H-GAC to Release Livable Centers Call for Study Sponsors 

H-GAC will release a call for study sponsors for the Livable Centers Program on Tuesday, February 13. Sponsors are limited to local governments or other eligible entities. 

This is not a request for proposals from consulting firms. 

The objective of the Livable Centers planning studies is to 

• help create quality, walkable, mixed-use places; 
• create multi-modal travel choices; 
• improve environmental quality; and 
• promote economic development and housing choice. 

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, etc.). 

The proposed study must be in Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Harris, Liberty, Montgomery, or Waller counties.  

H-GAC and project sponsors have completed more than 40 livable centers studies, and 90% of those studies report that implementation expectations are on-track. Learn more about the program's progress in the 12-year evaluation report summary. 

More information about deadlines, specific application content, and pre-proposal meetings will be available online. 

For more information, email [email protected]. 

H-GAC Accepting Applications for April-June Legal Clinics 

H-GAC’s Elder Justice Program is taking reservations from senior programs and community centers to host free Advance Planning Legal Clinics for seniors 65+ and disabled persons of any age. The three-session clinic helps educate attendees on the legal documents needed to safeguard assets and preserve independence in the face of physical and/or mental decline. Seniors who attend two educational sessions, timely submit information AND return for the scheduled signing date will receive attorney-drafted, fully executed legal documents free-of-charge!

Staff attorneys from the Elder Justice Program also speak to senior and community groups about ways to avoid becoming a victim of crime. Topics include:

• How to Protect Yourself (and How to Recover) from Identify Theft & Internet Scams
• Reducing Your Risk: How to Deal with Contractors for Repairs & Remodeling
• The Signs of Elder Abuse & Exploitation

Interested in booking a presentation or hosting an Advance Planning Legal Clinic?

Contact De’La Spears at 346-500-4594 or [email protected]. 

Natural Resources Advisory Committee – February 1 (Hybrid) 

H-GAC's Natural Resources Advisory Committee (NRAC) will meet from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. Thursday, February 1, at H-GAC second floor conference rooms and on Zoom. 

Registration is requested, but not required, to attend in person. Registration is required to attend online. 

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.

Parks and Natural Areas Summit and Awards Ceremony – February 9 (In Person) 

The H-GAC Parks and Natural Areas Awards recognition ceremony will be from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, February 9, at H-GAC, Second Floor Conference Rooms.

Registration is requested, but not required, to attend.

Award-winning projects serve as models for planning and project implementation for parks and natural areas in the region. Projects will be honored in four categories: Planning Process, On-the-Ground Projects Over $500,000, On-the-Ground Projects Under $500,000, and Programming.

Participants will also hear about equity in parks and natural areas planning from keynote speaker David Buggs, Director of Engagements and Inclusion for Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).

As our population becomes more ethnically diverse, we must consider:

• How do we engage the changing demographic in more outdoor activities and conservation careers?
• How do organizations who support and are engaged in natural resource conservation activities become relevant to this growing population and maintain its current participants and supporters?

For more information, contact Andrea Tantillo.

Clean Waters Initiative Workshop – February 23 (In Person) 

The next Clean Waters Initiative Workshop on Green Infrastructure will be from 1 to 3 p.m. Friday, February 23, at H-GAC second floor conference rooms. 

Registration is requested, but not required, to attend. 

For more information visit h-gac.com/clean-water-initiative-workshops or contact Rachel Windham.

Chocolate Bay Stakeholder Meeting – March 7 (In Person) 

H-GAC invites residents, local governments, businesses, and non-profits within the watersheds that make up Chocolate Bay—Chocolate Bayou, Mustang Bayou, and Halls Bayou—to attend a stakeholder meeting from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, March 7. 

The meeting will be at the Alvin Library, 105 South Gordon St., Alvin. 

The purpose of the meeting is to discuss water quality issues affecting communities in the Chocolate Bay watershed, including Algoa, Arcola, Alvin, Fresno, Hillcrest Village, Iowa Colony, Liverpool, Manvel, Missouri City, Pearland, and Santa Fe. Pollutants, specifically fecal bacteria, in these waterways may impact public health, local economies, and the natural environment. Residents and organizations are invited to participate and provide input toward the development of a watershed-based plan to address water quality and reduce fecal bacteria. 

For more information about the project, visit https://www.h-gac.com/watershed-based-plans/san-jacinto-brazos-coastal-basin-tmdl-and-implementation-plan or contact Steven Johnston

Livable Centers Pre-Submittal Meeting – March 14 (Hybrid) 

H-GAC will release a call for study sponsors for the Livable Centers Program on Tuesday, February 13. Sponsors are limited to local governments or other eligible entities. 

