LCRA awards nearly $815,000 in grants to support community projects

Funding for 34 projects will aid first responders and improve parks, museums and more across LCRA’s service area

June 16, 2023

AUSTIN, Texas – The Lower Colorado River Authority recently awarded nearly $815,000 in Community Development Partnership Program grants for a wide range of projects across LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas.
 
The grants will help fund 34 community projects, including construction of a new building to house firetrucks and emergency equipment in Coleman County, needed upgrades to a community hall in Weimar and improvements to youth sports facilities in Austin, Bandera, Bastrop and Lavaca counties.
 
The CDPP grants also will help pay for major improvements at local parks, museums and other community attractions or meeting spaces, including helping to provide new lights for a pickleball court in Bastrop, a new pavilion for a park in Blanco and new air conditioning for the old Shiner High School gym.
 
LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said the grants help LCRA give back to the communities it serves across Texas.
 
“These projects add value and vitality to communities by improving public health and safety and boosting economic development,” Wilson said. “LCRA is proud to help fund these projects to support communities throughout our service area.”
 
Almost half of the recently awarded grants will assist first responders with projects such as upgrades to fire stations or the purchase of specialized firefighting gear, rescue tools and life-saving equipment.  

“These grants will help protect the first responders who work so hard to keep the rest of us safe,” Wilson said. “LCRA is pleased to support first responders and say thank you for their continuing dedication to public service and their communities.”
 
To date, LCRA has awarded 1,967 community grants totaling more than $50 million. When combined with more than $234 million in community-raised matching funds, the program has invested almost $285 million in local communities.
 
The 34 grants awarded in the most recent grant cycle are:

• BASTROP: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to Bastrop County Emergency Services District No. 2 for two new mechanical CPR devices that can administer automated chest compressions to cardiac patients.
 
• BASTROP: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Bastrop to Bastrop Little League for automated external defibrillators and upgrades to concession stands and restrooms.
 
• BASTROP: A $9,730 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Bastrop Area Pickleball Association for new energy-efficient LED lighting at its 10 courts.
 
• BELLVILLE: A $50,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Bellville to Bellville Little League for a new lighting system.
 
• BLANCO: A $24,000 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to Blanco Methodist Church for a community pavilion with restrooms, showers and kitchen space.
 
• BRADY: A $12,713 grant from LCRA to the City of Brady for new playground equipment at Brady Lake, a popular spot for family gatherings.
 
• BRADY: A $10,638 grant from LCRA and the City of Brady to the McCulloch County Historical Theater Society for new carpet and tile inside The Palace Theater.
 
• BURTON: A $15,000 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to St. John’s United Church of Christ for upgrades to a community park, including new playground equipment, a fence and a pavilion.
 
• CARMINE: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the City of Carmine for construction of a new concrete plaza and renovations to a flood-damaged pavilion at Muehlbrad-Albers City Park.
 
• DRIPPING SPRINGS: A $21,795 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the Rambo Masonic Lodge No. 426 for new energy-efficient windows in its 141-year-old historic building.
 
• EAGLE LAKE: A $50,000 grant from LCRA to the Eagle Lake Volunteer Fire Department for the replacement of a leaky roof and new LED lighting at its fire station.
 
• EULA: A $22,931 grant from LCRA to the Eula Volunteer Fire Department in Callahan County for new protective gear for firefighters and an inflatable rescue bag that can lift more than six tons to free people who are trapped.
 
• FLATONIA: A $13,311 grant from LCRA and the City of Flatonia to the Flatonia Volunteer Fire Department for new fire hoses, valves and adapters.
 
• FLORENCE: A $24,771 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the Florence Volunteer Fire Department for a mobile crash barrier to protect the public and first responders at the sites of vehicle accidents.
 
• GOLDTHWAITE: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Goldthwaite to the Texas Botanical Gardens and Native American Interpretive Center for a rainwater catchment system to irrigate a native plant garden and highlight water-wise landscaping practices.
 
