Night Sky Fund
The Hill Country Alliance (HCA) is now accepting applications for its Night Sky Preservation Fund, which provides financial support for community-driven efforts to protect the region’s dark skies. This annual grant program helps fund initiatives aimed at improving outdoor lighting practices, reducing unnecessary energy use, and minimizing light pollution across the Texas Hill Country.
This second year of the Fund is made possible thanks to the generous support of the Coypu Foundation and individual night sky advocates from around the region. It is available to local nonprofit organizations, small businesses, sole proprietors, and governmental entities working to preserve the natural beauty of the night sky. Applicants may request up to $5,000 in reimbursement funding for eligible night sky preservation projects, with a submission deadline of October 31, 2025. Examples of qualifying projects include applying for International Dark Sky Place designation, retrofitting lighting to be night sky-friendly, creating educational and outreach materials, and participating in HCA’s Night Sky Friendly programs for businesses and neighborhoods.
Through this funding opportunity, HCA aims to strengthen the network of International Dark Sky Places in the region, reduce greenhouse gas emissions through more innovative lighting practices, and broaden community education and engagement around light pollution issues. Projects must take place within one or more of the 22 eligible counties, which include: Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, Comal, Edwards, Gillespie, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, Medina, Real, San Saba, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Williamson.
“The inaugural launch of the Night Sky Preservation Fund was a tremendous success, allowing HCA to support 11 distinct projects across nine organizations,” said Dawn Davies, Night Sky Program Manager for the Hill Country Alliance. “We’re proud to now offer this as an annual opportunity for Hill Country partners, and we’re excited to support another round of applicants in achieving their night sky preservation goals.” While funding for land and water conservation is increasingly available, resources dedicated explicitly to responsible lighting and night sky protection remain limited. This grant remains the first of its kind in the region, focused solely on preserving our night skies. Click here to read the full press release.
Applications now open for 2025!
Frequently Asked Questions:
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Who can apply?
The application process is open to nonprofits with 501(c)(3) status, sole proprietorships, local governmental entities, and independently owned and operated small businesses that provide products and services in some or all 22 eligible counties.
What are the 22 eligible counties?
The 22 eligible counties are Bandera, Bexar, Blanco, Burnet, Comal, Edwards, Gillespie, Hays, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Lampasas, Llano, Mason, Medina, Real, San Saba, Travis, Uvalde, Val Verde, and Williamson.
What is the application window?
The application window opens October 1 and closes October 31.
Can an organization submit more than one application form?
Yes, an organization can submit more than one application so long as the additional applications are for different projects/requests.
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What documents are required to apply for the Fund?
You must complete the Hill Country Alliance Night Sky Preservation Fund Form.
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Where do I go to find acceptable night sky friendly outdoor light fixtures?
DarkSky International’s DarkSky Approved program provides objective, third-party certification for products, designs, and completed projects that minimize glare, reduce light trespass, and don’t pollute the night sky. Click hereto search their Luminaires Program for approved products by company, use, retailer, color temperature, and residential.
How can I donate to the fund?
To donate to the Hill Country Alliance Night Sky Preservation Fund, please click here.
2024 Hill Country Alliance Night Sky Preservation Fund Recipients:
Learn more about the Importance of Starry Skies
There is something magical about the starry night sky in the Hill Country. Stepping outside on a crisp, clear night to gaze at the stars helps us escape from the fast pace of our daily lives and connect with the natural world around us. The experience of a dazzling night sky inspires art, literature, photography, curiosity, and space exploration. It is a part of human heritage and a special part of the region’s identity. However, little stands in place to preserve this experience for future generations. According to the State of the Hill Country Report, the population is currently at 3.8 million, growing by nearly 50% in the last 20 years. Additionally, the Hill Country is expected to grow another 35% over the next 20 years, with a population of 5.2 million expected by 2040. As more people move to the Hill Country, they bring more development and inherently, more light. In fact, recent studies show that we are losing our night skies at an alarming rate of up to 10% each year.
Click to learn more about Night Sky Month
Here in the Hill Country, we believe the best way to preserve our night skies is through community involvement. For more than a decade, the Hill Country Alliance and our Night Skies Team of volunteers and partners have been working to minimize the impacts of light pollution. We collaborate with elected officials and local businesses, electric cooperatives and state parks, schools and chambers of commerce, and anyone else who cares about the beauty and value of our starry nights. We believe that when we plan for the future, we can create a Hill Country where starry night skies can always be enjoyed.
October is our annual, month-long celebration of the region’s most dazzling night-time feature — the star-twinkling, planet-glowing, comet-crossing night sky — where beauty and wonder abound.
Hill Country Night Sky Month is a celebration of our region’s night skies and of the hard work that Hill Country communities do to preserve it! Hill Country Night Sky Month is an opportunity to elevate the regional effort to ensure star-filled skies for future generations across the Hill Country. We encourage counties, cities, school districts, and others to officially recognize Night Sky Month through proclamations, but the best part is all the ways communities will come together to celebrate! Click the button below to explore night sky resources, identify the Friends of the Night Sky group in your region, and to join the Night Sky Month fun.
Contact Us:
Hill Country Alliance is a 501c3 non-profit established in 2004, 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.
For more information, email info@hillcountryalliance.org with the subject line Night Sky Fund.