The Lower Colorado River Authority has awarded more than $1 million in Community Development Partnership Program grants for community projects across LCRA’s wholesale electric, water and transmission service areas.
The grants will help fund 44 projects, including helping provide a new brush truck for the San Saba Volunteer Fire Department and new emergency gear or equipment to more than a dozen other fire departments; electronic public message boards in Bellville, Brenham and Yoakum; and new energy-efficient lighting at youth baseball and softball fields in Lexington.
Other grants will help fund construction of a new community center in Austin County and a new arts and cultural center in Fayetteville, as well as help the Schleicher County library move to a larger site. Numerous other community centers, emergency shelters, museums, parks, libraries and arts venues will be able to upgrade their facilities thanks to recent CPPP grants.
LCRA General Manager Phil Wilson said the grants support communities and boost economic development in LCRA’s service area, as well as improve public safety by supplying first responders with the lifesaving equipment they need.
“LCRA is proud to contribute to these projects that add to the vitality of communities,” Wilson said. “Whether it’s improving a library or museum, upgrading a community space or providing a new truck or emergency equipment to a volunteer fire depart-ment, these projects support the communities we serve both in the short-term and long-term.”
Nearly half of the recently awarded grants support first responders and public safety efforts by enabling fire departments and other first responders to buy or upgrade vehicles and gear, add new rescue tools or purchase state-of-the-art lifesaving equipment such as automated external defibrillators. In Mason County, a CDPP grant will help pay for construction of a concrete helipad for crews responding to medical and other emergencies, and in Llano County, a CDPP grant will help the county place new AEDs in public buildings in Kingsland, Llano, Buchanan Dam and Horseshoe Bay.
“First responders do so much to help support their communities, and we are pleased to help them operate safely and effectively,” Wilson said. “These grants help provide dependable vehicles and updated safety tools and gear to the men and women who risk their lives daily in responding to emergencies.”
To date, LCRA has awarded 2,056 community grants totaling more than $52 million. When combined with more than $239 million in community-raised matching funds, the program has invested almost $292 million in local communities.
Here are some of the 44 grants awarded to nearby communities during this most recent grant cycle:
• ADAMSVILLE: A $19,172 grant from LCRA and Hamilton County Electric Cooperative to theAdamsville Volunteer Fire Department for new extrication tools, including inflatable airbags that can raise and stabilize vehicles and heavy farm equipment.
• BLANKET: A $39,780 grant from LCRA to the Blanket Volunteer Fire Fighters Association for a fire station expansion that will include a meeting/training room, bathrooms and air conditioning.
• BRADY: A $25,000 grant from LCRAand the City of Brady to the McCulloch County Hospital District for a new defibrillator and heart monitor for the district’s primary ambulance.
• BROOKESMITH:A$17,432 grant from LCRA to the Brookesmith Volunteer Fire Department for a generator and ADA-compliant entry ramps at an addition to the fire station that also will serve as a community center.
• GOLDTHWAITE:A$25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Goldthwaite to the Mills County Historical Museum for critically needed repairs to a distinctive exterior rock wall at the museum.
• HORSESHOE BAY: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the City of Horseshoe Bay Fire Department for new batterypowered rescue tools.
• KEMPNER:A$24,000 grant from LCRA and Pedernales Electric Cooperative to the Kempner Volunteer Fire Department for hoses, nozzles, ladders and other essential equipment needed to equip a recently added secondhand engine.
• KINGSLAND: A $25,000 grant from LCRA to the Kingsland/ Lake LBJ Chamber of Commerce for bathroom and kitchen renovations and updated flooring and lighting in the community hall at Kingsland Community Park.
• LAMPASAS: A $25,000 grant from LCRA and the City of Lampasas to Lampasas Trails for construction of the initial 4 miles of a hike and bike trail at the 580 Sports Complex.
• LLANO: A $13,265 grant from LCRA and the City of Llano to Llano County for nine new external defibrillators and first-aid kits that will be placed in various public buildings in Kingsland, Llano, Buchanan Dam and Horseshoe Bay.
• PRIDDY: A $10,716 grant from LCRAand Hamilton County Electric Cooperative toAmerican Legion Post 487 for extensive renovations to the popular Legion Hall, the site of various community events.
• PONTOTOC: A $17,920 grant from LCRA to the Pontotoc Ranch Fire Association for construction of a concrete landing pad for helicopters responding to emergency calls.
• SAN SABA:A$50,000 grant from LCRA and the City of San Saba to the San Saba Volunteer Fire Department for a new brush truck to replace an outdated vehicle that is more than 30 years old.
CDPP grants are awarded twice a year for capital projects for volunteer fire departments, emergency responders, cities and counties, schools, libraries, civic groups, museums, and other taxexempt nonprofit organizations. Applications for the next round of grants will be accepted during July at lcra.org/cdpp. Applications are due by midnight July 31.