Pollination is a critical ecosystem service that helps to maintain the ecological integrity of native plant communities. Native pollinators—bees, butterflies, moths, bats and birds—play a critical role in sustaining ecosystems and provide essential services to American agriculture (estimated at as much as $9 billion annually). Interest in conservation of native pollinators has grown rapidly over the last few years as several species have experienced dramatic population declines.
Program Details: Texas Master Naturalist Chapters are invited to apply for project funding, generously sponsored by H-E-B, with the goal of making large scale impacts for pollinator habitats. This could include developing and expanding on the ground conservation and habitat projects and significant outreach programs focused on native pollinators and pollinator habitat conservation. Projects must follow Texas Master Naturalist service guidelines, be publicly accessible and include a care and maintenance plan for post-project longevity. Projects may include installation of large-scale pollinator habitat, interpretative signage or enhancement of current Texas Master Naturalist pollinator projects, public educational programming focused on pollinators or innovative conservation projects focused on native pollinators and their habitats. The goal of this program is to utilize funding from H-E-B to generate measurable positive impact on native pollinators and their habitats across the state of Texas, while improving the communities in which H-E-B employees and customers live, work and recreate.
Award Amount: Variable funding up to $3,000 for projects
Grant Funder: H-E-B in partnership with the Texas Master Naturalist Program
Application Submission Period: October 15 – November 30, 2024
Notification of Award: January 2025
Project Completion Deadline: Projects should have measurable impacts (i.e. plants, acres, hours, outreach, etc.) by November 1, 2025 with all funding spent by this date. Please note in your application if your project will not be complete by this time.
Project Report Deadline: A mid-year and final full report form will be sent to all grant recipients to complete. The mid-year project report will be due in July. All project final reports are due to the Texas Master Naturalist State Office no later than December 1, 2025. A statewide impact report will be compiled by December 31, 2025.
Application Materials: Applicants must complete the online application form (below) in its entirety for their application to be considered submitted and eligible for consideration. If you would like to work on your application prior to submission (the form will not let you save progress), you may download a Word version HERE:
Please note, the Word version is for your personal use only—applications MUST be submitted via the form below! Emailed applications will not be accepted.
Additionally, applicants must upload an AgriLife Vendor Application (W-9) to be eligible for consideration. This form is attached below, please download it and fill it out prior to submitting your application.
Eligibility: All Texas Master Naturalist Chapters in good standing are eligible to apply for this project grant program. Projects submitted must first be coordinated with and approved by your chapter’s board locally. Chapters located within an H-E-B region will be given priority in funding. This does not exclude those chapters in non-H-E-B regions (West Texas and the Panhandle); however, projects must be clearly tied to local pollinators or those that will migrate through this region to other parts of the state.
VMS: All Texas Master Naturalist volunteer service hours worked in connection with this grant project must be logged as required in VMS within 45 days. Hours contributed to the project in September and October MUST be logged by October 31, 2025.
Project Considerations:
- Application for project grant must be received via the online application form within the designated application period to be considered for the relevant granting cycle.
- Projects on private property are not eligible.
- Priority will be given to projects proposing large scale or regional pollinator focused projects not normally accessible to chapters without these funds. Neighboring Texas Master Naturalist Chapters may consider working jointly on these landscape level projects in a region.
- Priority will be given to projects engaging with and involving local communities.
- This Texas Master Naturalist Program project grant does not support funding for advertising, individuals, transportation, political events or fundraisers of any kind.
- All applicants must provide a long-term maintenance and care plan for their project. Funding from the grant may be spent on irrigation/care as needed. Project budgets will be reviewed with impacts prioritized.
- All selected projects must incorporate either physical signage or a social media marketing plan. Guidelines for marketing will be shared with selected projects.
- All selected projects must fill out a post-project report detailing the final impact of the project. Projects are to be completed by November 1, 2025.