If your community did not fill out an application last year, create a new account. If your community submitted an application last year, you can use the same login information and have access to your previous application. If you need any help getting access to your previous account, please contact Sara Walters at swalters@ktb.org.
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The Governor's Community Achievement Awards online application is now open! Click here to begin a new application.
Preview the 2023 GCAA award application questions here.
Governor's Community Achievement Awards (GCAA)
The GCAA program is one of the most prestigious annual environmental awards in Texas. This year, 10 winning communities will share $2 million in landscape awards from the Texas Department of Transportation for their outstanding overall efforts to keep their communities beautiful. The funds are used for landscaping projects along state right-of-way”.
The Awards recognize achievement in 7 areas:
- Community Leadership and Coordination
- Public Awareness and Outreach
- Environmental Education
- Beautification and Community Improvement
- Litter Prevention and Cleanup
- Solid Waste Management
- Litter Law and Illegal Dumping Enforcement
To learn more about the GCAA awards and get started preparing your application, To learn more about the GCAA awards and get started preparing your application, please click here to watch: GCAA Webinar 1: Prep With Help from Past Winners and please join us on January 18th, 2023 at noon for GCAA Webinar 2: Tackling the Online Application.
First Place GCAA winners are not eligible to achieve first, second, and third place for 4 years. For example, first-place GCAA winners in 2020 are able to achieve first, second, or third place beginning in 2025. Winners from 2019 or before are eligible to place in 2023. See the chart below for reference.
| Winning Year | Eligible Again |
| 2019 | 2023 |
| 2020 | 2025 |
| 2021 | 2026 |
| 2022 | 2027 |
While recent GCAA winners are not eligible to place, they are encouraged to apply in order to achieve the Award of Excellence (scoring 90 points or higher) and Sustained Excellence (receiving the Award of Excellence for 3 consecutive years.)
GCAA scores and judges' comments will be sent to applicants in May 2023. The Governor's Community Achievement Awards will open on January 3, 2023. The award application must be submitted online with all supplemental materials uploaded and application fees received by Thursday, February 16, 2023, at 5 pm CST. Late, faxed, or emailed entries will not be accepted. There is an application fee of $25/entry.