LCRA awards almost $1.1 million in community grants
Projects include new life-saving equipment for first responders, upgrades to libraries, event centers and playgrounds, and much more in communities across LCRA’s service area
Dec. 19, 2025
AUSTIN, Texas – The Lower Colorado River Authority recently awarded $1,096,247 in grants to support community projects across LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas.
LCRA Community Grants will help fund 41 projects, including major upgrades to the El Progreso Memorial Library in Uvalde, purchase of a new brush truck for the Muldoon Volunteer Fire Department in Fayette County, purchase of a swift-water rescue boat for the Concan Volunteer Fire Department and upgrades to the new emergency operations center in Colorado County.
Many of the grants support first responders, including helping fund new specialized breathing equipment for responders in Bandera, Boling in Wharton County, Hoover Valley in Burnet County, Laguna Vista and Wall in Tom Green County; fire station expansions in Dove Creek in Tom Green County and Goldthwaite; a lighted helipad in Delhi in Caldwell County; and personal protective equipment for firefighters in Bastrop County.
LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said LCRA is proud to support dozens of community projects throughout LCRA’s service territory, which includes all or parts of 73 counties, through the grant program.
“These grants are designed to contribute to the health, safety and development of communities,” Wilson said. “By supporting community projects such as improved libraries and providing new equipment for first responders, the grants help nonprofit organizations provide better and expanded services across Texas. That is directly in line with LCRA’s goal to improve the lives of the Texans we serve.”
Wilson said LCRA is especially honored to support first responders with emergency response equipment and expanded fire stations.
“We are thankful for the many first responders who give their time and talents to help protect us as they respond to emergency calls,” he said. “They need updated, working equipment to do their jobs properly, and we are pleased to help provide new gear and safety equipment to assist in making their work safer.”
Other grants will help fund improvements at sports facilities and parks in Cottonwood Shores, Eastland, Granite Shoals, Lampasas, Lawn, Rockne in Bastrop County, San Saba and Waelder. In addition, thanks to the grants, community and event centers will be able to upgrade and renovate their facilities in Brenham, Bronte, Carmine, Driftwood in Hays County, Louise in Wharton County and Thompsonville in Gonzales County.
To date, LCRA has awarded 2,178 community grants totaling more than $55 million. When combined with $248 million in community-raised matching funds, the program has invested more than $303 million in local communities.
The 41 grants awarded in the most recent grant cycle are:
• BANDERA: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Bandera Electric Cooperative to the Bandera Fire and Rescue for new self-contained breathing apparatus equipment, or SCBA gear.
• BASTROP COUNTY: A $19,869 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Heart of the Pines Volunteer Fire Department for equipment to protect firefighters.
• BOLING: A $50,000 grant from LCRA to the Boling Fire Department in Wharton County for a new air compressor to refill SCBA gear.
• BRADY: A $50,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Brady to the Frontera Healthcare Network to renovate the Brady Clinic.
• BRENHAM: A $20,368 grant from LCRA and the City of Brenham to the American Legion Buddy Wright Post 48 to repair and remodel a restroom at the American Legion Hall.
• BRONTE: A $23,100 grant from LCRA to the Coke County Historical Commission – Bronte Depot Preservation Project to repair and restore the exterior stone, interior walls, windows and doors of the Bronte Depot.
• CARMINE: A $13,219 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Carmine Volunteer Fire Department for a new generator.
• CARMINE: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Cedar Creek Schuetzen Verein to renovate the historic community center.
• CASTELL: A $24,403 grant from LCRA to the Castell Volunteer Fire Department in Llano County to purchase and install a water storage tank to serve as a fill station for fire departments.
• COLORADO COUNTY: A $24,503 grant from LCRA to Colorado County for improvements to the county’s new emergency operations center.
• CONCAN: A $9,607 grant from LCRA and Bandera Electric Cooperative to the Concan Volunteer Fire Department for a new swift-water rescue boat.
• COTTONWOOD SHORES: A $15,952 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the City of Cottonwood Shores to construct ADA-compliant restroom facilities at Aspen and Noah Thompson parks.
• DELHI: A $27,690 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Delhi Volunteer Fire Department in Caldwell County to construct a lighted helipad.
• DOVE CREEK: A $50,000 grant from LCRA to the Dove Creek Volunteer Fire Department in Tom Green County to upgrade fire station #2.
