H-GAC is seeking public comment on these applications. Public comments will be until noon on Monday, April 3,2023.

If funded, these projects will help enhance storm resilience and recovery for local communities. More details about this project, including scope of work, budget, and beneficiaries, are available online. To provide comment, please visit the website at https://www.h-gac.com/community-development-block-grant-mitigation-funds, leave a voice

mail at 877-442-2777, or send an email to [email protected]. 

H-GAC Seeks Information on Conservation Projects in the Region  

As part of our Regional Conservation Initiative, H-GAC will actively assist with preparing grant applications, convening stakeholders, and otherwise supporting the implementation of priority conservation projects across the 13-county H-GAC region. To guide our efforts, we are collecting information about planned conservation projects from local governments and non-governmental organizations and categorizing the projects in a priority list. 

See the current priority project list and learn more about our work online. The list will be updated quarterly. 

Staff encourages you to submit your conservation projects by Friday, April 7, or email [email protected] with any questions. 

April Is Fair Housing Awareness Month  

April is Fair Housing Awareness Month, and H-GAC reminds everyone that when it comes to housing, the Federal Fair Housing Act (Title VIII of the Civil Rights Act of 1968) and the Texas Fair Housing Act make it against the law to discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or family status. This applies to both selling or renting housing. On March 21, during its regular meeting, the H-GAC Board of Directors passed a resolution recognizing April as Fair Housing Awareness Month for the Gulf Coast State Planning Region.

The Texas Workforce Commission Civil Rights Division offers interactive presentations and trainings and a self-help library of trainings and resources to provide housing providers with a practical understanding of the U.S. and Texas Fair Housing acts and rules and how to comply.

To learn more about the Federal Fair Housing Act visit the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) website. Information on the Texas Fair Housing Act, including how to file a complaint, is available from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs. 

Clean Waters Initiative / Regional Conservation Initiative Event – April 12 (In-Person)

Join H-GAC for a Clean Waters Initiative / Regional Conservation Initiative event. Banking on Conservation: Riparian Areas and Water Quality will be from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, April 12, at H-GAC Second Floor Conference Rooms. 

We'll hear presentations from

Registration is requested, but not required to attend this event. 

For more information, email [email protected]. 

Broadband Summit – April 20 (In-Person)

H-GAC will host a Broadband Summit from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 20, at the Humble Civic Center, 8233 Will Clayton Parkway.

The summit aims to support the equitable expansion of access to high-speed internet and the increased adoption or use of internet service or devices in the 13-county Houston-Galveston region. Network with local leaders and engage in conversations that will highlight actionable steps that promote better coordination, increased opportunities, leveraged resources, and high impact for the region.

Registration is required to attend. The registration deadline is Friday, April 14.

For additional information, download a flyer or contact Darryl Briscoe. 

Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable – April 25 (In-Person)

Mark your calendars for the next Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable from 9:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday, April 25. The event will be at the Ol Railroad Café, 1901 Avenue G, Rosenberg.

Join us to discuss an update on Rosenberg's downtown revitalization and community events, along with information about the revitalization plan that will improve the City's Historic Downtown Rosenberg area.  We will also learn about the City of Galveston's Historic District and historic preservation.

Presenters include:

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.

Space is limited, and registration is requested.

For additional information, contact Andrea Tantillo. 

Solid Waste Workshop Series: Composting – May 4 (In-Person)

Mark your calendars for H-GAC's Solid Waste Workshop Series event focusing on composting from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, May 4, at Brazoria Environmental Education Station "BEES," 583 County Road 443, Angleton.

Join us to hear from subject-matter experts on how to compost and setting up a pilot composting program from a local government perspective.

Presenters include:

Presentations will be inside, followed by a walking tour of the Master Gardeners Association facility. We recommend wearing appropriate shoes for a garden tour.

Space is limited, and registration is required to attend.

For additional information, contact Erin Livingston.

Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable Field Trip – May 18 (In-Person)

Join us for the Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable field trip on Thursday, May 18, for a tour of Cypress Creek Park at Timber Lane. We will learn more about this award-winning park and community center.  

