Governor’s Community Achievement Awards
We are excited to announce the winners of the 2018 Governor's Community Achievement Awards (GCAA). Congratulations to the winning communities!
Governor’s Community Achievement Awards, First Place Winners
For the full list of winning communities, please click here.
The 2019 Awards will open January 1, 2019 and will be due February 15. Stay tuned for more details.
For more than thirty years, Keep Texas Beautiful, in partnership with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), has awarded the prestigious Governor's Community Achievement Awards to Texas communities for their outstanding overall efforts to keep their communities beautiful.
This year, ten 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. A community's environmental program is judged on achievements in seven areas:
- Community Leadership and Coordination
- Public Awareness
- Education
- Beautification and Community Improvement
- Litter Prevention and Cleanup
- Solid Waste Management
- Litter Law and Illegal Dumping Enforcement
Application Details
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Below are a variety of resources to help you prepare for your GCAA Application:
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Download and print a list of questions here.
Community Leadership and Coordination – 12 Points- Describe your community and its specific characteristics (i.e., brief history, demographics). (125 Words)
- Is your community associated with any state or national organization(s) related to litter prevention, beautification, community improvement and/or waste reduction? (75 Words)
- How are your community improvement programs funded? Include annual operating budget, matching grants, foundation grants, government funding and how funding is obtained. (75 Words)
- Describe staff support for your community improvement programs. Are they run by volunteers and/or full time or part-time paid staff? (75 Words)
- Describe any training that is provided to the instructors/managers of your community improvement programs. (75 Words)
- Describe how your community made the general public aware of your community improvement programs through the use of media, speeches, social media, Web sites, events, workshops, bulletin boards, technology and/or printed materials. List measurable results. (200 Words)
- How has your community worked to promote the Don’t Mess with Texas® campaign? (75 Words)
- Describe community awards and recognition programs. Note awards given and awards received. (100 Words)
- What educational events, projects or programs are available in your community to teach the general public about recycling, waste reduction, litter prevention or beautification issues? List impact and measurable results. (200 Words)
- What types of environmental education do your community’s schools offer? Describe what kind and how many programs or special events are offered for youth and your community’s involvement. Include any youth, preschool, elementary, secondary, college and university programs in your community. (150 Words)
- How do your schools use environmental curricula such as Project Wild, Waste in Place, Project Learning Tree, and/or other educational activities? (100 Words)
- Describe beautification efforts such as tree and flower planting, native or adaptive landscaping, and landscape maintenance. Include data on plantings and impact. (150 Words)
- How has your city worked to improve the appearance of your community, instill pride, and provide a positive impact on the economic development and prosperity of your community? (150 Words)
- How many Adopt-a-Highway miles does your city maintain? Exempting those locations already identified in your city’s Municipal Maintenance Agreement with TxDOT, does your city perform mowing or maintenance activities on any additional state rights of way? (75 Words)
- Does your community conduct any type of study/survey to determine a litter problem? (75 Words)
- Uncovered trucks, construction sites, motor vehicles and pedestrians are the primary sources of the litter found on roadways in and out of cities. Describe how your community specifically addresses these issues. (100 Words)
- Was your community involved with any litter prevention programs, such as Earth Day, Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off, World Oceans Day, Adopt-a-Highway, or America Recycles Day? (75 Words)
- What was the impact on the environment and/or the public’s attitude toward litter prevention and cleanup based on your litter prevention programs? (75 Words)
- List the community cleanups you held and measurable results of those events. (75 Words)
- Describe your community’s involvement in solid waste management, including work with local waste haulers, businesses, civic groups and citizens. (125 Words)
- Describe how your community has supported source reduction, recycling, reuse and composting to divert from landfill space. List measurable results if applicable. (125 Words)
- Describe community efforts to educate and work with law enforcement personnel (city, county or state) to review and enforce local and state litter laws, including litter abatement and/or illegal dumping. (125 Words)
- Describe community efforts to reduce nuisance issues such as graffiti, grass and weed violations, dilapidated structures, junked cars and similar issues. (125 Words)
- Explain how your community’s overall environmental efforts have made your community a better place to live, work and play. (125 Words)
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GCAA Online Awards Instructions
Step One
Review the GCAA Guidelines and Eligibility Requirements.Step Two
Visit our new Awards Software and create an account.Step Three
Once you’re ready to begin, select GCAA at the top to begin your application.Step Four
Answer all questions and upload all supplemental information. Don’t forget to save as you go! This will allow you to leave the page and return at a later time if needed.Step Five
Once you’ve completed your application, submit and pay. You’ll have a chance to save a copy of your application when you’re finished.Step Six
Pay the $25 fee online with a credit card or mail your check to:
Keep Texas Beautiful- GCAA
8850 Business Park Drive, Ste 200
Austin, Texas 78759Relax – you’re finished! Congratulations on completing the 2018 GCAA application!
Please see the GCAA Guidelines in this year's application.
Landscaping Awards by Population Size Categories
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Category |
Population |
Landscaping Award Amount |
|
Category 1 |
Up to 3,000 |
$90,000 |
|
Category 2 |
3,001 - 5,500 |
$110,000 |
|
Category 3 |
5,501 - 9,000 |
$130,000 |
|
Category 4 |
9,001 - 15,000 |
$160,000 |
|
Category 5 |
15,001 - 25,000 |
$180,000 |
|
Category 6 |
25,001 - 40,000 |
$210,000 |
|
Category 7 |
40,001 - 65,000 |
$250,000 |
|
Category 8 |
65,001 - 90,000 |
$270,000 |
|
Category 9 |
90,001 - 180,000 |
$290,000 |
|
Category 10 |
Over 180,000 |
$310,000 |
Why should my community apply?
Every community in Texas can win! While many of our applications come from cities and towns that are part of the KTB affiliate network, that is not a requirement. Our goal is to recognize communities who are working diligently to create and sustain comprehensive environmental and beautification programs.
- Applying for the GCAA creates a written record of your community's environmental achievements, helpful when applying for grants and state funding.
- Working toward the GCAA brings together various segments of the community, including schoolchildren, adult volunteers and law enforcement, creating a sense of community pride.
- Studies show that a focus on litter prevention and beautification has positive economic effects on the community, reducing crime rates, and increasing tourism and economic development.
- Winning a GCAA earns your community positive statewide recognition, prestige in your region and a plaque from TxDOT you can proudly display in a prominent place, such as City Hall.
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