Special Purpose
Austin Neighborhoods Council
P.O. Box 301975
Austin, TX 78703
Ana Aguirre
E-Mail: president@ancweb.org
Net: atxanc.org
Purpose: The Austin Neighborhoods Council (ANC) is Austin’s only comprehensive representative of the City’s neighborhood associations. More than 50 years old, ANC consists of nearly 100 member neighborhood associations representing hundreds of thousands individual residents all across Austin. ANC leads and promotes a culture of civic engagement by connecting, supporting and protecting Austin neighborhoods through education and advocacy.
Projects/Activities: Monthly meetings with presentations from elected officials, city government, and other speakers of neighborhood interest. Assesses existing and proposed policy and acts as a clearinghouse, providing information to members, and promoting neighborhood interests to city officials. Holds a forum for vetting City Council candidates, and hosts educational sessions for its members.
Meetings: 4th Wednesday of the month at 7 PM (except November and December). Meeting currently held on Zoom. For meeting information please contact infoancatx@gmail.com .
Newsletters/Publications: E-mail updates and discussions on the ANC listserv – ANCTalk.
Dues: $50/year. Membership is open to all neighborhood groups in the Austin area.
Austin Permaculture Guild
Taelor Monroe (214) 448-6428
E-Mail: taelor@austinperm.com
Website: austinperm.com
Facebook: facebook.com/AustinPermacultureGuild
Instagram: instagram.com/austinpermacultureguild
Purpose: We are an ever growing community in Central Texas committed to resilience, collaboration, and catalyzing diversity and abundance. We believe that although one person can’t change the world, together We can.
Projects/Activities: Spring 2025 – Courses: Advanced Digital Design Course, Summer 2025; Two Week Intensive Permaculture Design Course, Fall 2025; 5 Week Permaculture Design Course.
Other Activities: Gardening Workshops; Food Forest/Berms & Swales Workshops; Permaculture Potlucks; Volunteer Days most Fridays at our new location, the Cosmos Ranch Foundation.
Volunteer Opportunities: Most Fridays at the Cosmos Ranch Foundation. Check out Web site to RSVP and see our current schedule.
Newsletters/Publications: Register for our newsletter on our Web site. Our quarterly newsletter keeps you up to date on all events and volunteer days.
CLEAN AIR Force of Central Texas
P.O. Box 29295
Austin, TX 78755
Jim Stephens (940) 367-0004
E-mail: jstephens@cleanairforce.org
Net: cleanairforce.org
Facebook: facebook.com/CLEAN-AIR-Force-of-Central-Texas-60700478852
Instagram: instagram.com/cleanairforceofcentraltexas
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/clean-air-force-of-central-texas
Purpose: We help manage air quality improvement programs in Central Texas. We are focused on motivating citizens, businesses and governments of this region to take actions to reduce air pollution to protect public health and the health of our economy. This includes: (1) being a liaison among stakeholders; (2) coordinating air quality planning of the private sector; (3) providing a forum for public discussion; and (4) educating the public on air quality issues.
Projects/Activities:
• Clean Air Partners Program – secures commitments from businesses and governments to voluntarily reduce their emissions by 10% or more;
• Ozone Alert Program – informs the public via e-mail and Facebook on days when air pollution is unhealthy so citizens can take actions to protect themselves and reduce emissions;
• Air Quality Professionals Forum and Lunches – CAF hosts a quarterly luncheons as well as working lunches, with presentations, for Austin area air quality professionals to learn about current air quality issues or trends;
• Annual Meteorologist Luncheon – CAF hosts an annual Luncheon for Austin area TV and Radio Meteorologist featuring guest speakers;
• Air Monitor Installations – CAF helps facilitate the installation of neighborhood-level “PurpleAir” Monitors;
• Interns – CAF interns or “Co-Pilots” are college students majoring in sustainability or environmental studies.
Earth Day Austin
Janis Bookout (512) 788-2996
E-Mail: janis@earthdayaustin.com
Net: earthdayaustin.com
Facebook: facebook.com/EarthDayATX
Instagram: instagram.com/earthdayatx
Purpose: Earth Day Austin’s mission is reinventing sustainability as an unprecedented cultural phenomenon with equity at the center. We provide a venue and a platform for businesses, advocacy groups, nonprofits, government organizations, and community leaders to connect with the public in the interest of sustainability, innovation and environmental justice. While our flagship program is the Earth Day ATX festival, our greater purpose is to facilitate coordination among community stakeholders to develop and implement scalable, systemic, community-driven solutions. We serve a future in which Austin leads the way in systemic transformation toward a sustainable society for all people.
Projects/Activities: Annually, we host the Earth Day ATX Festival on or around April 22. As of 2025, Earth Day ATX has a 55-year history in Central Texas. It is one of the best free-to-the-public family festivals of the year. Thousands come for in-depth programming, new activities and engaging exhibitions that allow them to connect, learn and take action.
Meetings: Irregular.
Volunteer Opportunities: Internships available throughout the year, as well as 200+ volunteer positions for the Earth Day Festival in April. We are registered on Benevity.
Austin Earth Day
Hill Country Alliance
P.O. Box 151675
Austin, TX 78715-1675
Katherine Romans (512) 894-2214
E-mail: info@hillcountryalliance.org
Net: hillcountryalliance.org
Purpose: Founded in 2004 by a group of neighbors concerned about the quickly accelerating rate of growth, our organization has grown into a regional nonprofit and thought leader that champions a vision for conservation, growth, and planning that protects the most critical features of the Texas Hill Country for future generations. We envision a Hill Country in which our lands and waters are managed for long-term resilience, our view of the night sky is protected from light pollution, and our communities are vibrant, healthy, and thriving.
Projects/Activities: We strive to bring 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. Some of our ongoing projects include:
• Hill Country Leadership Institute – a leadership program for decision makers and elected leaders throughout the Texas Hill Country;
• Land stewardship – numerous boots-on-the-ground opportunities from the Pedernales River Basin to the Camp Bullis Sentinel Landscape;
• Water and Night Skies programs – support locally-led grassroots conservation efforts across the region.
Volunteer Opportunities: Subscribe to our newsletter to stay in the loop on HCA events and activities, from Texas Water Symposiums to land stewardship workshops to star parties and night sky programming across the Hill Country
Dues: Donations of all sizes are gratefully accepted.
Texas Interfaith Center
for Public Policy
200 East 30th Street
Austin, Texas 78705
Contact: Rev. Dr. Becca Edwards, Climate Advocate
E-Mail: becca@texasinterfaith.org
Net: texasimpact.org
Purpose: Texas Impact is a faith-based, nonprofit organization, providing theologically grounded public policy analysis to people of faith and other Texans. “Texas Interfaith Power & Light” (TXIPL) is Texas Impact’s environmental program, and is the Texas affiliate of the national Interfaith Power & Light movement. TXIPL helps congregations take action to reduce global warming and air pollution through energy conservation and renewable energy strategies.
Projects/Activities: Environmental stewardship resources for congregations; legislative information; teaching; preaching; and grassroots advocacy—including local IPL chapters around the state.
Volunteer Opportunities: Events; research; legislative contacts; and organizing. Paid and non-paid internships available, and student interns can receive credit.
Newsletters/Publications: Weekly enewsletter; “Weekly Witness” podcast;” “LegeTV” YouTube channel. Check out our coverage of the United Nations climate negotiations on the Austin Chronicle Web site.
Dues: Donations of all sizes are gratefully accepted.
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