LETTER FROM OUR CEO

Dear friends and colleagues,

2023 showed us what we can do when we prioritize water in Texas. From a legislative session characterized by a commitment to address Texas’ critical water infrastructure needs, to the passage of a historic constitutional amendment, Texas Water Foundation (TWF) proudly worked alongside a wide range of partners to support the prioritization of water. 

Whether by our legislators or by voters, Texas sent a strong message: water security is a priority issue. As a nonpartisan and non advocacy organization, TWF was proud to be the educational partner to the first Texas House Water Caucus. With 73 members from across the state, TWF provided members with educational resources and opportunities to prioritize water. The passage of SB 28/SJR 75 and resultant Prop 6 on the ballot gave Texas voters the opportunity to approve the establishment of the Texas Water Fund and a $1B allocation to address water supply, aging infrastructure, and rural community needs. Texas voters prioritized water. TWF was proud to join diverse partners in supporting an educational campaign for Prop 6. 

Beyond our legislative engagement, we continued to achieve milestones across our work. Some of those milestones include:

We invite you to learn more about our programs and work in 2023 in this report. We have never felt more hopeful.

Thank you for your work, your support, and your partnerships.

 
 

Sarah Rountree Schlessinger
CEO, Texas Water Foundation

THANK YOU!

We can’t possibly reflect on the breadth, depth, and diversity of work accomplished in 2023 by Texas Water Foundation without acknowledging our partners in the important work toward water security in Texas. We know that our primary areas of impact – policy, leadership, and education – experienced significant forward movement over the course of the year. Woven throughout this progress was the increasing role we play as connectors across the water ecosystem. We hope these brief highlights inspire you to dig deeper into the work we do at TWF. Our work is only possible because of supporters like you.

 

POLICY PROGRAM

Texas Water Foundation’s policy program works to advance strong, well-informed deliberations that produce better policies by bringing together stakeholders and providing them with resources. Our principal role in the Texas water space is that of convener. As a neutral and nonpartisan organization, we cultivate relationships across the ecosystem and support the collaborative work required for meaningful impact on Texas’ water security.

In 2023, TWF’s policy work hit the ground running with the successful launch of the first Texas House Water Caucus. Officially announced on January 13 with thirty-eight legislators, the caucus grew rapidly to seventy-three members, with an almost even split between parties and geographic representation. As part of our work to support members and their staff, TWF built a unique water caucus portal that includes legislative reports, priorities, contact database, recent publications, media talking points, and tools. The portal also includes a news bulletin, list of upcoming water events, and opportunity for partner organizations to share new publications to legislators interested in water. 

Behind the scenes of the legislative session, we launched two important pieces of policy work: the Texas Water Atlas beta version, a comprehensive database of water entities operating in the water sector; and the first major water workforce study in Texas, conducted through the Houston Advanced Research Center and published mid-year.  Our fall policy focus centered around Prop 6 educational efforts, offering factual briefings, media interactions, social media toolkit and communication guide, and viral social media posts.

Through the combined efforts of Texas Water Foundation, engaged legislators, partner organizations, dedicated funders, and every Texas voter, water security and policy commanded the spotlight in 2023.

2023 Highlights:

  • Supporting the activities of the first Texas House Water Caucus at the Texas Legislature

  • Creation of the Texas Water Atlas

  • Publication of the first significant Texas Water Workforce Study

  • Proposition 6 media resources campaign and toolkit

 

TEXAS RUNS ON WATER

Texas Runs on Water ® (TRoW) is a first-of-its-kind statewide water campaign working to address the state’s growing water needs by inspiring Texans to consider how water is a part of everything they love about Texas. The campaign is built on Texas’ strong sense of local pride and invites Texans to participate in a viral cultural movement that connects the value of water to their local identity.

Launched in 2021, TRoW has grown through select pilot markets, as well as through newer engagement channels. Murals captured interest in 2023, as did the use of a new TRoW digital toolkit, allowing users to tailor branded resources to their geography and specific campaign needs. Another important milestone in TRoW’s campaign strategy was the integration of the campaign with ongoing policy conversations. This is reflected through the publication of the “Texans Shape our Water Future”  in Texas Monthly, translating policy discussions into a narrative to engage and inform the everyday reader and support the need for a campaign.

This year was also a time of lessons learned for the TRoW campaign. A key lesson emerging from 2023 is the importance of trust building in new markets, particularly in the area of community engagement. Another critical lesson learned is the difficulty of tying campaign awareness to behavior change. As we develop an ongoing strategy for TRoW, incorporating a behavior science framework will be a critical focus in 2024.

2023 Highlights:

  • Inclusion in the 2023 WCAC Legislative Recommendations

  • Addition of McAllen Runs on Water

  • Expansion of toolkit and users across the state

  • Growing crossover opportunities in policy work, amplifying Proposition 6 educational resources

Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and even Tiktok.

 

TEXAS WATER LEADERS

A generational shift is occurring in the water workforce. To support the need for succession planning, representative leadership, and trust across sectors, Texas Water Foundation created the Texas Water Leaders program in 2020.

Texas Water Leaders is an annual leadership program that provides water professionals with the tools, training, and opportunities to expand their potential. The program selects 20 water leaders each year and provides them with tailored professional coaching, mentorship, strategic networking, and a curriculum that includes workshops on water policy, conflict resolution, public speaking, and team management. 

Our fourth year of the program saw growth for both current and alumni participants. From the network perspective, when we launched this program in 2020, we made the decision to engage a sociologist at University of Texas to start mapping each class’s connection to each other. Following four years of mapping, the data reveals that the program has increased network connectivity for alumni by 77%. The trust-building necessary to unite future water leaders in pursuit of water security is happening class by class through the TWL program.

Another area of growth involves alumni engagement. The 2023 program kicked off with the First Annual TWL Alumni Paddle, bringing past and present leaders the opportunity to socialize in person.  This year, we leaned into engaging and amplifying alumni through annual surveys and exclusive education content, including a webinar around Proposition 6. As our alumni base reaches a size of significance, we anticipate further growth in our post-program engagement.

Check out the 2023 class and some of our biggest accomplishments:

  • Fourth class and 80th Texas Water Leader graduated

  • Alumni survey completed, showing 90% retention in the water sector in Texas

  • 4 scholarships provided

  • 4 Alumni gatherings

  • Inclusion in EPIC’s water leadership database

 

EVENTS

Every year, Texas Water Foundation recognizes an exceptional water leader who is making a lasting impact on Texas water at the Rainmaker Award Dinner. In 2023, we were proud to recognize two outstanding Rainmakers: Sen. Charles Perry and Rep. Tracy O. King. Together, these champions prioritized water during the 88th Legislative Session, resulting in the voter passage of Proposition 6, funding the new Texas Water Fund with $1B for water infrastructure and awareness.

November brought the inaugural Rio Grande/Rio Bravo Binational River Symposium. More than serving as a trusted host, we convened diverse binational and bilingual stakeholders for trust-building and conversations about collaboration on the Rio Grande. In partnership with the International Boundary and Water Commission and Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, we engineered an event that blended presentation, discussion, and social interaction to facilitate mutual respect and understanding among more than 150 attendees, evenly divided between countries. We anticipate an interim event in 2024 and another full symposium in 2025.

 

DONORS AND SUPPORTERS

We are grateful to our donors and sponsors for their generous support of Texas Water Foundation in 2023. Their support makes everything we do possible.