Celebrating Local Impact with Chilton County 2025 Grant Day
Cawaco RC&D and the Chilton County Legislative Delegation gathered at Clanton City Hall to celebrate the awarding of $92,107 in grant funding to ten organizations…
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Midfield-Holt Community Garden Celebrates Success with New Pavilion and Storage Facilities
The Midfield-Holt Community Garden officially expanded its capacity to serve local families last week with the completion of a new pavilion and storage shed. Community…
North Jefferson Innovation Center Supports Local Entrepreneurs
Entrepreneurs in North Jefferson County now have a space to grow. The Town of Morris revitalized an existing building into a space that encourages a…
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New Highway Signs Spotlight Walker County’s Waterways
Drivers traveling along Interstate 22 through Walker County will now notice something new: signs identifying the rivers and creeks they’re crossing. The Walker County Soil…
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New Faces, Fresh Energy: Spotlight on Jody Drummond
Name: Jody DrummondTitle: Operations SpecialistYears with RC&D: 1 Month Meet Jody Drummond Jody Drummond is the newest part of Cawaco RC&D’s growing team, and we…
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Sowing Seeds in the City: Urban Agriculture in Alabama
Growing and distributing food in urban areas often looks a little different than it does in rural areas—it usually takes the form of community gardens,…
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Saving Lives in Pelham: RC&D Funds LUCAS Device
A new life-saving device has just arrived at the City of Pelham! The Pelham Fire Department now has a LUCAS Device, an incredible automated CPR…
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From Collapse to Connection: Big Canoe Creek Restoration Restores Flow & Reconnects Habitat
Big Canoe Creek at Goodwins Mill in St. Clair County is flowing free once again! The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service Partners for Fish &…
FY26 RC&D Grant Application Open April 1
Cawaco RC&D’s grant application is now open! In partnership with the Alabama Legislature, Cawaco RC&D’s grant program supports projects in Central Alabama that create meaningful…
Cool Green Trees Part of Sustainable Team in Birmingham
Cool Green Trees (CGT) is helping Birmingham become a more sustainable city! As one of 25 cities chosen for the three-year Bloomberg American Sustainable Cities…
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Cawaco RC&D and Alabama Legislature Invest in North Birmingham Food Access
Roots of Nourishment enhanced a community garden through the addition of raised garden beds and an irrigation system within the community greenhouse. The improvements grow…
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Swimsuit Drive for Children in Foster Care
It might feel like 2025 has just begun, but pool weather is right around the corner. The Alabama Association of RC&D Councils is running a…
2024 Projects of the Year
We honored five projects at our annual meeting that we felt went above and beyond due to the size of their impact, their uniqueness and…
Grow Your Career with Cool Green Trees!
We’re seeking a mission-driven Volunteer Manager to support our Cool Green Trees (CGT) program! CGT is dedicated to planting and preserving Jefferson County’s urban tree…
Economic development goes green
5 things to know about Cawaco RC&D Striking a balance between nature and human needs is vital. Cawaco RC&D is committed to this mission. But…
2025 Holle Family Foundation Grant Cycle Now Open
The Holle Family Foundation is accepting grant applications until November 1, 2024. The Holle Family Foundation is guided by a charitable philosophy that seeks to…
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Conserving Natural Resources & Cultivating Vibrant Communities
Happy World Nature Conservation Day! At Cawaco Resource Conservation & Development Council, we connect Central Alabama communities to the resources and partnerships needed to drive…
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Cool Green Trees is Hiring!
We’re seeking a mission-driven Program Manager to take our Cool Green Trees program to the next level! CGT is dedicated to planting and preserving Jefferson…
New Pollinator Garden in Oak Mountain State Park
Have you heard the buzz? Oak Mountain State Park opened a pollinator garden last week! It’s the first of 12 pollinator gardens across Alabama State…
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Raising Awareness for Watercress Darters
The Birmingham metro area is home to three endangered darters, including the watercress darter (Etheostoma nuchale). Cawaco RC&D worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife…
2025 Grant Cycle Now Open
April 1- July 1, 2024 We are currently accepting applications for the 2025 grant cycle! Applicants should make themselves aware of the timelines and reporting…
Cool Green Trees is in the News!