• DRIFTWOOD: A $19,125 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the Driftwood Historical Conservation Society in Hays County to make improvements to the Driftwood Community Center.
• EASTLAND: A $50,000 grant from LCRA to the Eastland Lions Club for new all-abilities play equipment at Eastland City Park.
• EBONY: A $4,770 grant from LCRA to the Ebony Cemetery Association in Mills County to construct a new water well.
• FLORENCE: A $14,383 grant from LCRA to the Friends of the Eula Hunt Beck Florence Public Library for new windows and an automatic door.
• GOLDTHWAITE: A $41,700 grant from LCRA and the City of Goldthwaite to the Goldthwaite Volunteer Fire Department to expand the station to house additional fire trucks and firefighting equipment.
• GRANITE SHOALS: A $23,370 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the City of Granite Shoals for construction of a lighted pier at Lakeview Park.
• HOOVER VALLEY: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the Hoover Valley Volunteer Fire Department in Burnet County for a new air cylinder refill system.
• LA GRANGE: A $5,414 grant from LCRA and the City of La Grange to the Smith-McMillan Chapter of the National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution for a bronze plaque honoring a Fayette County resident who served in the Revolutionary War.
• LAGUNA VISTA: A $17,725 grant from LCRA to the Laguna Vista Fire-Rescue for new self-contained breathing apparatus systems.
• LAMPASAS: A $21,568 grant from LCRA and the City of Lampasas to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Texas to seal a much-used basketball court in Lampasas.
• LAMPASAS: A $50,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Lampasas to the Lampasas Spring Ho Festival for a new shade structure at W.M. Brook Park.
• LAWN: A $21,158 grant from LCRA to the City of Lawn for two restroom units and a new septic system at Lawn City Park.
• LLANO: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Llano to the Llano Volunteer Fire Department for new battery-powered hydraulic extrication tools.
• LOUISE: A $15,856 grant from LCRA to Louise Beautification in Wharton County to replace the roof on the old Louise rice mill so the site can be used for community events.
• MASON: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Mason to the Mason Volunteer Fire Department for a utility task vehicle outfitted with fire suppression equipment.
• MERKEL: A $15,916 grant from LCRA to the Merkel Volunteer Fire Department to purchase new vehicle stabilization tools and repair damaged fire hoses.
• MULDOON: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the Muldoon Volunteer Fire Department in Fayette County for a new brush truck and rescue equipment.
• PALACIOS: A $3,920 grant from LCRA to the Palacios Community Hub to construct two permanent rainwater catchment systems.
• PALACIOS: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the Palacios Preservation Association for an open-air historic preservation exhibit at Caboose Corner in Railroad Park.
• PIPE CREEK: A $20,236 grant from LCRA and Bandera Electric Cooperative to the Castle Lake Ranch Volunteer Fire Department in Bandera County to upgrade its fire station and purchase new emergency equipment.
• ROCKNE: A $50,000 grant from LCRA and Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative to the Rockne Community Recreation Center in Bastrop County for new baseball field lighting.
• SAN SABA: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of San Saba to the San Saba All Sports Booster Club to repair and improve the baseball field.
• THOMPSONVILLE: A $24,800 grant from LCRA to the Thompsonville Cemetery Association in Gonzales County to upgrade its fellowship hall.
• UVALDE: A $100,000 grant from LCRA to the El Progreso Memorial Library to support major upgrades to the library and enhance the educational, cultural and social development of Uvalde County.
• WAELDER: A $22,595 grant from LCRA to the City of Waelder to replace outdated playground equipment at City Park.
• WALL: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the Wall Volunteer Fire Department in Tom Green County to purchase new self-contained breathing apparatus systems and air cylinders.
• WHARTON: A $20,000 grant from LCRA to the Wharton Rotary Charity to renovate the Wharton County Veterans Memorial on the courthouse square.
LCRA Community Grants of up to $50,000 are awarded twice a year for capital projects for volunteer fire departments, emergency responders, schools, cities and counties, as well as civic groups, museums, libraries and other tax-exempt nonprofit organizations. Applications for the next round of grants will be available during January at lcra.org/grants. Applications are due by midnight January 31.
To commemorate the 30th anniversary of LCRA’s community grants program, LCRA will award one $100,000 grant to a project submitted during the January 2026 application period. This $100,000 grant will be in addition to the grants of up to $50,000 LCRA will continue to offer.
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.
Social Media