Texas Environmental Grantmakers Group

SpringMeeting - March31, 2017

The Texas Landscape Project

Moody Gardens

Galveston, TX

Present:Jim Blackburn, Blackburn & Carter; Jan Cato, SK Foundation; Adrienne Clay, Philanthropy Southwest; Colleen Claybourn, The Trull Foundation; Richard Gibbons, Malcolm C. Damuth Foundation;Lisa Harrison, The Trull Foundation; Elizabeth Love, Houston Endowment Inc.; Robert Lynch, Harris and Eliza Kempner Fund; Janet Maykus, EarthShare of Texas; Michael McCoy, The Meadows Foundation; Mary Milby, George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation; Ellen Ray, Still Water Foundation; Kathryn Smyth, The Dixon Water Foundation; Bernice Torregrossa, The Moody Foundation; Bob Warneke, Malcolm C. Damuth Foundation;Lucja White, The Trull Foundation

Speaker Presentations:

Jan Cato welcomed the group and introduced speaker Jim Blackburn. He has been a practicing environmental lawyer and planner since 1973. He is a professor in the Practice of Environmental Law in the Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at Rice University where he teaches environmental law and sustainable design courses. He is co-director of the Severe Storm Prediction, Education and Evacuation from Disaster (SSPEED) Center at Rice University where he is also a Rice Faculty Scholar at the Baker Institute and Director of the Undergraduate Minor in Energy and Water Sustainability.

Using findings from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), resources from Texas State Climatologist John Nielsen-Gammon and research for his book A Texan Plan for the Texas Coast, available in September 2017,Jim shared that the data is unequivocal: the Earth’s climate is changing and humans are causing it. He expressed that there is no issue quite like climate change in its impact, effecting air quality, desertification, water, forestry, biodiversity and stratospheric ozone depletion.

Using slides, he walked the group through how these various areas are already being impacted, and what our future world might look like with or without mitigation. He ended his presentation on a hopeful note. Sharing how carbon stabilization could be achieved through a 15 wedge strategy in 4 categories: Fuel Switching and CO2Capture & Storage; Energy Efficiency & Conservation; Renewable Fuels & Electricity and Forest and Soil Storage; and Nuclear Fission; in particular, focusing on carbon sequestration.

His full slide presentation is available on Philanthropy Southwest’s website (

TEGG Business Meeting

Mike McCoy thanked the Moody Foundation’s representative Bernice Torregrossa for hosting today’s meeting. Bernice reminded the group of the tour scheduled immediately following the meeting for a sneak peak of the nearly-completed remodel of Moody Garden’s aquarium.

TEGG Member Updates:

Elizabeth Love shared that the Houston Endowment has a new website and a new framework of focus areas which are: strong civic assets, thriving residents, post-secondary success and a stronger region. Recent funding has included:

  • $3 M towardlaunching a new transportation equity advocacy organization
  • $1.6 M toward a collaborative media campaign focused on improving air quality – Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), Air Alliance Houston (AAH), Public Citizen (PC), Environmental Integrity Project (EIP), Environment Texas, Rice University
  • Combined $2.15 M toward continued advocacy efforts around improving air quality – EDF, AAH, EIP and the PC-led Health Port Communities Campaign
  • $1 M toward environmental impact analysis associated with storm surge protection measures, as well as continued development of the Texas Coastal Exchange – SSPEEDCenterat Rice University
  • $250,000 toward building the capacity of the Texas Health and Environment Alliance, which is aimed at advocating toward remediation of toxic waste sites in the Houston region
  • $625,000 toward building the capacity of Galveston Baykeeper which ensures adequate wetland mitigation which monitors development permits for compliance with wetland and water regulations and carries out associated water quality advocacy
  • $1.8 M toward supporting five high-performing land trusts in greater Houston plus Land Trust Alliance and the Texas Land Trust Council, emphasis on capacity building

Ellen Rayannounced the following recent grants from the Still Water Foundation

  • $100,000 for the pool house as part of Barton Springs Conservation Project
  • $100,000 EDF – to mitigate oil & gas impact on the environment
  • $250,000 for Hill Country Conservancy’s Violet Crown Trail
  • $50,000 for capacity building for the Land Trust Alliance in the area of land conservation
  • $250,000 PRI to Texas Parks and Wildlife for coastal recovery

Colleen Claybournreported that TheTrull Foundation’s recent granting has supported the Hart Research Institute, the Smithsonian’s bird banding project at Mad Island Marsh Preserve, a conservation ranching workshop through the National Audubon Society and a student training for living shoreline restoration, St. Charles Bay, Texas through Texas A.& M University at Corpus Christi.

Bernice Torregrossa communicated that some of The Moody Foundation’s recent environmental grantmaking has focused on green spaces in urban areas, such as Galveston’s City Park on Broadway, Austin’s Waller Creek Conservancy and Dallas’s Klyde Warren Park, both in the hearts of their respective cities.

Jan Cato reported that recent S.K. Foundation environmental grants have ranged from $500 to $10,000 to the following agencies: TESPA, Artist Boat, Hermann Park Conservancy, Houston Audubon, Houston Parks Board, Houston Wilderness, Nature Connservancy, Sand County Foundation, Texas A & M for seed stock for South Texas natives, Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation, GCBO, Galveston Bay Foundation, Hawk Watch International, Hill Country Land Trust, Katy Prairie, Land Trust Alliance, Quinta Mazatlan and Texas Land Trust Council.

