Howdy TxWAC Subscribers,

At Texan by Nature, our programs and mission is built on quantifiable metrics, transparent reporting, and best practices, ensuring that conservation partnerships are strategic, impactful, and built to last. 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. Just like in any successful partnership, creating the perfect match often requires some fine-tuning. For Texan by Nature, this means:

• Ensuring alignment between project goals and funder priorities
• Defining clear impact and benefits metrics, with a monitoring plan to track progress and collect data at baseline, during, and post-implementation
• Developing comprehensive project budgets and detailed plans
• Building collaborative partnerships and securing joint funding
• Crafting and sharing compelling, impactful stories that highlight success

Contact programs@texanbynature.org if you are on the hunt for your perfect match - TxWAC is your wingman! 

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Bi-Monthly Meeting Recaps

March: A Corporate Perspective

We were joined by John Lee, Director, Mission & Sustainability, Nature at Danone who shared Danone’s work to preserve and regenerate nature. John highlighted Danone’s regenerative agriculture programs in dairy, one of the largest in the U.S., with 92,600 participating acres and 50K tons of verified carbon reductions! A few case studies for Danone’s investments in water were also shared, which includes their support of The Nature Conservancy’s Trinity Basin On-Farm Conservation Pilot. This project is featured in the TxWAC portfolio - let us know if you’re interested in joining Danone to support the other 50% of this project.

May: Nature Based Solutions

The majority of this meeting featured a project panel, where Charriss York (Texas A&M Agrilife Extension) set the scene and explained what nature-based solutions are, detailed the benefits they provide, and why they are important to water challenges in Texas. Panelists included Elisa Donovan & Wesley Newman (Coastal Prairie Conservancy) and Savanna Batson (Water Finance Exchange), who shared the following projects that are in the TxWAC portfolio:

• Blazing Star Prairie: Grassland and Wetland Restoration
• Katy Prairie Preserve: Enhancing Waterfowl Habitat
• Quenching Thirst Cindy Park Colonia Flood Study and Mitigation Project
• Quenching Thirst Rancho Alegre Bio-Retention Pond Project

Want to learn more about green infrastructure? Take this free course!

We only have three meetings 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 Jul 15, 2025, 10-11 AM CT.

TxWAC Project Matching News

Richland Creek: A Partnership Success

In April, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and Ducks Unlimited hosted a project dedication to celebrate the completion of two wetland enhancement projects at Richland Creek Wildlife Management Area. Multiple corporate and foundation partners supported the Wildcat Marsh and North Unit Expansion projects through the Texas Water Action Collaborative.

Featured: Beaver Slough Wetland in Primo Brands Report

The Primo Brands 2024 Sustainability Report featured Ducks Unlimited’s Beaver Slough Wetland Restoration project. Once completed, 160 acres of wetland habitat will be enhanced and the wetland will generate 26M gallons of volumetric water benefit annually. This project is still seeking funding -  let us know if you’re interested in joining Ozarka® Spring Water and Energy Transfer to support this project.

Energy Transfer Invests in Youth + Waterways

Energy Transfer supported American Youthwork’ Green Wave Initiative in Houston, Texas, which fosters workforce development while improving public health through the hands-on enhancement of Houston's bayou and waterways. This project seeks annual funding for their program - let us know if you’re interested in supporting the next generation of environmental stewards.

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:

Tips for Strong Project Proposals

• Numbers talk: Quantify benefits. For example, gallons of water replenished/conserved, acres restored, number and species planted, tonnes of carbon sequestered, and people impacted (check out Texan by Nature’s Conservation Service Resource Guide further below for more guidance).
  
  
• Keep it simple: Equate funding to benefits. Where the total funding request is large, break it down. For example, “A $100,000 investment would support agricultural best management practices on ~1,000 acres per year for at least 5 years, restoring ~53 million gallons of water annually.” 
  
  
• Be realistic. Ask for what you really need in terms of budget and timeline, including all ancillary costs (project management, measuring and monitoring, etc.). For multi-year projects or potential expansion, a 5-year annual plan is helpful as corporations work on an annual budget cycle.

Use the Conservation Resource Guide

Many conservation projects lack the capacity, expertise, tools, and data needed to quantify impact for their projects - an important ingredient to receive funding, reporting success, getting stakeholder buy-in, and more. Texan by Nature’s Conservation Service Resource Guide provides information on companies, organizations, and academic institutions that provide conservation services, tools, and/or consulting that aid in project scoping and reporting as it relates to data and metrics quantification. The guide also includes guidance documents that provide best practices and methodologies, like the resource highlighted below.

Benefit Accounting of Nature‐Based Solutions (NBS) for Watersheds Guide: This guide provides a starting point to identify and measure the multiple benefits accruing from NBS investments. The guide indicates which specific NBS activities can be implemented in various habitats and suggests methods for measuring the benefits. A multi-stakeholder project team, including the CEO Water Mandate, Pacific Institute, The Nature Conservancy, Danone and Limnotech, developed the guide.

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