Can you believe we are already halfway through June!? Spring came and went across the state and we’ve seen recent rains, but don’t be fooled, we are still in a drought! Check out the latest outlook from Texas+Water:
50% of Texas in drought, down from 69%
76.1% full statewide storage for reservoirs, up from 74.8%
82% chance of El Niño in May–July
Our May meeting was well attended, where we heard from Cirrus Logic on sustainability initiatives, Edwards Aquifer Authority on a groundwater conservation grant program, and San Antonio River Authority on freshwater mussel reintroduction, with a water policy update from Texas Water Foundation. See the recap below. Register here to join the next TxWAC Meeting on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, 10-11 AM CT - we hope you join us for another project panel!
In project matching news, over the last few weeks, we’ve ADDED FIFTEEN NEW PROJECTS to the TxWAC portfolio. These projects span the state of Texas and range from restoration to water infrastructure to education projects. The project portfolio was distributed to our TxWAC Members and broader business list - we hope more project funding is in store. So far this year, 5 projects have been matched, resulting in $1.3 million in funding. Since 2021, 31 projects have received funding as a result of TxWAC project matching, with over $7 million distributed across those projects.
In other exciting news…the Texan by Nature & TxWAC Team is growing. Sidney Sanchez who has been working as a part-time Programs Associate for Texan by Nature has joined our team full time and will be supporting all things TxWAC - you’ve probably already received emails from her and you’ll be hearing from her more. Please offer a warm welcome to Sidney and learn more about what makes her Texan by Nature.
Contact programs@texanbynature.org for more information, questions, or if any of the projects featured in this newsletter are of interest to you.
Cheers,
Texan by Nature’s TxWAC Facilitators - Taylor Keys, Chief Program Officer | Urvi Dani, Associate Director of Membership | Sidney Sanchez, Program Manager
The Texas Water Action Collaborative pairs companies and funders with projects that align with their goals, metrics, locations, project types, and reporting needs, ensuring high-impact, mutually beneficial partnerships. By using data-driven matching, TxWAC catalyzes fruitful collaborations that drive measurable impact.
To get involved in project matching:
Takethis surveyif you have a project that needs funding
Fill outthis formto see 80+ projects in the TxWAC portfolio
2026 project matching dates to keep in mind:
Projects - Submissions accepted any time and ahead of rolling deadlines to be included in custom project proposals and the TxWAC portfolio. Next deadline: September 25
TxWAC Members- receive custom project proposals 3x/year (or by request). Next round: October 16
Conservation Wrangler is an accelerator program that catalyzes the very best Texan-led conservation projects occurring in the state. Each year, organizations with on-going conservation projects submit applications to Texan by Nature to be scored against a wide range of criteria with an emphasis on proven impact. During each program cycle, Texan by Nature selects up to six Conservation Wrangler projects to support with 18-months of program management, strategic planning, marketing messaging, metrics capture and analysis, professional content production, and partnership development – whatever is needed to accelerate the project. Learn more about the 2026 Conservation Wranglers. Over the years, we’ve supported countless organizations through this program - various current and past Conservation Wranglers also have projects in the TxWAC portfolio! Check out a sampling below:
Incentivizing Optimal Shorebird Habitat on the Texas Gulf Plain
- Coastal Bend Bays & Estuaries Program
Voluntary landowner incentive program for the Texas Coast to create shallow-water shorebird habitat during spring and fall migration.
Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, Lavaca, Nueces, & San Antonio River Basins| Funding need: $504,500
Texas Grazing Network
- American Farmland Trust
Farmer and rancher-led mentor network to implement regenerative grazing practices across 19,200 acres, replenishing 75 million gallons of water and sequestering 9,600 tons of carbon annually.
Red, Sulphur, Cypress, Sabine, Neches, Trinity, Brazos, Colorado, Lavaca, Guadalupe, San Antonio, Nueces, and Rio Grande River Basins | Funding need: $75,000
Grassland Restoration Incentive Program (GRIP)
- Oaks and Prairies Joint Venture
GRIP provides direct financial incentives to Texas landowners to restore native grasslands through prescribed fire, brush management, and grazing practices that improve watershed health, reduce runoff, and build drought resilience across working lands.
Brazos, Colorado, Guadalupe, Lavava, Nueces, Red, Sabine, Sulfur, and Trinity River Basins | Funding need: $50,000-$150,000
Balmorhea Wetlands Complex Initiative
- Borderlands Research Institute
Three-year research and habitat management initiative at the Balmorhea Wetlands Complex using wetland management and wildlife tracking to protect and enhance one of West Texas's most critical spring-fed wetland systems. Rio Grande Basin | Funding need: $170,373
TxWAC Bi-Monthly Stakeholder Meetings
Join 100+ sustainability professionals, conservation experts, and community leaders at our TxWAC bi-monthly stakeholder meetings to discuss:
Policy Updates - Texas Water Foundation (~3:19 min)
Additional Links: FAQ to PUC's survey on data center and cryptocurrency mining water and energy usage which runs through May 28th. Data center operators (or their representatives) can fill out this survey.
We were joined by John McLaughlin from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, along with Jesús Franco and Price Rumbelow from the Rio Grande Joint Venture (RGJV) for a project panel. Panelists shared the important role joint ventures play in conservation in Texas and highlighted two RGJV projects in the Rio Grande River Basin seeking funding:
South Texas Grassland Restoration Incentive Program - Landowner cost-share incentive program to restore grassland habitats to increase their productivity and to stabilize priority bird populations and provide associated ecosystem benefits.
BJ Bishop Wetlands - Maintenance and management for a 17-acre wetland and 3-acre upland revegetation site that will benefit wildlife and more than 330 acre-feet of water annually.
We believe your ideas and expertise can help us shape the future of conservation for the globe. Each year, we unite leaders in conservation, industry, and communities all with the goal to drive dialogue, partnerships, and share successful models to advance conservation. We invite you to save the date for this unique annual gathering!
Where do you get your natural resources news? Let us know, and we’ll add it to the list!
Stay Connected
Stay connected with TxWAC on LinkedIn. With 180 members and growing, we post ways to get involved with TxWAC, news, and updates on this page AND we invite our members to share here as well!
Thank you to our Members
TxWAC Members underwrite Texan by Nature’s facilitation of TxWAC, including bi-monthly stakeholder meetings, aggregation of a statewide project portfolio, customized project matching, project development, and messaging/communications. Join today!
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