Application Period Open for Water Innovation Strategies of Excellence Awards   

The 2025 Water Innovation Strategies of Excellence (WISE) Awards application portal is scheduled to open today, March 3.

This program is overseen by the Natural Resources Advisory Committee, an advisory committee to the H-GAC Board of Directors, and seeks to recognize innovative projects, programs, or individuals in the 13-county region that serve as models for improving and protecting water quality. Download an application guide.

Applications close at noon on Friday, April 4.

For more information, visit www.h-gac.com/wise-awards or email Rachel Windham. 

H-GAC Honors Parks and Natural Areas in Annual Awards Ceremony    

A total of 25 projects across the Houston-Galveston region were honored for serving as models for best management practices in parks, natural areas, and water quality as part of H-GAC's annual Parks and Natural Areas Awards recognition ceremony.  

The event was held at H-GAC on February 21. Attendees also heard a presentation on universal design from Mary Keilers with Clark Condon Landscape Architecture. 

Winners were selected for recognition by panels of expert judges and industry professionals.  

Those recognized include:  

Winners  

Planning Process / Policy Tools 

• Herman Brown Park Master Plan (Houston Parks Board) 
• Seabourne Creek Park Nature Center (City of Rosenberg, Texas) 

Projects Over $500,000 

• Japhet Creek Park (Buffalo Bayou Partnership) 

Projects Under $500,000 

• Martin Elementary SPARK Park (Alief ISD - SPARK) 
• Truxillo Pocket Park (Houston Housing Authority: Third Ward - Cuney Homes Choice Neighborhood Initiative) 

Programming 

• Interpretive & Educational Experiences in Precinct 4 Parks (Harris County Precinct 4 Commissioner Lesley Briones) 

Honorable Mention  

Planning Process / Policy Tools 

• City of La Marque Parks Master Plan (City of La Marque) 
• Timber Lane Utility District 2024 Master Plan (Timber Lane Utility District) 

Projects Over $500,000 

• Greenway Accessibility (Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy) 
• Wetlands Park at Riverstone (Johnson Development Corporation) 

Projects Under $500,000 

• James Bute Park and Frost Town Historic Site (Art & Environmental Architecture, Inc., Kirk Farris, Founder) 

Programming 

• Arts in the Parks (City of La Marque) 

Certificate of Recognition  

Planning Process / Policy Tools 

• Eagle Pointe Recreation Center Master Plan (City of Mont Belvieu) 
• Houston Parks and Recreation Department’s Water Management Plan (Houston Parks and Recreation Department) 
• Mahan Park Boat Ramp Expansion (City of La Marque) 
• The Woodlands Township 2022 Parks & Recreation Needs Assessment (The Woodlands Township) 
• Troxell Park Design (Missouri City Parks & Recreation) 

Projects Over $500,000 

• Hackberry Dog Park (City of Mont Belvieu) 
• Jersey Meadow Berm and Street Drainage Improvement Project (City of Jersey Village) 
• T.C. Jester Park Playground (City of Houston General Services Department/Houston Parks and Recreation Department) 
• Vogel Creek Greenway (Houston Parks Board) 
• Wier Park Improvements (West University Place) 

Projects Under $500,000 

• Deerfield Park (City of Mont Belvieu) 

Programming 

• Agents of Discovery (Carly Horn) 
• Growing Resilience: Harris County's Towering Solution to Food Access Challenges (Harris County Precinct 2) 

The application period for the 2025 Parks and Natural Areas Awards will open in September. 

Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable Park Tour – March 20 (In Person)  

Join us for the H-GAC Parks and Natural Areas Roundtable park tour on Thursday, March 20, for a tour of Willow Waterhole. We will learn more about the award-winning projects in the area, including the Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy’s Greenway Accessibility project. 

We will meet at 10 a.m. at Willow Waterhole, 5300 Dryad Drive, Houston. As part of the tour we will:

• Walk to the overlook area to learn about the history, see the elevation change, public art, fishing pier, and bluebonnets
• Travel by van to 11350 Ricecrest, discuss birding and scouting, walk the Arboretum and Bayou trails, and see how the flood control structures work
• Travel by van to Prairie Lake at 11400 Windwood. Learn about the Native Prairie Preserve and see more bluebonnets

Each stop represents 1/4-mile walks (approximately).

Following the tour, participants who bring their own sack lunches can stay at the greenspace for a picnic outdoors or in the new Conservancy office.

Transportation will NOT be provided to Willow Waterhole; however, transportation will be provided to sites on the tour. Carpooling is encouraged. 

Registration is requested by March 13 to ensure transportation is available during the tour.

For more information, contact Andrea Tantillo.

Trash Bash Waterway Cleanup – March 29 (In Person) 

Mark your calendar for the next River, Lakes, Bays ‘N Bayous Trash Bash®, Texas’s largest single-day waterway cleanup, on Saturday, March 29, 2025. 

Since its inception, more than 121,000 volunteers have collected over 2,505 tons of trash, 23 tons of recyclable materials, and 12,410 tires. Find out how to volunteer and promote a healthy Galveston Bay watershed at one of the many cleanup locations on March 29, 2025.