We will meet at the community center, and transportation to the event is not provided. However, registration by May 11 is required for lunch and on-site transportation during the tours. 

For additional information, contact Andrea Tantillo. 

The U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) is accepting applications for two conservation grants programs. The Texas Partners for Conservation program leverage NRCS and partner resources in applying voluntary conservation throughout Texas. This program is intended to provide NRCS workload assistance and support. Agreement funding can range from $25,000 to $200,000. The Conservation Innovation Grants program is a competitive program that supports the development of new tools, approaches, practices, and technologies to further natural resource conservation on private lands. The deadline for applications for both conservation programs is Monday, April 24. 

The Houston Section of the Texas Chapter of the American Planning Association’s annual awards program nomination period is now open. More details about the awards, including categories and eligible project types, is available online. The call for awards applications will close on Sunday, April 30, and award winners will be notified early this summer. The awards program recognizes planning excellence in the Houston Section. The categories and criteria are designed to match the state and national awards programs for ease of submittal and to give people the opportunity to use local awards for promotion and when pursuing funding or other awards. 

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 Monday, May 1. 

The State of Texas Alliance for Recycling (STAR) 2023 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. More details are available online. The deadline to apply is Thursday, June 1.

1093 Rails to Trails Public Meeting – April 11

The 1093 Rails to Trails Local Government Corporation will host the second of a series of public meetings from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 11, at the Wallis Columbus Club Hall, 703 Columbus Road, Wallis. Five local governments--Austin County and the cities of Eagle Lake, Fulshear, Wallis, and Weston Lakes--have joined together as a local government corporation to plan and build a 31-mile shared-use trail along a former rail line alongside FM 1093 from Fulshear to Eagle Lake, connecting several Texas towns along the way. Together, these municipalities envision a shared-use trail that is safe and accessible for cyclists and pedestrians. This meeting will be a chance to learn more about the project and provide feedback that may be incorporated into the design and branding of the trail. The next meeting in the series will be scheduled in Fulshear. Learn more online. 

Celebrate Earth Day – April 22

For more than 50 years, Americans have celebrated Earth Day on April 22 to recognize the importance of the environment and protecting it for future generations. It has grown to a global movement. This year's theme is "Invest in Our Planet," and focuses on engaging governments, institutions, businesses, and citizens. More information about Earth Day is available online. Anyone interested in planning an event can find resources in the Earth Day Toolkit. There are several events planned across the region, including the annual Green Mountain Energy Earth Day at Discovery Green event in partnership with the Citizens Environmental Coalition, featuring the Houston Public Works Water Works Festival, from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 22, at Discovery Green. The City of Houston is hosting a speaker series April 17-19, with an Earth Day HTX Festival in front of City Hall from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday, April 19.

DEA Prescription Drug Take Back – April 22

The U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) will host its National Prescription Drug Take Back event in communities across the country from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, April 22. The national event aims to provide a safe, convenient, and responsible means of disposing of prescription drugs, while also educating the public about the medications and the potential for abuse. A searchable list of collection sites is available on the DEA website.

Adopt-A-Beach Coastwide Cleanup – April 22

Save the date for the Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup on Saturday, April 22, at various Texas beaches. This annual event by the Texas General Land Office encourages volunteers to help keep beaches clean. Since the program began in 1986, more than 529,000 volunteers have removed 9,600 tons of trash from Texas beaches. Registration and a list of cleanup locations are available online. 

Keep Texas Beautiful Conference – June 26-28

Registration is open for the Keep Texas Beautiful Annual Conference June 26-28 in Houston. 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, field trips, educational sessions, awards presentations, and exhibits. 

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

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

Looking for interactive applications or GIS data related to the H-GAC Community and Environmental Planning Department? Visit H-GAC's interactive applications web page.

H-GAC has a Facebook page where information about current and upcoming events is posted. Please visit and like H-GAC's page. While there, visit other H-GAC pages on Facebook, including Recycling, and Trash Bash.