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Garden Grants

Monarch Garden Grants

The Native Plant Society of Texas awards small grants to nature centers, schools, educational groups and others to help fund development of Monarch demonstration gardens or Monarch Waystations using native plants on public sites in Texas. The purpose of this program is to educate members, applicants, and the public about Monarch conservation and native plants, and to encourage restoration of Monarch habitats throughout the Texas migration flyway.

Amount and Source of Funds

Grants are funded by Native Plant Society of Texas, Monarch Watch and by individual and corporate donations to the Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas (BBMT) program. In 2024, additional funds through a cooperative agreement with Monarch Joint Venture and the US Forest Service will be used to underwrite some of the garden grants. The Native Plant Society of Texas is grateful for the help and cooperation of Monarch Joint Venture in providing these funds.

The total amount to be budgeted for this program varies from year to year. The number of grants awarded and the maximum size of grants may change with each grant cycle and depend on available funds.  The grant application each year will state the current cap on grant amounts. Groups are not required to spend their own funds to match the amount of the grant.

Approved Types of Expenditures

Funds must only be spent on native milkweeds and native nectar plants. Applications will be accepted for both new gardens and improvement and maintenance of established Monarch Waystations or Monarch demonstration gardens. Plants can be replaced or milkweeds can be added. Funds cannot be spent on signage, hardscape features, barriers, soil, amendments or any other non-plant items.

Grant Administration Committee

The Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas Committee serves as the grant administration committee. The committee’s duties include evaluating and ranking grant applications and awarding grants. Evaluation will be based on each plan’s completeness and feasibility, its benefits to Monarchs, and its aesthetically pleasing use of native plants.

Procedure and Timing

Please read this section carefully since recent changes have been made regarding the timing.

Download the Application

  • Download the Garden Grant Application
  • Open the application on your own computer and save a copy for yourself. This application document works well in Microsoft Word and similar word processing programs. As you type, the spaces will expand to accommodate all your information. Our strong preference is that you use a computer to fill in the forms and then email the completed forms. It makes transferring data to our system much easier and more accurate. If you must create your own application, please answer all the questions in the official application document.
  • Submit the application to the Grant Committee by February 1. Email submissions are best. Email completed forms to bbmt@npsot.org.
  • Grants will be decided by March 1.
  • Checks should be received by mid-March
  • Funds are to be spent by October 31 of the grant year.
  • Project evaluation report will be filed with the Bring Back the Monarch Committee no later than November 30.
  • Messages and questions for the committee can be sent at any time during the process to bbmt@npsot.org.

This schedule of events represents a departure from our previous procedures. Its intent is to allow for summer preparation and fall planting of garden sites, where that timeline is deemed preferable. Gardens may now be installed in the spring or in the fall under the new timeline.

Evaluation

The Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas Committee chairman will monitor the progress of the project. In some cases, site visits by a committee member or representative may be conducted. We ask that project coordinators inform the committee when the garden work is completed so that visits can be scheduled. By November 30, the grantee will submit a short written report to the Bring Back the Monarchs to Texas Committee giving the project status or results, including lessons learned that would help others on similar projects, records of man-hours contributed by volunteers, and project accounting statement with copies of invoices and receipts. Including photos is strongly encouraged. This information will be used to capture results of the program. Reports can be filed earlier than November 30 if the work is completed.

Determination of a Monarch Watch Waystation

Registering your garden as a Monarch Waystation is encouraged but not required under the terms of the grant.

Monarch & Milkweed Resources

Learn about Monarchs Learn about the Monarch Butterfly   Learn about Milkweed Texas Parks and Wildlife Identification of Milkweeds (Illustrated Guide) Learn about Butterfly Gardens Wildflower Center guide to making

Monarch Waystation Requirements

Monarch Waystations are places that provide all the resources necessary for monarchs to produce successive generations and sustain their migration. A Monarch Waystation needs milkweeds, nectar plants, and some kind of

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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