In case you haven’t heard- Cool Green Trees is a new Cawaco Program that is locating Urban Heat Islands in Birmingham and cooling them down…
2024 Funding Opportunity
The 2024 Cawaco Grant Cycle opens April 1- July 1, 2023. All applicants are now required to create an account with username and password prior…
A 3 for 1 Project
Cawaco provided assistance to the US Fish & Wildlife Service which could improve fish passage for the Trispot Darter. The project removed a perched concrete…
Adding Mussel(s)
At the end of the 2021, Cawaco agreed to receive funds from the Coosa River Basin Initiative of behalf of AABC. Funding came from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources…
Town Creek Restoration-14 Years Later…
In 2008, Cawaco and the City of Jasper contracted with North State Environmental to solve erosion and stormwater management issued on Town Creek. The Creek…
Cawaco assists in mussel reintroduction
As the nonprofit partner of the Alabama Rivers & Streams Network, Cawaco facilitated funding provided by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources through the Coosa…
2022 Cawaco Annual Report
Cawaco has had a busy year! We took on a new staff person, and got a new Chairman. We not only have a very successful…
Rep. Corley Ellis Receives Legislator of the Year Award
https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2022/03/08/rep-corley-ellis-receives-leadership-award-from-statewide-development-organization/
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2022 Roebuck Springs Work Day
April 2 2022 Come volunteer to plant the stream banks at Roebuck Springs on the Roebuck Springs Golf Course spring run – – home of…
2022 Seven Springs Watercress Darter Work Day
March 19, Saturday 9 am until 12 noon As part of the Urban Darter Project, Freshwater Land Trust is hosting a habitat improvement workday at…
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Free Educational Resource
Teach your students about water and mineral science with this fun activity book! It is free to download! Wacky water bookDownload
Delivery to Parrish Elementary
Kasey Kilpatrick, a teacher and gardener at Parrish Elementary was awarded a mini-grant for her school garden and got a seed delivery too!
Alabama Rivers & Streams Annual Meeting
Cawaco RC&D is the nonprofit partner for the Alabama Rivers & Streams Network (www.alh2o.org). 2023 Annual Meeting will be held January 18, 2023. Check the…
Working with Birmingham Parks
Francesca Gross, Environmental Specialist for Cawaco RC&D was featured Birmingham Parks and Recreation Report (September 2021). Read more about Francesca and her work!
Tractor Supply Supports Gardens
Cawaco would like to welcome our new partner, Tractor Supply-Bessemer. Tractor supply donated their end of the year seeds for the RC&D Grows Gardens program.…
2021 By-The-Numbers
This is a one-page graphic of the Cawaco grant program numbers, as well as other Contracts and Grants we manage. 2021-By-the-NumbersDownload
2021 Annual Grant Report
2021 was a challenging year for many, due to the challenges presented from change in leadership and COVID obstacles. However, our grantees were able to…
2021 RC&D Grows Gardens Presentation
Sponsored by Alabama Association of RC&D Councils and USDA Natural Resource Conservation Service, RC&D Grows Gardens provides resources to school and community gardens. Results of…
RC&D Grows Gardens
We are very grateful to the Alabama Association of RC&D Councils for providing us with a grant to continue the RC&D Grows Gardens program. By…
2020 Project Report
Look what happened in 2020! 2020 Project Report
Kellie Johnston receives Alabama Association of RC&D Councils Hall of Fame Award!
Kellie is a creative, innovative thinker. Not only can she dream up a project, she can also find the people to make it happen. She…
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Univ of Montevallo Provides Environmental Education-Virtually
The Environmental Education Program at the University of Montevallo (UM) originally applied for a Cawaco grant to provide in-person programming for each grade in Montevallo…
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Shelby Emergency Assistance Creates Edible Garden
SEA’s goal is to provide for the basic needs (food, housing, utilities and medical care) of people in crisis, helping them achieve self-sufficiency. Local gardeners…
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Chilton Broadband Feasibility Study
Cawaco RC&D provided $15,000 to Chilton Industrial Development Authority to fund a broadband feasibility study for Chilton County. The study was paid for through a…
Problem Solving at the Elementary Level – Bryan Elementary
Bryan Elementary saw a community need for PPE equipment and used the opportunity to provide STEM education. Using Cawaco funds, Bryan Elementary was able to…
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Cawaco Funds Shelby County Career Corps
https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2021/06/02/shelby-chamber-to-present-career-corps-summer-program/
Historic Dining at Camp Fletcher
Funding from Cawaco and other area foundations assisted Bridgeways in rebuilding the WOHELO Dining Hall. Built in 1935, the dining hall was the central hub…
Transformed vacant lot in North Titusville
Francesca Gross and volunteers at a workday in Titusville’s new Triangle Park , April 11, 2021. (photo by Sydney Cromwell).
Paul Kennedy Makes Who’s Who!
