Governor’s Community Achievement Awards
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.
The GCAA program has recognized outstanding communities since 1969, with TxDOT providing landscaping award funding since 1985. 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 state rights-of-way.
The 2023 Awards process has closed. Join our mailing list to be notified when the 2024 Awards open.
2023 Winners
KTB, in partnership with TxDOT, is proud to announce the 2023 winners of the Governor’s Community Achievement Award. Congratulations to these cities who are working to make their communities cleaner, greener, more beautiful, and welcoming spaces.
Awards
Landscaping Awards
by Population Size *2019 census estimates
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
Evaluation
A community’s environmental program is judged on achievements in seven areas:
- Community Leadership and Coordination
- Public Awareness and Outreach
- Environmental Education and Youth Engagement
- Beautification and Community Improvement
- Litter Prevention and Cleanup
- Solid Waste Management
- Litter Law and Illegal Dumping Enforcement
Toolkit
AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE AND SUSTAINED EXCELLENCE
Judges will recognize all applicants scoring 90 points or above with the Award of Excellence. This prestigious award distinguishes these communities throughout Texas for their outstanding achievements in protecting and enhancing their local environment, exemplifying their efforts as the standard of environmental excellence for communities nationwide.
The Sustained Excellence Award recognizes the communities that have scored 90 or above in the GCAA competition for three consecutive years. Recipients of this esteemed award are recognized for their ongoing commitment to making Texas the cleanest, most beautiful state in the nation.
Past Winners
Congratulations to these Outstanding Communities
2022 Winners
By Population Category
- SALADO
- RICHWOOD
- LUCAS
- WOODWAY
- KATY
- CANYON LAKE
- GRAPEVINE
- ROWLETT
- ALLEN
- IRVING
2021 Winners
By Population Category
- MUENSTER
- SAN SABA
- CUERO
- ATHENS
- GATESVILLE
- DUNCANVILLE
- FRIENDSWOOD
- MANSFIELD
- DENTON
- McKINNEY
2020 Winners
By Population Category
- SOUTH PADRE ISLAND
- WESTON LAKES
- LAGO VISTA
- LEVELLAND
- WHITE SETTLEMENT
- ALVIN
- THE COLONY
- HARLINGEN
- TYLER
- GRAND PRARIE