LCRA awards more than $1.1 million in grants for community projects

Funding will support first responders, community centers and dozens of other projects across LCRA’s service area

AUSTIN, Texas – The Lower Colorado River Authority recently awarded $1,108,769 in grants to support community projects across LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas.

The Community Development Partnership Program grants will help fund 45 projects, including construction of a four-bay addition to the Cat Spring Volunteer Fire Department in Austin County, installing a flood warning system at a low-water crossing in Llano, upgrading a 50-year-old community center in Bronte and repairing the hurricane- damaged Danish Heritage Museum in Wharton County.

Other grants will help fund improvements at sports facilities and parks in Columbus, Eagle Lake, El Campo, Flatonia, Giddings, Goldthwaite, Johnson City, Junction, Kenedy, Lometa, Odem, San Marcos, San Saba and Woodcreek.

LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said the community grants support the health, safety and development of communities throughout LCRA’s diverse service territory, which includes all or parts of 73 counties.

“Our goal is to help communities continue to thrive by helping with projects such as improving museums and libraries, expanding recreational opportunities and supplying first responders with reliable equipment,” Wilson said. “These grants help support local initiatives and improve the lives of Texans.”

Many of the grants support first responders, including helping fund the purchase of automated CPR devices for responders in Blanco, Cassie in Burnet County and Utopia; AEDs in Lometa and Smiley; breathing apparatus systems in Mountain Home and Zephyr; and personal protective equipment in Berclair, Santa Anna and Waelder.

“Emergency responders never know exactly what they’ll encounter when they head out the door to a call,” Wilson said. “They need to be ready for almost anything, and to do that they need reliable, modern equipment. LCRA is pleased to play a role in helping provide fire departments and medics new personal protective equipment, automated CPR devices and more as they work to help people in their communities stay safe. We’re thankful for their dedication.”

To date, LCRA has awarded 2,137 community grants totaling more than $54 million. When combined with more than $242 million in community-raised matching funds, the program has invested almost $297 million in local communities.

The 45 grants awarded in the most recent grant cycle are:

• BASTROP COUNTY: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Texas Public Safety Training Academy to relocate and expand the academy to provide training for first responders and firefighters in rural areas.

• BELLVILLE: A $24,700 grant from LCRA and the City of Bellville to the Bellville Lions Club to replace the outdated HVAC system at historic Concordia Hall.

• BERCLAIR: A $4,730 grant from LCRA to the Berclair Volunteer Fire Department in Goliad County for new wildland personal protective equipment.

• BLANCO: An $18,315 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the Blanco Fire and EMS Auxiliary for a new automated CPR device.

• BRADY: A $24,159 grant from LCRA and the City of Brady to the Brady Volunteer Fire Department for an enclosed trailer to serve as a command center for incidents and to store and transport the department’s utility task vehicle.

• BRENHAM: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Brenham to the Brenham Fire Department for thermal imaging cameras and chargers.

• BRONTE: A $50,000 grant from LCRA to the Restoring Bronte Foundation to repair and upgrade the 50-year-old community center and emergency shelter.

• BUCHANAN DAM: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the Lake Buchanan Conservation Corporation in Llano County to construct a rail system for a courtesy dock that can be adjusted to varying water levels at Llano County Park.

• BURNET COUNTY: A $19,543 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the Cassie Volunteer Fire Department for an automated CPR device.

• CAT SPRING: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the Cat Spring Volunteer Fire Department in Austin County to construct a four-bay addition to store emergency vehicles and equipment.

• COLEMAN: A $20,000 grant from LCRA to the Coleman County Center for Seniors for insulation to upgrade and help convert an empty building into a community center.

• COLUMBUS: An $18,758 grant from LCRA to the City of Columbus to refurbish an existing basketball court to add pickleball, new timed lighting and fencing.

• DANEVANG: A $50,000 grant from LCRA to the Danish Heritage Preservation Society in Wharton County to repair and renovate the main museum building, which was heavily damaged by Hurricane Beryl.

• EAGLE LAKE: A $24,960 grant from LCRA to the Eagle Lake Recreation Center to construct a new, larger recreational/maintenance equipment shed with a covered area for concession sales.

• EL CAMPO: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the City of El Campo for a musical playground and shade structure at Friendship Park.

• EVANT: A $24,975 grant from LCRA and Hamilton County Electric Cooperative to the Evant Independent School District to replace old, unsafe playground equipment and a play surface area.

• FLATONIA: A $19,805 grant from LCRA and the City of Flatonia to the Flatonia Youth Sports and Events to upgrade the soccer field by adding benches, bleachers, a scoreboard and a water fountain at 7-Acre Park.