Check out our Board Member, Paul W. Kennedy, who was featured as a “Who’s Who” in the Birmingham Business Journal’s 2021 Nonprofit edition. Paul was…
Urban Darter Project
Despite being the most populated city in Alabama, the Birmingham Metropolitan area is no exception, and is home to three endangered darters in the genus…
UAB Grand Challenge
Cawaco RC&D Council was contracted by University of Alabama Birmingham and Sunrise Rotary to implement a portion of UAB’s Grand Challenge strategic plan. Cawaco’s Environmental Specialist,…
Goldwire Heights Subdivision Enhancements
Cawaco is implementing a contract received from Navigate Affordable Housing Partners Inc. to construct two (2) subdivision gateway signs and plant trees for street-scaping in the Goldwire Heights…
Mulberry Fork Stream Stabilization
The Mulberry Fork Streambank Stabilization project included stabilizing and enhancing approximately 200 total linear meters of stream bank on Mulberry Fork and an associated tributary,…
Trispot Darter Fish Passage Partnership
The trispot darter is a small, colorful fish with three prominent black saddles on its back and grows up to 1.5 inches long. The species…
Rush Darter Fish Passage
During a 2018 bio-blitz at Turkey Creek Nature Preserve, a new record for the federally listed (endangered) Rush Darter (Etheostoma phytophilum) was documented. This new…
DAV Chapter 4 Building Repairs
Cawaco received a grant from the Holle Family Foundation to bring the Disabled American Veterans Chapter 4 building up to code. The roof was leaking…
Runway for Reclamation
On August 6, 2020, Cawaco RC&D received a grant from Reclaiming Appalachia Coalition to assist partners of the Alabama Rivers & Streams Network in developing…
Strategic Habitat Internships
The USFWS has provided funding for student interns (2015-2023) to perform road crossing surveys. These surveys provide base information for habitat assessments and the SHU…
RC&D Grows Gardens
Panola Community Outreach Pavillion (Green County) Funds from Alabama RC&D “RC&D Grows Gardens Project” were used to complete the Panola Community Outreach pavilion. The pavilion…
Pleasantfield Volunteer Fire Department Radios
Thanks to Senator Greg Reed, Cawaco heard about the needs of Pleasantfield Volunteer Fire department in Walker County. Pleasantfield is a very rural community in…
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Garden Report
2019 Cawaco Annual Report
[pdf-embedder url=”https://cawaco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/2019-Cawaco-Annual-Report.pdf” title=”2019 Cawaco Annual Report”]
Trispot Darter Study
Cawaco RC&D is managing a grant from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation on behalf of the Alabama Rivers and Streams Network. The purpose of…
EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES- WATER FUN FOR STUDENTS K-5
Looking for educational resources for students K-5 to print at home or in class? Look no further! Here is a print-friendly version of a FUN activity book about water conservation!
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Cawaco Wins Two Southeastern RC&D Awards
Cawaco Board Members Paul Kennedy and Sheila Baker walked away with two Southeastern Association of RC&D Council awards this week in Asheville NC. Paul Kennedy…
Projects from the State of Alabama!
Enjoy this presentation that highlights the work being done throughout the state by Resource, Conservation & Development Councils in Alabama. [pdf-embedder url=”http://cawaco.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Presentation-2019-Annual-ConferenceFinal.pdf” title=”Presentation 2019 Annual…
2019 Strategic Habitat Meeting of the Alabama Rivers & Streams Network
Strategic Habitat Meeting 2019 Each year, the Alabama Rivers and Streams Network come together to share information and set an area of focus for the…
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When you shop Amazon, remember your favorite charity!
AmazonSmile donates to Cawaco Resource Conservation And Development Area when you do your holiday shopping at smile.amazon.com/ch/63-1027283.