Kathy Smythshared that the Dixon Water Foundation’sdemonstration ranches utilize high-intensity frequent rotation of its cattle which typically would require the expense of additional fencing. They are experimenting with an ear-tag system which forces the cattle to graze at herd, and to move the lead using small shocks.

Mary Milby offered that the George and Mary Josephine Hamman Foundation had made a recent grant to the Houston Arboretum which had lost several trees during the drought. The decision had been reached not to reforest, but to open the area to a prairie. Other grants were made to the Galveston Bay Foundation and Galveston Baykeeper.

Mike McCoyannounced that The Meadows Foundationrecent environmental grants had included the following:

  • Austin Community Design and Development Centerforcontinued support to increase the supply of green affordable housing in Austin
  • The Conservation Fundforacquiring the Sabine Ranch adjacent to McFaddin National Wildlife Refuge
  • Environment Texas Research and Policy Centerfor managing stormwater through green infrastructure
  • National Wildlife Federationfor continuing the Texas Living Waters Project to promote sound water management policies and practices in Texas
  • Texas Property Assessed Clean Energy Authorityforcontinuing support to incentivize and finance energy conservation efforts
  • Land Trust Alliancefor providing technical assistance to increase the capacity of Texas land trusts to conserve private land

Recent grants approved by the Malcolm C. Damuth Foundation as perBob Warneke:

  • Cibolo Nature Center to assist with the purchase of acreage near the headwaters of Cibolo Creek, providing some protection to the creek
  • Conservation fund to assist with the purchase of the 80-acre Dolan Tract along the Neches River near the new Neches River Wildlife Refuge
  • Galveston Bay Foundation to assist with securing a conservation easement on 1800 acres known as Gordy Marsh on the Bolivar Peninsula
  • Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation to assist with the purchase of the iconic Powderhorn Ranch
  • Harwich Conservation Trust to help with the purchase of 15 acres, including 1000 feet of shoreline along Cornelius Pond, located near Harwich, Massachusetts on Cape Cod

2017Philanthropy Southwest Annual Conference Session

Mike reminded the group that as part of TEGG’s agreement with Philanthropy Southwest (PSW), it offers one of the session’s at PSW’s annual conference. Deborah Mueller and Cyndy Raab are working on an advocacy session using a case study. A legislator will serve on a panel with a nonprofit to walk funders through the process. A representative from the Alliance for Justice, which will also be speaking on a generic session on advocacy, will participate on the panel as well as possibly someone from the Rapoport Foundation.

TEGG Reception Underwriting

At the last TEGG meeting, Mike agreed to shepherd the discussion with other members of the group’s committee – Bob Ayres, Cyndy Raab, and Lisa Harrison – to answer the question if for the TEGG reception at PSW’s 2017 Annual Conference, the group wanted to seek underwriting for a more formal reception. Typically, the small receptions are scheduled at the same time, thus TEGG has had to compete with the receptions providing refreshments and has possibly consequently suffered in attendance. Mike admitted that he had not had time to fully explore the possibility with the committee. Thus he proposed that the reception be kept informal, yet expand to include any environmental grantmakers, not just Texas to which the group unanimously agreed.

Update on HR5650

Jan Cato shared an update on bill HR5650. If passed, the bill would provide an opportunity for the state of Texas to receive between $50 to $60 million in renewable matching funds on an annual basis. The key message is that there has been no slow-down due to change of administration. The bill should be introduced in spring or summer, with an emphasison empowering states to manage the support of wildlife by state. Decision has yet to be reached regarding if it will be a stand-alone bill or inserted on a national package.

Fall Meeting Update

Colleen Claybourn announced that TEGGs fall meeting has been scheduled for Friday, October 27 at the Witte Museum in San Antonio. Andy Sansom and William Reaves will present on their book Of Texas Rivers and Texas Art.Artists whose work is included in the book will be in attendance. Mike mentioned that TEGG typically has not had to pay for its meeting venues, but the group is being charged for a meeting room. Before the contract is signed, he wanted to ask the group if any have participated in the Witte’s recent capital campaign who might have some influence on the fee being waived. Having no offers, Adrienne was directed to proceed with finalizing the arrangements.

2018 Spring Meeting Suggestions

The idea was proposed and accepted to inquire with the Harte Research Institute in Corpus Christi regarding hosting. Mike encouraged that the group continue to focus on current themes such as climate change. One suggestion was to have Paul Montagna with the Harte Institute -- a world expert on the Gulf Coast -- to speak on quantified sea-level rise. Lisa Harrison volunteered to be TEGG’s point person to coordinate the spring meeting planning.

Financial Report

Adrienne provided the financial report. As of the last meeting, there was a balance of $7,630.14. Expenses included half of PSW’s annual management fee, $1,650, staff travel to the September meeting $500.69and speaker honoraria of $1,500 leaving a balance of $3,979.45. Contributions from the 2016-17 appeal included gifts from Hershey, Knobloch Family, Trull, Powell, Shield-Ayres and Damuth Foundations totaling $4,350 leaving a new balance of $8,329.

The meeting adjourned at 1:34 p.m.followed with a behind-the-scenes tour of the nearly-completed Aquarium remodel.

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