• GLEN COVE: A $19,823 grant from LCRA to the Glen Cove Volunteer Fire Department in Coleman County for a new concrete entrance to the fire station from the highway for safe ingress and egress.

• GIDDINGS: A $45,440 grant from LCRA to the City of Giddings to renovate and make ADA-compliant the restroom facilities at Veterans and Simmang Northwest parks.

• GOLDTHWAITE: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Goldthwaite to the Goldthwaite Athletic Booster Club to upgrade the baseball and softball fields, build batting cages and renovate dugouts.

• HALLETTSVILLE: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Hallettsville to the Hallettsville Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture to replace an outdated marquee with a modern, high-visibility digital display system.

• JOHNSON CITY: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the Johnson City Youth Sports Association to renovate a concession, restroom and storage building at Little League ballpark.

• JUNCTION: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the Junction Youth Baseball and Softball Association to construct a walking/biking trail.

• JUNCTION: A $24,925 grant from LCRA to the Kimble Hospital Foundation to replace chipped and cracked emergency room flooring.

• KENEDY: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the City of Kenedy for an outdoor fitness court.

• LEE COUNTY: A $24,500 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the South Lee County Volunteer Fire Department for a truck to replace a 32-year-old truck used for brush fires and high-water rescues.

• LLANO: A $24,902 grant from LCRA to the City of Llano for a warning system at a low-water crossing.

• LOMETA: A $4,943 grant from LCRA and Hamilton County Electric Cooperative to the City of Lometa Police Department for two automated external defibrillators and other emergency medical equipment.

• LOMETA: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Hamilton County Electric Cooperative to the Lometa Independent School District for a double pickleball court for school and community use.

• MOUNTAIN HOME: A $23,350 grant from LCRA to the Mountain Home Volunteer Fire Department in Kerr County for self-contained breathing apparatus systems, air cylinders and face masks.

• ODEM: A $10,720 grant from LCRA to the Odem Little League for two scoreboards for the Little League ball fields.

• RICHLAND SPRINGS: A $16,210 grant from LCRA to the City of Richland Springs to construct restrooms and dining space for a community food-truck park.

• ROUND TOP: A $17,478 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Round Top Library Association to construct an ADA-compliant deck/ outdoor classroom space for the library’s community center annex.

• SAN MARCOS: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of San Marcos to the Great Springs Project to construct an estimated 3-mile trail and trailhead as part of a greenway between Austin and San Antonio.

• SAN SABA: A $6,950 grant from LCRA and the City of San Saba to the San Saba County Rodeo and Livestock Association for new energy-efficient lighting for the San Saba Rodeo Arena.

• SANTA ANNA: A $23,136 grant from LCRA to the Santa Anna Volunteer Fire Department for new personal protective equipment.

• SARGENT: A $35,055 grant from LCRA to the Sargent Area Fire and Rescue in Matagorda County to purchase and equip a utility task vehicle for beach and off-road emergency responses and rescue operations.

• SHINER: A $50,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Shiner to the Columbus Club of Shiner Texas to remodel and upgrade the Shiner KC Park community hall.

• SHIVE: A $50,000 grant from LCRA and Hamilton County Electric Cooperative to the Shive Volunteer Fire Department in Hamilton County for a new fire truck.

• SMILEY: A $4,861 grant from LCRA to the City of Smiley Marshal’s Office for automated external defibrillators, safety vests and tools to assist stranded motorists.

• SUNRISE BEACH VILLAGE: A $19,857 grant from LCRA to the Sunrise Beach Volunteer Fire Department to construct a medevac emergency landing pad at Sandy Park.

• UTOPIA: A $21,048 grant from LCRA and Bandera Electric Cooperative to Utopia Volunteer Emergency Medical Services in Uvalde County for an automated CPR device.

• WAELDER: A $10,626 grant from LCRA and the City of Waelder to the Waelder Volunteer Fire Department for firefighting tools and a specialized washer-extractor and dryer to clean personal protective equipment.

• WOODCREEK: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the City of Woodcreek to install a public restroom and rainwater collection system at the Creekside Park playground area.

• ZEPHYR: A $50,000 grant from LCRA to the Zephyr Volunteer Fire Department in Brown County for purchase self-contained breathing apparatus systems and air cylinders.

CDPP grants are awarded twice a year for capital projects for volunteer fire departments, emergency responders, cities and counties, schools, libraries, civic groups, museums and other tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. Applications for the next round of grants will be available during July at lcra.org/grants. Applications are due by midnight July 31.

To commemorate the 30th anniversary of LCRA’s community grants program, LCRA will award two $100,000 grants – one following the July 2025 application period and another following the January 2026 application period. These $100,000 grants will be in addition to the grants of up to $50,000 LCRA will continue to offer.