On January 14th, the Hill Country Alliance (HCA) announced the first-ever recipients of its Night Sky Preservation Fund. The selected projects vary across seven counties and together will improve regional night sky quality by improving outdoor lighting, educating communities about night skies preservation and its benefits, and measuring changes in our region’s sky quality over time.
With generous support from the Coypu Foundation, HCA established the fund last year and invited interested parties to apply during October’s annual Hill Country Night Sky Month. This new fund supports regional nonprofit organizations, local governmental entities, and small businesses interested in protecting their views of the starry night sky. By keeping light pollution at bay, these efforts help reduce energy waste, protect wildlife habitats and migratory pathways, make our roads safer for both drivers and pedestrians, and preserve our region’s stargazing and astro-tourism opportunities.
“We are honored to play a supporting role in these projects and grateful to everyone who applied to the fund this year.” said Katherine Romans, Executive Director for the Hill Country Alliance. “Our region is known for its awe-inspiring celestial vistas, and like so many things in the Hill Country, unless we work to protect them, we could easily lose those starry views as our region grows and the impacts of light pollution cloud the skies. The Night Sky Preservation Fund and the projects it enables will help achieve that goal.”
2025 HCA Night Sky Preservation Fund Recipients:
- Blanco County Friends of the Night Sky, will expand their sky quality monitoring and Night Sky Friendly Business Recognition programs while also helping Johnson City become a designated International Dark Sky Community;
- Comal County Friends of the Night Sky, will expand their sky quality monitoring efforts and assist the Cities of Spring Branch and Bulverde in becoming designated International Dark Sky Communities;
- Gillespie County, will support their Dark Sky Initiative by replacing non-compliant light fixtures at the county courthouse with night-sky-friendly compliant light fixtures approved by Dark Sky International;
- Jonestown Night Sky Advocacy, will automate its sky quality monitoring efforts, further supporting its designation as an International Dark Sky Community;
- Keep It Real Beautiful, will continue to grow and expand its Real County Friends of the Night Sky group, providing public education and outreach, as well as assistance to and recognition of Night Sky Friendly Businesses;
- Northwest Hills Homeowners Association, will support the well-being of their residents and the surrounding environment by upgrading non-compliant security lighting in communal areas with night-sky-friendly and compliant light fixtures approved by Dark Sky International;
- Real County Public Library, will support their dark skies education and summer reading programs through the purchase and promotion of youth and adult literature about night skies and night sky preservation;
- Travis County Parks Foundation, will establish educational public programs focusing on night sky preservation and contribute to regional data collection efforts through the installation of sky quality monitoring stations throughout the Travis County Parks system;
- Vision Lampasas, Lampasas County Friends of the Night Sky, will provide night sky preservation outreach and education, resources, and networking opportunities through their annual Stars at Night Event.
Across the state of Texas, there are numerous funding opportunities for land and water conservation initiatives, however there is far less funding available for night sky preservation projects. This fund is the first opportunity specifically aimed at night sky protection in our region and through the generous support of organizations and individuals, the Hill Country Alliance hopes to offer this fund again in the future. Those interested in contributing to the fund and helping safeguard our region’s natural nighttime splendor are encouraged to donate at https://bit.ly/HCAfundthenight.
About: The Hill Country Alliance is a nonprofit organization bringing together a diverse coalition of partners to preserve the open spaces, starry night skies, clean and abundant waters, and unique character of the Texas Hill Country. Learn more at hillcountryalliance.org.
