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Houston Chapter

Wildscapes Grant Program

The Houston chapter of the NPSOT provides financial support for projects that support our mission — the promotion of research, conservation, and utilization of native plants and plant habitats of Texas through education, outreach, and example.
The goals of this grant program are:

  1. To create new opportunities for establishing or conserving native wildlife habitats and educating the public.
  2. To increase opportunities for participation for our members and the general public.

We are particularly interested in assisting with projects that will benefit underserved communities in the Houston area (Harris, Fort Bend, and Liberty counties.)

GRANT GUIDELINES

  • Funding Range: up to $2,000. Please submit a request for funding in this range. Selected projects may be funded in whole or part. If the project will require more than $2000 to complete, please detail your plans for the remainder of the funding.
  • A grant applicant must be an organization, not an individual and the organization’s contact person must plan to be directly involved in the project, serve as the project manager and be responsible for grant monitoring and reporting.
  • This must be a community project, not a private home project. Community projects include schools, religious groups, non-profit organizations, governmental entities, charitable organizations, homeowner’s associations and other similar organizations.
  • Houston NPSOT funding may be combined with other private or public funds. Funding sources should be clearly specified in the Grant Application.
  • A project may be a new project, the first phase of a long-range project, the continuation of an ongoing project or part of a larger project. However, the Grant Program will only fund a specific project or part of a project that may be completed within a twelve-month period.
  • Projects must involve plants appropriate to our specific Ecoregion. Please refer to our Native Plant Guide page for lists of plants and nurseries where appropriate plants and seeds can be obtained.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF GRANT APPLICATIONS

Evaluation of each submitted proposal will be based on the following criteria. It is not necessary for your project to meet all criteria.

  • Relevance to grant program goals.
  • Impact on underserved areas. Potential for increasing community knowledge about native plants and the need to conserve and restore native plant habitats.
  • Basic knowledge of native plants must be demonstrated.
  • Opportunities for NPSOT member and public participation through work on the proposed project or through reproduction of the project at another location.
  • The degree to which the project can be duplicated by others in their own setting
  • The number of participants/attendees impacted by the proposed project over the expected lifetime of the project.
  • The proposed project’s feasibility will be analyzed in terms of the project timeline, completeness of the monitoring plan, the reasonableness of the budget estimate, and the availability of resources.
  • Potential for enhancing scientific understanding of native plants, including their conservation, restoration or role/benefits to the ecosystem.

APPLICATION DATES

Grant applications may be submitted at any time.

  • Those that have been received by February 29, 2024, will be considered during March 2024 with the intention of distributing funds in April. Those received by January 31 of any subsequent year will be considered during February and March with the intention of distributing funds in April.
  • Those received after February 29 but before July 31 will be considered during August and September with the intention of distributing funds in October.
  • Those received after July 31st will roll for consideration into the following year.

APPLICATION FORM

You may download this google document or paste the form text onto your own letterhead. Please do not request edit access of the google document. Do reach out if you have questions, and email your completed application to nphouston1@gmail.com. We look forward to partnering with you!

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About the Region

New Braunfels, the location of our Fall 2024 Symposium, straddles both the Edwards Plateau Ecoregion and the Blackland Prairie ecoregion. Interstate 35 divides the city of New Braunfels; its path through the city closely parallels the boundary of these two ecoregions, with the Edwards Plateau on the west side and the Blackland Prairies region to the east. The Edwards Plateau area is also called the Hill Country; however, this general term covers a much larger area extending farther north. Spring-fed creeks are found throughout the region; deep limestone canyons, rivers, and lakes (reservoirs) are common. Ashe juniper is perhaps the most common woody species found throughout the region. Additional woody species include various species of oak, with live oak (Quercus fusiformis) being the most common. Sycamores (Platanus occidentalis) and bald cypress (Taxodium distichum) border waterways. This area is well known for its spring wildflower displays, though they may be viewed in spring, late summer, and fall, as well. According to Texas Parks and Wildlife, average annual rainfall in the Edwards Plateau ranges from 15 to 34 inches.

The Blackland Prairie extends from the Red River south to San Antonio, bordered on the west by the Edwards Plateau and the Cross Timbers, and on the east by the Post Oak Savannah. Annual rainfall averages 30 to 40 inches, with higher averages to the east. This region is dominated by prairie species. The most common grass species include little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium) and Indian grass (Sorghastrum nutans) in the uplands and switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) in the riparian areas and drainages. Common herbaceous flowering plants include salvias, penstemons, and silphiums. This area has suffered greatly from overgrazing and agricultural use. Few intact areas remain, though many of the plants can be found along county roadsides throughout the region.

Our four host chapters (New Braunfels, Lindheimer, Guadalupe, and the Hill Country chapters) are located in one or both of the ecoregions above. However, the eastern portion of Guadalupe County also falls within the Post Oak Savanna ecoregion. Annual rainfall averages 35 to 45 inches, with higher averages to the east. A wide variety of hardwood trees are found, including several species of oaks, elms, and in the Bastrop area, loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). Grasses and forbs dominate in the open savannas, with most common grass being little bluestem. Ranching, agriculture, and fire suppression have allowed woody species to encroach on the once-open savannas.

Source: Wildflowers of Texas by Michael Eason