Grants & Awards

Governor’s Community Achievement Awards

The 2019 Awards will open January 1, 2019 and will be due February 15, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. CST. You may apply through our Awards Portal HERE.

Award Categories
Why should I apply?

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

Below are a variety of resources to help you prepare for your GCAA Application:
Pre-Recorded Webinar: Preparing to Apply for GCAA, Part 1 (48:30)

The 2019 GCAA application opens January 1. Are you ready to apply? In this pre-recorded webinar, past GCAA winners from McAllen, Katy and Van Alstyne will share helpful tips and best practices when it comes to the weeks leading up to the GCAA application opening.

Even if this is your 1st or 15th time to apply, sit in to learn how others work with different city organizations and departments to gather data and information needed for your application. Learn how communities track critical informationthroughout the year and organize resources to be more efficient when writing their own GCAA application. Lastly, we'll discuss how organizations delegate the application process so that the burden isn't entirely on one person. If your community is considering applying for a GCAA award in 2019, this webinar, Part 1 of a 2-Part webinar series, will cover the basics of preparing to apply, including information on what GCAA is and how the program works.

Upcoming Webinar: Preparing for GCAA, Part 2 - January 17

The 2019 GCAA application is open and closes on February 15. Are you ready to submit the application? In this webinar, KTB staff will walk you through how to use the application software. We’ll hear from past winners Sommerville and Lake Jackson on their application techniques and the process of putting together a project after monies are awarded.

Even if this is your 1st or 15th time to apply, sit in to learn how to navigate the application website, get answers to your questions from previous winners, and find out what you have to look forward to after winning.

If your community is considering applying for a GCAA award in 2019, you can also go check out Part 1 of this 2 part series to learn more about the program and the basics of GCAA. You can access the recorded webinar in the affiliate portal in the trainings section.
Are you interested in participating in KTB awards season? Please help us judge the amazing nominations that we get each year for GCAA, youth, individual and organizational awards! If you're interested in judging, please fill out this quick application.

The application will close on January 19, 2018.

Apply to Judge

If you would like to reserve accommodations for judging, KTB has a special rate available for $94 per night at the Sleep Inn & Suites Austin.

Reserve your room here.

SLEEP INN & SUITES AUSTIN - NORTHEAST
8410 Highway 290 East, Austin, TX, 78724, US
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 78759

Relax – you’re finished! Congratulations on completing the 2018 GCAA application!

Please see the GCAA Guidelines in this year's application.

Learn more about applying to the GCAA!

Landscaping Awards by Population Size Categories

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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