Howdy TxWAC Subscribers,

Can you believe it’s September already? We’re gearing up for the last formal round of project matching in 2025! There’s a project submission deadline in two days, on September 19. After receiving project submissions, we process them through internal scoring, gathering more information, and distill the submission into a 1-2 page overview that is consistent across all projects in the TxWAC Project Portfolio. This provides prospective funders with an easy-to-review format, allowing for apples-to-apples comparisons across projects and overall, quicker decision-making and funding. 

The TxWAC Project Portfolio will be updated with newly submitted projects on October 10, along with customized project proposals going out to TxWAC Members on this date as well. Completion of our Funder Survey allows our team to provide TxWAC Members with a list of projects from the TxWAC Project Portfolio that align with their goals, key performance indicators, geography and more. Our team will work with TxWAC Members to get questions answered from projects, facilitate meetings with projects, and ultimately, help funders find the perfect project match. Our facilitation model is flexible and we customize it to your needs. 

Don’t forget to register for our last bi-monthly meeting of 2025! Join the dialogue with sustainability professionals, conservation experts, and community leaders to learn about projects that need funding, corporate priorities, water policy, & resources. Stay tuned for 2026 meeting dates!

Contact programs@texanbynature.org for more information and questions.

Cheers, 

Texan by Nature’s TxWAC Facilitators - Taylor Keys, Programs Director & Urvi Dani, Senior Partnership Manager

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Building on the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) restoration efforts in New Mexico, ConocoPhillips, BLM, and Texan by Nature are collaborating with boots-on-the-ground organizations like the Borderlands Research Institute, Rio Grande Joint Venture, and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department to implement restoration projects on private lands in the Delaware River Basin. Planning for this five-year initiative began in 2024. Project site identification will continue through 2025, with project work extending through 2029. 

The effort comes at a time when prolonged drought and declining water flows are placing growing pressure on ecosystems and industries in West Texas that rely on shared natural resources. The project combines on-the-ground implementation with the development of a robust dataset to guide future investments and conservation activity. By applying proven restoration practices, the project will improve soil health, water quality and drought resilience. It also creates a scalable model for conservation that supports long-term productivity and business resilience.

Read our recent press release and learn more about the project at: https://texanbynature.org/projects/drb-restoration-project/

Bi-Monthly Meeting Recaps

July: Project Panel - Engaging Landowners in Conservation

We were joined by Texas Water Foundation for a brief water policy update and a panel of conservation leaders from American Farmland Trust, Wildlife Habitat Federation, and Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture who shared their projects from the TxWAC portfolio that engage landowners in implementing on-the-ground conservation practices. With 95% of Texas land being privately owned, these projects serve as models of collaborative conservation and provide opportunities for businesses to invest in Texas’ natural resources. Learn more about the projects highlighted: 

• Texas Grazing Network - American Farmland Trust
• Conservation Planning and Implementation for Texas Landowners - WIldlife Habitat Federation
• Northeast Texas Conservation Delivery Network - Lower Mississippi Valley Joint Venture

September: A Corporate Perspective with DFW Airport 

After a brief water policy update from Texas Water Foundation, we heard from Madison Peppers, Sustainability Project Manager, Dallas Fort Worth International Airport who shared a corporate perspective on their integrated approach to sustainability across their operations and why these investments make “good business sense.” The discussion provided conservation organizations with insights into corporate standards while industry audiences took in best practices that could serve their sustainability strategies.

We only have one meeting left in 2025! Join the dialogue with sustainability professionals, conservation experts, and community leaders to learn about projects that need funding, corporate priorities, water policy, & resources. The next meeting is Nov 11, 2025, 10-11 AM CT.

Hill Country Post-Flooding Resources

Our hearts are with our neighbors in the Hill Country as the community continues to recover from the devastation resulting from the July floods. In an instant, lives have been upended — homes lost, memories washed away. It’s in these heart-wrenching moments that the strength of our community shines the brightest.

Interested in financially supporting recovery efforts? 

Visit The Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country—a 501(c)(3) public charity based in Kerrville—will directly distribute funds to vetted local organizations providing rescue, relief, recovery services and flood assistance. The Fund will support impacted communities including Boerne, Hunt, Ingram, Kerrville, Center Point and Comfort.

Resource for Woody Debris Management

While a coordinated effort among local, regional, and state organizations remains underway to develop a comprehensive long-term plan addressing flood remediation, replanting, soil management, habitat restoration, and land conservation – Hill Country Alliance and their partners are happy to share a new one-page resource on woody debris management. You can learn more about this guiding resource in this press release from Kerr County Water Alliance.

Hill Country Alliance has compiled a list of flood relief and support resources here.

And every single one of you — bringing your prayers, donations, time, and full hearts — is part of this story of resilience.

Stay safe, and let’s keep looking out for one another, y’all.

TxWAC Project Portfolio 

Fill out this form to see 70+ projects in the TxWAC portfolio and our NEW interactive map. Shorten your project search by filling out this Funder Survey or by contacting us to receive a customized list of projects that aligns with your goals. A sampling of projects in the portfolio include:

Using the Conservation Resource Guide

Corporate funders often call for robust monitoring and measurement of conservation impacts to meet reporting standards and legitimize benefits claims such as water replenished, carbon sequestered, etc. Here are some resources that can help:

• Restoration Monitoring Tools Guide - Provides a starting point for setting up your restoration monitoring system. 
• The Carbon Calculator - A tool that allows farmers and ranchers to calculate their agriculture carbon earning potential based on their unique operation.
• Return on Conservation™ Index - Example framework that can be used as a common language to report metrics for conservation projects.

Check out our Conservation Service Resource Guide for more tools and services related to data and metrics quantification.

Have additional resources we should add to this guide and share with our network? Let us know!