• GRAPE CREEK: A $24,820 grant from LCRA to the Grape Creek Volunteer Fire Department in Tom Green County for new self-contained breathing equipment, including air packs and masks with microphones to help firefighters communicate better during emergencies.
 
• JOHNSON CITY: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to Lights Spectacular for electrical upgrades on the grounds of the Blanco County Courthouse to support the annual Lights Spectacular holiday display and other community events on the courthouse square.
 
• JUNCTION: A $43,850 grant from LCRA to the Kimble Rural Fire Department for three heat pump units as part of ongoing renovations to the department’s emergency response center, which will eventually house firefighting vehicles and include training space and a dispatch center.
 
• LAKEHILLS: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Bandera Electric Cooperative to the Greater Medina Lake Little League in Bandera County for shade structures and new backstop padding at its softball and baseball fields.
 
• LEXINGTON: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the City of Lexington for a new downtown digital marquee to share important local messages with community residents.
 
• LINCOLN: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Lincoln Volunteer Fire Department in Lee County for new bunker and wildland firefighting gear.
 
• MATAGORDA: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to Matagorda County for two new all-terrain vehicles that will improve beach patrols and emergency response in the coastal county.
 
• MELVIN: A $5,000 grant from LCRA to the City of Melvin to replace 30-year-old carpet in its community center with new vinyl flooring.
 
• PALACIOS: A $24,000 grant from LCRA to the Palacios Volunteer Fire Department for new specialized protective gear for firefighters.
 
• ROUND TOP: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the James Dick Foundation for the Performing Arts for a new public address system inside a concert hall at the Round Top Festival Institute.
 
• SAN SABA: A $5,000 grant from LCRA and the City of San Saba to the San Saba County Historical Museum Foundation for an outdoor exhibit near the museum to illustrate the history and importance of water in the county.
 
• SANDY HARBOR: A $31,300 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the Sandy Harbor Volunteer Fire Department in Llano County for a makeover of its fire hall that will improve accessibility and upgrade windows, lighting and the building’s heating and cooling system.
 
• SHEFFIELD: A $13,448 grant from LCRA to the Sheffield Volunteer Fire Department in Pecos County for a garage to protect emergency vehicles and the installation of a ductless climate control system for a planned fitness training center.
 
• SHINER: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Shiner to the Shiner Academic and Athletic Foundation for a new heating and air-conditioning system in the old Shiner High School gym, which is used by sports teams and other school groups.
 
• SMITHVILLE: A $15,920 grant from LCRA and the City of Smithville to the Smithville Heritage Society for improvements to the 115-year-old building that houses the organization’s historical museum.
 
• TALPA: A $46,800 grant from LCRA to the Talpa Volunteer Fire Department in Coleman County for a new building that will house two firetrucks and other emergency equipment and provide additional storage space.
 
• TANGLEWOOD: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Tanglewood Volunteer Fire Department in Lee County for new battery-operated rescue equipment that can help free people trapped in wrecked vehicles.
 
• WEIMAR: A $24,924 grant from LCRA and the City of Weimar to the Veterans Memorial Park of Weimar for updates to the electrical system and lighting in the nonprofit organization’s community hall.
 
• WINCHELL: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the Winchell Volunteer Fire Department in Brown County for an expansion of its fire station, which doubles as a community center.
 
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 accepted during July at lcra.org/cdpp. Applications are due by midnight July 31.

About LCRA
The Lower Colorado River Authority serves customers and communities throughout Texas by managing the lower Colorado River; generating and transmitting electric power; providing a clean, reliable water supply; and offering outdoor adventures at more than 40 parks along the Colorado River from the Texas Hill Country to the Gulf Coast. LCRA and its employees are committed to fulfilling our mission to enhance the quality of life of the Texans we serve through water stewardship, energy and community service. LCRA was created by the Texas Legislature in 1934 and receives no state appropriations. For more information, visit lcra.org.

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Clara Tuma
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