This is not a request for proposals from consulting firms. 

Do you have questions about the application process? Interested sponsors are encouraged to attend the pre-submittal meeting at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, March 14, at H-GAC second floor conference rooms and on Zoom for an explanation of the application process.

Registration is requested, but not required, to attend in person. Registration is required to attend online. 

More information about deadlines, specific application content, and pre-proposal meetings will be available online. 

For more information, email [email protected]. 

Trash Bash® to Celebrate 30 Years of Waterway Cleanups – March 23 (In Person) 

Mark your calendar for the 30th River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash®, Texas’s largest single-day waterway cleanup on Saturday, March 23. 

Since its inception, more than 119,000 volunteers have collected over 2,431 tons of trash, 22 tons of recyclable materials, and 12,184 tires. Find out how to volunteer and promote a healthy Galveston Bay watershed at one of the many cleanup locations on March 23, 2024.

Cleanup supplies, event t-shirts, and lunch are provided to all volunteers. Trash Bash hopes you will come out and help “Clean it like you mean it !” ®

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

Make plans to participate in the next Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable from 9:30 a.m. to noon Tuesday, April 23, in Columbus.

The address and agenda topics will be announced.

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. 

Treasures of the Texas Coast Children's Art Contest

The Texas General Land Office's 28th Annual Treasures of the Texas Coast Children's Art Contest is accepting entries. All public, private, and home-schooled students in kindergarten-sixth grade are invited to submit artwork depicting why the Texas coast is important or special to the student. Prizes include inclusion in a 2025 calendar and event tickets to Texas destinations, and a grand prize cruise. The teacher of the student with the winning artwork will also receive recognition and prizes. The deadline to enter is Wednesday, March 6. 

Take Care of Texas Art Contest

The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality is hosting the Take Care of Texas Art Contest for kindergarten-fifth grade students to depict positive ways to help keep the air and water clean, conserve water and energy, and reduce waste. The theme for 2024 is Recycling, and the contest sponsor is Texas Chemical Council. The deadline to enter is Friday, March 1.

Keep Texas Beautiful Governor's Community Achievement Awards Due February 15

For more than 30 years, Keep Texas Beautiful, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation, has awarded the prestigious Governor's Community Achievement Awards to Texas communities for their outstanding overall efforts to keep their communities beautiful. This year, 10 winning communities will share $2 million in landscaping awards from the Texas Department of Transportation, with the amount based on population size. The funds are used for landscaping projects along local rights-of-way. There is a $25 application fee. The deadline to apply is Thursday, February 15. 

Keep Texas Beautiful Beautify Texas Awards Applications Open February 5

The Keep Texas Beautiful 2024 Beautify Texas Awards recognize efforts made by individuals and organizations to enhance their communities and protect Texas’ environment. These awards range in honoring extraordinary volunteers, professionals, youth, educators, businesses, local/civic governments, organizations, and specific projects and programs. They are organized into two main categories: Individual Awards and Organization Awards. Nominations will open on Monday, February 5, and close on Friday, March 22.

AARP Community Challenge Grants Applications Due March 6

The AARP Livable Communities Community Challenge grants program is now open for applications. Funding is available for local governments and nonprofits to work on community-improving projects that can be started and finished by year end. AARP is accepting applications across three different grant opportunities: Flagship Grants ranging from $500 to $50,000; Capacity-Building Microgrants up to $2,500; and Demonstration Grants from $10,000 to $50,000. The application deadline is Wednesday, March 6. 

Clean Coast Texas Lunch and Learn – February 15

Register to join the Texas General Land Office from 11 a.m. to noon, Thursday, February 15, for a virtual Lunch & Learn from Clean Coast Texas to learn about sustainable stormwater management in coastal communities. This month's Lunch & Learn will explore the complexities of water table flooding and associated water quality impacts. The featured speaker Dr. Dorina Murgulet, Professor of Hydrogeology and Director of the Center for Water Supply Studies at Texas A&M Corpus Christi, will share her research focusing on the upper coast of Texas, particularly the barrier islands spanning from Matagorda to Galveston.

Texas Watershed Steward Workshop – February 28,

Texas A&M AgriLife Extension is offering a Texas Watershed Steward Workshop from 1 to 5 p.m. Wednesday, February 28. The event will be in-person at the Galveston County Extension Office (Carbide Park), 4102-B Main Street, La Marque. All participants at this free, half-day workshop will receive beneficial and applicable watershed education and a copy of the Texas Watershed Steward Curriculum Handbook. Pre-register for the workshop at https://tws.tamu.edu/workshops/registration/ or call 979-321-5935.