Each year, the Governor’s Community Achievement Awards (GCAA) celebrate ten Texas communities for their outstanding efforts to keep their communities beautiful. From the Texas coast to the Panhandle, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has awarded cities with this honor since 1986. Winners are selected for their ability to engage citizens, local businesses, schools, and other organizations in environmental improvement initiatives. Categorized by population, these ten cities share an award of $2 million in landscaping projects. Keep Texas Beautiful (KTB) and TxDOT have worked together to administer the GCAA for more than 30 years. The GCAA 2020 application is officially open. Review the application and apply at ktb.org/gcaa.

Applications are due on Thursday, March 4 at 5 p.m. CST. In the months leading up to the deadline, we will be sharing last year’s ten winners, who were recognized at the KTB Virtual Conference in 2020. 

Category 6: Alvin

Population 25,001-40,000

Landscape Award: $210,000

Located 30 miles south of Houston, Alvin is a city rich in history. Although the City is currently seeing significant growth, it remains a friendly, caring community, focused on sustainability.

Keep Alvin Beautiful (KAB) leads many community improvement projects, involving the entire community. Cleanup initiatives in 2019 resulted in 72.9 tons of trash and brush collected with help from 550 volunteers.

In addition, the Alvin Independent School District with its 6,000 employees and 23,000 students completed a project called “The Day” in 2019, where over 200 community projects were completed. The City also has several programs to reach diverse and under-served citizens such as a food pantry, clothing outlet, low-cost dental services, little libraries, and community gardens.

“Winning the GCAA has encouraged our volunteers, City employees and officials to continue their efforts to improve our community,” says Alice Sloan, President of KAB.