 can be used to fund nature tourism and avian habitat restoration, enhancement, and acquisition projects anywhere in the state. Proposed activities may include projects on public or private lands, but all projects must provide some level of public access. The deadline for proposals is Wednesday, May 1. 

Houston-Galveston Region Communities Receive Keep Texas Beautiful Honors  

Congratulations to the the City of Seabrook and the City of Pearland for winning in Category 4 and 9, respectively, of the 2024 Governor's Community Achievement Awards (GCAA) by Keep Texas Beautiful, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). This year, Seabrook, Pearland, and eight other winning communities across the state will share $2 million in landscaping awards from TxDOT, with the amount based on population size. The funds are to be used for landscaping projects along local rights-of-way.  

STAR 2024 Scholarships for Sustainability Applications Now Open

The State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) 2024 Scholarships for Sustainability applications are now open. As a part of STAR’s commitment to the growth of the environmental and recycling business community in Texas, STAR offers annual environmental sustainability scholarships for students, teachers, and student groups. The Student Scholarship aids up to two high school seniors or college students planning to study or working toward a degree in Environmental Sustainability or other related field. The Student Group and Teacher Scholarship supports up to two educators at any level of public education in Texas and one officially recognized student group at any Texas university, college, or community college. Applications close Monday, June 3. More details are available online. 

US EPA Brownfields Job Training Webinar – May 9

Brownfields job training grants aim to provide funds to recruit, train, and place local unemployed and underemployed residents with the skills needed for full-time employment in the environmental field. Nonprofit organizations and eligible entities can apply for these grants, which provide valuable opportunities for community members. Prospective job training applicants are invited to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's annual panelist webinar from 1 to 2 p.m. Thursday, May 9. Registration is required to attend.

Lone Star Healthy Streams Workshop – May 16

The Lone Star Healthy Streams workshop will be from 1 to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 16, at the Brazoria County AgriLife Auditorium, 21017 CR 171, Angleton. The workshop is free, but space is limited and pre-registration is required.. The workshop focuses on best management practices to help protect Texas waterways. Topics include feral hog management, grazing management, and on-site septic/sewage management. Local partners will discuss efforts to improve water quality, and participants will gain resources for technical and financial assistance. For more information, contact the Lone Star Healthy Streams program at 979-321-5950.

Sustainability in Food, Beverage Processing Webinar – May 23

The Energy Transition Institute and Massachusetts Small Business Development Center Network, with support from US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Pollution Prevention Grant, continue a free webinar series to provide information about how businesses can improve profitability and reduce their operating costs. Topics include using energy and water more efficiently; using renewable energy; reducing waste; and using safer cleaning and sanitizing products. The Webinar on May 23 will focus on Energy Efficiency, Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy, and Water Efficiency. More information, including registration, is available online.

Keep Texas Beautiful Conference – June 24-27

The 2024 Keep Texas Beautiful Annual Conference will be held online June 24-27. Keep Texas Beautiful is a network of Texans working together to make the state the best place to live, work, and play. Local partners and affiliates are equipped with tools they need to help clean up and prevent litter across the state. The annual conference is an opportunity for participants to share, learn, and celebrate local, regional, and state accomplishments and programs and includes networking, educational sessions, and awards presentations. 

Funding Sources

H-GAC's Community and Environmental Planning Department maintains a list of ongoing funding opportunities for parks improvements, conservation projects and downtown revitalization projects.

If you know of a funding opportunity, forward it to Andrea Tantillo.

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