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Cawaco Radio Ad for Free GED Classes
We are proud to sponsor this radio ad that runs in our five counties! The Alabama Community College System Adult Education programs (Alabama Adult Education)…
Seniors Teach Seniors Computer Skills
Meet Ms. Shirley Mixon of the Jasper Senior Activity Center. Ms. Mixon is an alumni of the Generations on Line program that was partially funded…
Oneonta Middle School Robotics
On May 1, 2018 we visited Oneonta Middle School teacher John Fallin, his robotics team and Rep. David Standridge! In 2017, the school received a…
SAVING A LANDMARK, REUNITING A COMMUNITY
How strangers came together to save the Chestnut Creek Heritage Chapel Since the early 1800’s, the Chestnut Creek Baptist Church was the center of the…
How we did in 2017
2017 proved to be another productive year for Cawaco! Below, see our end of year numbers and project data reports! 2017 project highlights 2017 By…
Mapping Birmingham City Trees
Cawaco is working with the Nature Conservancy, the Regional Planning Commission, the Birmingham urban forester, Alabama Forestry Commission and other agencies to map Birmingham trees.…
How we did in 2016
In 2016, Cawaco projects built 11 miles of trails, restored 20 acres of habitat, educated over 3000 children and more than 2000 adults. For every…
Beginning Farmer Outreach Meeting- Walker County
Once again we are partnering with USDA and Walker County Soil & Water to host a Beginning Farmer Outreach meeting in Walker County! Pass this…
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Alabama AARCDC State Conference
Alabama Association of RC&D Councils Annual Meeting On May 2-4, Cawaco hosted the state conference at the Embassy Suites Birmingham. Thanks to all those who…
We Are Delivering Seeds!
We are currently delivering vegetable seed to community and school gardens throughout the state! The seeds are FREE but you have to apply in order…
Cawaco Tool Trailer
The Tool Trailer got a good bit of use in 2015! 849 volunteers used the trailer to clear over 17 miles of trails in places…
North Jefferson Blount Regional Library
Cawaco is helping fund some upgrades to the old Armory building located in Warrior. The building is being renovated into a state of the art…
Resources for Stream Owners
Are you a landowner with a stream on your property? Do you lose property with every rain? Do your stream banks shift? There is a…
Forest Certification Workshop August 6
The Alabama Forestry Commission recognizes that voluntary participation in forest certification is growing in the southern United States and that forest managers and forest industry…
Soil Health Workshop July 18
Are you doing everything you can to keep your land and your soil healthy? Would you like to learn how to build soil health, nourish…
Cawaco featured on RootsRated website
Cawaco recently got some press on RootsRated! RootsRated is a website designed to help outdoor enthusiasts find the best hiking, trail running, climbing, paddling, cycling and…
Cawaco Wins Project of the Year Award
Cawaco was awarded the Alabama Association of Resource Conservation & Development Council’s Project of the Year Award for 2014, for the “Tannehill Wastewater Treatment” project.…
Beginning Farmers Outreach Meetings Scheduled
Cawaco RC&D to host Beginning Farmers and Ranchers Outreach Meetings. Cawaco is partnering with USDA/NRCS and local Soil & Water Conservation Districts to host Beginning…
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Cawaco Provides Technology in the Classroom
By MOLLY DAVIDSON / Staff Writer NORTH SHELBY—Oak Mountain Elementary School first grade students have been able to supplement their learning with iPads, thanks to…
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Circle of Diamonds Tier II Awarded to Cawaco RC&D
Cawaco RC&D is very excited to announce that we have been granted enhanced (Tier II) Circle of Diamonds membership by the National Association of Resource,…
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Project Update- Greystone Elementary Outdoor Classroom
Back in 2011, Cawaco awarded Greystone Elementary School a grant to develop an outdoor classroom. This first phase of the project allowed them to purchase…
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Visit with Cornerstone
Patti Pennington was at Cornerstone School on October 20, and met Ms. Crist and her kindergarten class. There have been many improvements since Cawaco helped…
Board Member Spotlight
Meet Judge Chris Green of Blount County. He serves on the Cawaco Board Personnel and Executive Committees. Chris is both a Blount County Probate Judge…
Kids learning water safety and kayaking
The kayaks are being put to good use and even made the paper! Kids participate in Outdoor Adventure Camp By Emily Etheredge Published 3:56pm Thursday,…
Palisades Park gets WiFi!
Cawaco RC&D id dedicated to the development and wise use of our Natural Resources. Although many will think that a park getting WiFi is not…
Natural Resources Presentation at Camp McDowell
Cawaco constantly strives to promote the wise and thoughtful development of our natural resources, and has funded the Your Town…
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Rocky Ridge Fire District Awarded grant
Recently the Rocky Ridge Fire Department received a 10,000 grant from Cawaco RC&D for river rescue equipment. Since the purchase of the equipment, it has…
Cawaco wins three State Awards
Paul McCaleb, Outstanding Council Member Cawaco RC&D Council Chairman Paul McCaleb won the McCarty Award for Outstanding Council Member of the Year during the Alabama State RC&D Council Annual Meeting…
Board Member Spotlight
Gerald Arrington Gerald Arrington is one of Cawaco’s newest Board Members, and manager of Minooka Park, an off-highway vehicle park owned by Chilton County. When…
