The East Texas Council of Governments (ETCOG) announces $81,429.64 in grants from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (TCEQ) awarded to East Texas jurisdictions, special districts, and regional initiatives to support waste minimization efforts in ETCOG's fourteen-county region. This funding assists jurisdictions in establishing or expanding projects that would directly provide a measurable effect on reducing the amount of waste going into area landfills by diverting various materials from the municipal solid waste stream for beneficial use or reducing waste generation at the source. Applicants were eligible to apply for the following Municipal Solid Waste Grant Project Categories: 1) Local Enforcement, 2) Litter and Illegal Dumping Clean up and Community Collection Events, 3) Source Reduction & Recycling, 4) Local Solid Waste Management Plans, 5) Citizens' Collection Stations and "Small" Registered Transfer Stations, 6) Household Hazardous Waste Management, 7) Technical Studies, 8) Educational and Training Projects. ETCOG annually helps jurisdictions apply for funds, which are then ranked and scored by our Solid Waste Advisory Committee. This committee is made up of local subject matter experts from the region. After the ETCOG Executive Committee approves the projects, we recommend them to TCEQ. TCEQ has approved the following grants in East Texas for funding. FY 2025 Solid Waste Grant Projects - $81,429.64 

The T exas Department of Agriculture (TDA) is pleased to announce the release of a new grant opportunity for the upcoming Program Year 2025: 2025 CDBG Downtown Revitalization Program, with Main Street Set Aside (CDM) Purpose: The Downtown Revitalization Program objective is to provide infrastructure improvements to address the conditions that contribute to the deterioration in an area designated as slum or blighted in the applicant community's downtown or main street area.. Maximum Grant Amount: $1,000,000 Community Application Deadline: April 3, 2025 Program Landing Page & Application Guide Application Webinars and Technical Assistance The application process for 2025 has been revised to include two distinct phases. The Community Application, due April 3, 2025, will collect information needed to assess community eligibility and scoring. Applicants that score within funding range will be invited to submit a Project Application that identifies a project and details the specific work to be performed. A webinar has been planned to assist applicants with this new process – no registration is required, and the link to join the session can be found on the TxCDBG Training webpage . January 29, 2025 - Application Webinar for 2025 TxCDBG Downtown Revitalization Program February 19, 2025 - Application Webinar for 2025 TxCDBG Downtown Revitalization Program If you have questions regarding either application, please reach out to CDBGApps@TexasAgriculture.gov .