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 !” ®

Livable Centers Roundtable, Workshop Series – April 3, June 26, September 18 (In Person)

H-GAC is hosting a three-part 2025 Livable Centers Roundtable and Workshop Series—exploring the critical connections between transportation planning, design, and public health. This series will bring together experts and practitioners to discuss how the built environment, transportation systems, and planning decisions influence community health, and how we can work across disciplines to create healthier, more livable communities. 

This series is a must-attend for urban planners, transportation planners, public health professionals, designers, policymakers, and community leaders interested in shaping a future where the built environment supports well-being for all. Participants can attend one, two, or all three events.  

Events in the series include:

• Roundtable 1 – Planning for Healthy Communities, 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, April 3. Space is limited. Registration is requested.
• Roundtable 2 – Designing Healthy Communities, 9 to 11:30 a.m. Thursday, June 26. Space is limited. Registration is requested.
• Annual Land Use/Transportation Workshop—Health-Conscious Communities: Integrating Urban Design, Planning, and Public Health, 9 a.m. to noon, Thursday, September 18. Registration is requested.

All events will be held at H-GAC second floor conference rooms. Participant networking is from 9 to 9:30 a.m. for each event. Program activities will begin at 9:30 a.m. each day.

For more information, contact Sarai Osorio at [email protected].

Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable – April 22 (In Person)  

Save the date for the next Bringing Back Main Street Roundtable Tuesday, April 22 at the Eagle Lake Chamber of Commerce Hall, 303 E. Main Street, Eagle Lake. Networking and check-in begin at 9:30 a.m., and the program begins at 10 a.m.

Registration is requested, but not required, to attend.

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. 

Basin Steering Committee Meeting – April 29 (Hybrid)  

The H-GAC Clean Rivers Program Basin Steering Committee will meet from 10 a.m. to noon Tuesday, April 29, in H-GAC second floor conference room D and on Zoom.

Registration is required to attend online and requested to attend in person.

The meeting will include a review of the Draft Basin Highlights Report, a watershed characterization for Luce Bayou.

To suggest topics for future meetings, contact Jenny Oakley.

AARP Community Challenge Grants Applications Due March 5 

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 $25,000; Capacity-Building Microgrants up to $2,500; and Demonstration Grants from $10,000 to $25,000. The application deadline is Wednesday, March 5. 

Hazard Mitigation Funding Available Following Two Texas Storms

The Texas Division of Emergency Management (TDEM) is accepting applications for funding under DR-4781 related to severe storms in April 2024 and DR-4798 related to Hurricane Beryl. All entities seeking funding under these opportunities must have a FEMA approved Hazard Mitigation Plan at the time the project is submitted to FEMA for consideration and at the time an award is made, except for projects to develop or update mitigation plans. 

Applications under the DR-4798 are due on March 14. 

Eligible applicants for both programs must apply for funding using the TDEM Grants Management System (GMS). GMS Is used to apply for, track, and manage a variety of FEMA grants. To register, visit grants.tdem.texas.gov/. 

Texas Department of Agriculture Downtown Revitalization, Main Street Programs Grants Due April 3

The Texas Department of Agriculture Downtown Revitalization and Main Street programs aim to provide infrastructure improvements to address the conditions that contribute to the deterioration in an area designated as slum or blighted in the applicant community's downtown or main street area. All proposed infrastructure improvements to be funded by the Texas Community Development Block Grant (TxCDBG) Program must be located on public property within the designated downtown district. Typically, a downtown district will meet two or more of the following:

•  The city’s historic area of commerce;
•  May be the area around the courthouse or city square;
•  Commercial area for the community;
•  Buildings of historical significance, but not primarily residential;
•  Must be areas included in or contiguous to the economic center of the community; or
•  The retail area for the community that does not include single-family dwellings.

Cities and counties must meet certain eligibility requirements to apply.

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 Thursday, May 1.

Texas Plastic Symposium – April 3

The 7th Annual Texas Plastic Pollution Symposium will be Thursday, April 3, at the Houston Zoo, 6200 Hermann Park Drive, Houston. This event brings together scientists, researchers, and advocates to explore Texas' latest studies on plastic pollution. The full-day event is free, and registration is required.

Adopt-A-Beach Coastwide Cleanup – April 26

Save the date for the Adopt-A-Beach Spring Cleanup on Saturday, April 26, 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 – May 5-7

The 2025 Keep Texas Beautiful Annual Conference will be held in Austin May 5-7. 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. Space is limited, and registration closes on April 30.

Funding Sources

H-GAC's Community and Environmental Planning Department maintains a list of ongoing funding opportunities for parks improvements, conservation projects, active transportation projects, and downtown revitalization projects. H-GAC also provides a Funding Resources Hub with many funding opportunities for individuals, local governments, organizations, and others.

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

All content, including links to websites on these funding lists, is for informational purposes only. Users of this content are responsible for checking its accuracy, currency, and suitability.

Mapping Applications

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.